Aashna Mukerji

    “Wow, that test raped me.”     Every so often, a particularly difficult exam will leave students frustrated and upset enough to use this phrase or post it carelessly on Facebook.

Last year at the “Every 15 Minutes” assembly, presenters tried to convey the importance of not drinking while driving.  During the “Speak Up for Change” week in January, guest speaker Scott Backovich used jokes and catch-phrases to emphasize how critical it is to help others.

It’s finally second semester, and seniors Tyler Bakke, Arush Shankar and Feargus MacFhionnlaoich are taking it in stride. The self-dubbed “Brawl Bros” have successfully planned and carried out one Super Smash Bros tournament and are looking forward to their next one, currently set for March 16.

Seniors at The Harker School, the private school in San Jose, don’t have first semester finals. Their first semester gives seniors more time to work on college applications. Seniors at Saratoga High and many other schools have no such luck.

Because the great Mayan gods felt the need to lie to us for the past however many centuries, our lives are now ruined.

During the spring semester, many seniors often begin to feel disappointed after receiving college rejection letters. 

”If you know there’s a better chance you’ll be accepted to the school, why not apply early?” senior Jenny Guarino said. Her attitude is shared by an increasing number of seniors who aim to take full advantage of the schools’ higher acceptance rates for early candidates.

Elephants everywhere on Nov. 6 tooted their trunks to their newly elected leader, the well-groomed Mitt Romney. It was a fine day in Mormon households all over as “Jesus took the wheel” (thank you Carrie Underwood) and drove straight into the White House with Mitt on deck. 

When senior Maggy Liu heard her name over the announcements on Oct. 15, she felt thrilled and a little confused. 

After 16 years on campus, World of Discovery Preschool moved to Argonaut Elementary School on Oct. 4. 

Fear. It’s the dominant sensation on the minds of all seniors at this time of year.

Notorious for its 1,000-point labs and nightly 5-hour homework load, AP Biology has long been one of the school’s most challenging classes. This year, however, the College Board has changed the nature of the test to emphasize applying knowledge over rote memorization.

Senior Sanjna Verma took a deep breath, cleared her mind and focused on the ninth hole. A small swing back and a clean follow-through pushed the ball straight into the hole for a par 3 on Sept. 17 during a match against Leland High School. 

It is a truth universally acknowledged that every American in possession of Internet access must be in want of something inherently British (usually an accent). Some desire websites where users can analyze a boy wizard’s escapades in the wee hours of the morning; some are merely content to peruse pictures of the unamused queen and her pet corgis.

Hoping to draw new student and parent volunteers, the Mechanical Science and Engineering Team (M-SET) held an open house on Aug. 26. M-SET vice president Todd Nguyen expected “about five-10 people to show up, but there were at least 60 people there.” 

In every fairy tale, there’s always a villain lurking in the shadows. In this case, it’s Wisconsin representative Paul Ryan, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s running-mate. He’s big and he's bold. 

“M&M’s peanut butter candies are a favorite, as are Reese’s cups,” said Paul Robinson, the school’s new principal.  “I also love chocolate chip cookies. These are the reasons I ride a bike and play basketball.”

The 2011 girls’ golf season featured a new coach, a new course and a smaller, younger team. This year they are vastly different. 

An increase in the school’s population means the preschool that has been located on campus for 15 years will be forced to move starting next year.   

Feb. 26, Sanford, Fla. 7:11 p.m.: Community watch coordinator George Zimmerman calls 911 to report a “real suspicious guy.” Zimmerman adds that the man looks like “he’s on drugs or something,” and begins to follow him.  

The savior of America will sweep across the nation in an ill-fitting sweater vest, his speech as eloquent as his coiffure. His entire campaign screams “red, white and blue”: anti-education, anti-secularism and pro-discrimination. Get ready, America, for a nation run by Rick Santorum.

Peer pressure usually has a negative connotation, but in senior Eric Wang’s case, it resulted in one of his best decisions during high school: joining Bombay in the Bay.

A group of students who share a passion for history and a thirst for intense competition have found their calling, the History Bowl.

Starting the school day with an invigorating workout wouldn’t sound so bad if it were followed up with a complimentary breakfast. The addition of a new Advanced Fitness PE class next year might just make this a reality.

NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service)

Since her brother, Jeffrey, left for UC Berkeley this fall, junior Sarah Kuo has found herself with some much-needed peace and quiet. “Jeff teases me sometimes, but now that he’s not in the house anymore, it’s been quiet,” Sarah said.

After about two months of deliberation, the math department has decided to submit a proposal to the school board to add a regular Trigonometry/Pre-Calculus course to the curriculum in addition to offering the current Honors course.

After 92 juniors expressed interest, the social studies department has decided once again to offer an Advanced Placement European History course. The course will be taught by social studies teacher Jerry Sheehy, who taught the class three years ago. AP Euro ran for a year before interest petered out and only 20 students signed up.

Having immediate access to the bathroom is something that most people take for granted. As the third of four children, junior Feargus MacFhionnlaoich counts himself lucky when there’s no line in the morning.

”Can I come on the date with you?” junior Olivia Whiting’s 9-year-old sister, Francesca, asked her as Olivia straightened her hair.

Sophomore Sachi Verma approached her ball at the edge of the water hazard and took a shot. The ball sailed cleanly through the air, but was knocked off course by a tree. Verma, literally knocked off her feet by surprise, fell backward into the creek with a splash. “It was such a nice shot, too!” Verma said. “I couldn’t believe I fell in in front of Coach [Dave Gragnola], my teammates, and the other team. It was so embarrassing.”

Given his job as the school’s chief disciplinarian, meeting with assistant principal Kevin Mount may not be high on students’ to-do list. But what many students fail to see is that Mount has much more to offer than just a Saturday School.

After a hard day of memorizing positions for their upcoming show, junior Todd Nguyen and the other 20 saxophone players run back onto the field, fingers pointed to the sky, yelling “Unicorn Charge!”

When Casey Hall stepped down as head coach for the 2011 girls’ golf season to assume a higher position at Stanford, the previously 19-member team was disappointed, to say the least.

Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, as assistant principal Karen Hyde likes to say, Homecoming was a week for alumni to return and show support for their school. Now that idea seems peculiar and out of place. Over the years, Homecoming has developed into an event full of pride and spirit meant for the current students, not directed toward the mostly forgotten alumnus who was crowned Homecoming queen in the class of ‘94.

It is hard to go a day in high school without hearing somebody utter the phrase “that’s so gay” in the hallways. This sort of passive homophobia, which has grown rampant over the last few years, has not only gained popularity in communities of immature teenagers, but also, unfortunately, in the media. “Meet Apple’s new boss, the most powerful gay man in Silicon Valley,” reads a Gawker headline; “Tim Cook is now the most powerful gay man in the world,” reads another from Business Insider.

Eleven juniors received awards at the CSF Award Ceremony held on May 18. Parents and students were invited to the cafeteria at 7:30 a.m., where students were recognized for their exceptional conduct and academic excellence by various teachers, guidance counselors and administrators.

Saratoga High. The first words that come to mind are typically academics, over-achievers and stereotypical nerds. Enthusiastic and spirited? Probably not. According to the rally commission, however, things are beginning to change.

In the days before technology, people amused themselves with writing. They read books, wrote letters, played games and took walks—all of which now sound completely alien to me as I vegetate in front of my computer screen, waiting for my next show to download online.

In the days before technology, people amused themselves with writing. They read books, wrote letters, played games and took walks—all of which now sound completely alien to me as I vegetate in front of my computer screen, waiting for my next show to download online.

Imagine trying to use the restroom and suddenly having Moaning Myrtle wailing at you. Although this experience may not seem highly coveted, add in a fresh mug of foamy butterbeer and the situation should improve. Couple that with a visit to Ollivander’s, a conversation with the Sorting Hat, a trip through Diagon Alley and the magnificent, towering castle of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and resist the urge to pinch yourself. Or, go ahead and try it. This is no dream.

Starting next year, some teachers in the science department will be teaching different classes in order to accommodate students enrolled in some of the more popular courses such as AP Physics due to science teacher Bill Drennan’s decision to retire at the end of this year.

Many young girls dream about becoming a fashion designer someday. Though this fantasy is often considered unrealistic and far beyond reach, junior Kylie Tseng and senior Carol Wu are working hard to make this dream a reality.

Many young girls dream about becoming a fashion designer someday. Though this fantasy is often considered unrealistic and far beyond reach, junior Kylie Tseng and senior Carol Wu are working hard to make this dream a reality.

It’s a bird! No, it’s a plane. No, wait, it’s a flying rodent festering with disease and liquid feces. Oh wait. That’s a bird.

The school’s burgeoning repainting project along the art wing may look like a mismatched fiasco to passers-by, but for principal Jeff Anderson, it is an endeavor that will “make everybody feel a little bit better about walking around here.” Under the leadership of Anderson and plant operations supervisor Brian Moran, the school is testing out three paint samples along the art wing as possible color schemes for the school’s repainting. Moran said the current three options are not finalized.

Wandering down the crowded streets of Santana Row on a Saturday afternoon, you might spot junior Frederick Lee surrounded by a group of people.

The problem with interviewing English teachers is that the answers they provide are often miles better than anything you could write. What began as a basic profile of English 10 and AP English Language teacher Ken Nguyen (pronounced “win”) quickly morphed into a tale of epic proportions.

1. Titanic The classic “Romeo and Juliet” story of forbidden love. For boys who write Titanic off as a chick-flick, rest assured that there is plenty of action and adventure to balance out the sappy romance between Jack and Rose. Lasting over three hours, this tragic love story has been critically acclaimed worldwide. 2. Tangled An animated musical based on the fairy tale “Rapunzel.”

With a record of 11 wins and 22 losses, the girls’ varsity volleyball team looks back on this season with mixed feelings. Having lost five key players to graduation last year and gaining two new freshmen, team captains and seniors Sarah Blegen and Hanna Nielsen were nervous but excited at the prospect of leading such a young team.

“So you’re African American, right?” “Yeah.” “But you just said you were German.” “I’m German, African, Ethiopian, American Indian, and Asian. I can show you my family tree if you want.” Freshman Halle Champion has had a conversation like this at least five times since she arrived at Saratoga High. Though often mistaken for being only African American, she comes from a host of different cultures.

It’s the beginning of the end. After a decade of heated duels, audacious rule-breaking and the ultimate struggle between love and hate, Harry Potter’s adventure finally is coming to a close.

Jackie’s Part: On my 11th birthday, the Hogwarts-embossed envelope I’d been expecting was missing from my mailbox. My chimney was free of owls, and sadly, no hairy half-giants broke down my door to inform me that I was a witch. I was heartbroken then, but I haven’t lost hope yet. I’m still waiting for the day the Ministry of Magic sends me an owl apologizing for the terrible mistake they made four years ago for not recognizing that I was clearly destined for the wizarding world.

Walking down the halls of Saratoga High, the classic "prep" image is almost nowhere in sight. Girls don’t wear pleated skirts and knee highs matched with cashmere Ralph Lauren sweaters—instead, it’s easier to find tank tops and Abercrombie jean shorts that aren’t even long enough to conceal their own pockets. Swap headbands for side bangs and polo shirts for Juicy jackets, and you arrive at a more laid-back version of the original prep style.

When most people reach their senior year, they are excited to finally be at the top of high school’s hierarchy. Seniors Sarah Blegen and Hanna Nielsen have reached this peak, but they are sharing a top leadership position as co-captains of the 11-17 girls’ varsity volleyball team. “I think it’s a really good system because both [Nielson] and I bring different aspects to the team,” said Blegen. She praised her co-captain for taking such a leading role on the court and boosting everyone’s confidence.

The typical SHS student is thought of as too busy studying to ever have time for a real social life. Grades are all that matter—not friends, parties, or sports—just grades. Although you only find the stereotypical nerd with bowties, khakis and suspenders on television, here are some tips to achieve a level of nerdity that you can be proud of. Being obsessed with grades is the perfect place to start. Everything in your life should revolve around your GPA. Always be looking for ways to get ahead of the rest of the people in your classes. If it's not an A+, it's not good enough.

What do the "Harry Potter" series, "Gone with the Wind," "The Outsiders" and "Charlotte’s Web" all have in common? On the surface, nothing. They are of different genres, intended for different audiences and centered around different themes. At one point or another, however, each of these books was banned or challenged due to controversial content—a practice that is no less abhorrent today than in any other time.

"Together, win!" the girls' varsity volleyball team shouted to raise their spirits before playing Mills, their last match for the weekend. On Sept. 18, the team played in a tournament at Menlo Atherton. With an almost even record of wins and losses, they went into the sixth and final game feeling nervous but ready. The girls' words of encouragement rang true as the game against Mills ended with a Falcon victory of 25-15 and 25-16. "We could have done better, but we came really close to [beating the other] teams," said senior co-captain Hanna Nielson.

After the loss of five starters to graduation, the girls’ varsity volleyball team is working especially hard on technique since this year’s team is younger than those in the recent past. “[Losing five players] was tough for us, since there are six people on a court at a time,” said co-captain Sarah Blegen, who is the team's starting out side hitter and kill leader. “What we lost in height, we make up for in hard work.”

On Aug. 27, more than 50 fresh faces gathered in the quad to participate in the annual New Student Barbeque, which was held in order help students new to the school feel more comfortable before diving into the school year. The event was organized by the New Student Commission.