Myers Park Hoofprint

The Myers Park High School Newspaper

Charlotte Powell

Summer Sips

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Feeling the sun beating down on you, wishing you were relaxing on a beach somewhere but instead you’re studying for final exams? I might just have a few things, namely, sweet treats, in mind that might be the perfect pick-me-up to get you through the rest of the school year and excited for summer vacation ahead!

Let me introduce you to what I call the beverage of the summer: the Arnold Palmer. Also known in some places as a “Half and Half”, it’s sweet tea mixed with lemonade over ice, absolutely refreshing. In fact, it gets its name from the highly revered golfer Arnold Palmer as it was his signature drink. Just ask students at his alma mater, Wake Forest University; they have an annual “Arnold Palmer Day ” to celebrate him and enjoy the ice-cold beverage. Southern states come with perks of having the best-made Arnold Palmers and Charlotte is full of some great restaurants that will serve you up with that sweet tea, lemon goodness! My recommendations are CookOut, Hubee D’s, The Southern Pecan, Park Road Soda Shoppe, and of course, the Chick-fil-A “Sunjoy.” You can enjoy your Arnold Palmer on the go and I always look forward to getting it as my little treat for the day. Making your own at home is also a great option because you can customize it to your liking. I like using Arizona sweet tea or Bojangles sweet tea with a splash of fresh squeezed lemon juice or Simply Lemonade and adding a couple lemon slices in. Sipping on it certainly makes it feel like summer.

I would be a fool if I didn’t talk about the other summer treat: milkshakes! Who doesn’t love a good milkshake? It’s about that time of year too when you need to cool off but don’t want to make a mess with ice cream. Milkshakes are an up and coming market in the dessert industry as well; let me give you a few recommendations! Cook Out is famous for their creamy, thick milkshakes with 40+ flavors. My go-tos are Chocolate Cherry and Oreo Peanut Butter. Chick-fil-A is another popular choice with delicious shakes such as Strawberry, Cookies and Cream, and Peach, all topped with whipped cream and a cherry. Both of those options are cheap and convenient. I would also recommend Shake Shack, they have unique-tasting, classic and seasonal shakes from Tiramsu to Dreamsicle; the Chocolate is definitely my favorite., Cowfish, Golden Cow Creamery, Ninety’s Dessert Bar, Ben and Jerry’s, and Bad Daddy’s are also at the top of my milkshake list in Charlotte.

Whether it’s an Arnold Palmer or a milkshake, you’ll be set for summer and to finish the school year strong!

Springing into Action

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Spring has sprung and so have seasonal allergies! 

    The sprouting greenery contains organisms that love to irritate those with sensitive allergies. Pollen seems to show up everywhere; you may see it on your freshly washed car or patio furniture. Pollen is produced by nearly every plant during reproduction; as the sun’s out and the weather’s warm, they can photosynthesize thus increasing pollen. No wonder your eyes feel so itchy! Another often overlooked, allergy-triggering organism is mold. Mold can be found on rotting logs, fallen leaves, compost piles, and other damp places. According to the allergy company Zyrtec,“during the spring months, decomposing plants that have not survived the cold of winter can turn into vehicles for mold growth.” The best thing to do when dealing with pollen, grass, or mold allergies is to keep all areas as clean as possible and utilize allergy medication. Keep hand sanitizer and over-the-counter meds such as Zyrtec or Claritin on you at all times, invest in a HEPA filter or dehumidifier, wear sunglasses and hats, wash your hands and wipe down surfaces. Inform your friends and family of your allergies so you can avoid them during activities in allergy-hub spaces.

Besides plant allergens, bugs like bees, stink bugs, ladybugs, ants, flies and more fill the cracks and crevices indoors and outdoors. Bees are the most brutal of the bunch because they carry two allergens: pollen and venom from bee stings. If you see a bee flying around, do not swat at it. Simply ignore it, walk the other way, or keep the doors and windows open for it to fly out. For any bugs or insect bites, keep allergy cream or EpiPens, if necessary, on you at all times. 

In contrast to bees, stink bugs are harmless but they definitely live up to their title as a bug that stinks! At the first sign of a threat, they secrete a foul-smelling liquid that lingers on anything it touches. They like to hang from light fixtures, and drop when threatened, which is why you may see them flying around in your house. Ladybugs fall and drop in the same way. These insects contribute to the cycle of life so they will continue to appear, but there are ways to mitigate their presence. Make sure you’re not leaving any food out especially near windows, and seal any cracks or holes in your foundation including screens. According to ruralsprout.com, you can spray strong-smelling substances on your windows and door frames such as citronella and neem oil, or even rub dryer sheets around those surfaces. 

When you find the right balance of managing your allergies and domestic space, you can enjoy spring to its full extent.

Influenczza

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It’s no secret that content creators, specifically on Tik Tok, are heavily influencing the human population. It seems as though there is always a new product to try. Through Stanley Cups, slicked-back hairstyles, Poppi Sodas, Rare Beauty Products, and Revlon Hair Brush Blow Dryers, microtrends have been significantly changing the retail demand. However, the problem is that more and more content creators are promoting the same aesthetic, oversaturating the media, and there’s been a dissociation of viewers’ personal styles. Are practices genuinely loved and valuable to the individual, or are they simply curated by social media?

Currently, the main trends are related to makeup and beauty products and it appears to have a ripple effect. There is one name that seems to have influenced all: Alix Earle. With her casual “Get-Ready-With-Me-Story-Time” Tik Tok videos, her persona has boomed in the past couple of months. She’s now a verified creator and has attended many influencer events including traveling to Dubai with Tarte, the cosmetic company. People love her and a common saying is, “What would Alix Earle do?” Why is she so popular? Some answer that she is relatable, but no one really knows. Products she uses, such as the White Nyx Jumbo Stick Eyeliner and Charlotte Tilbury Contour Wand, have not just simply been “popular”; they’ve severely disrupted the supply chain selling out in beauty stores such as Sephora and Ulta, creating an impatient rage in customers. Her Amazon storefront that displays the lighting and equipment she uses to film has even sold out of stock for the next month. Earle, along with popular Swedish content creator Matilda Djerf, have dazzled viewers with their shiny, blowout hair look, which they achieve by using the brand Gisou. Gisou products such as the Honey Infused Hair Oil and leave-in treatments have been primarily used by black women for their hair type, and because of Djerf’s and Earle’s influence on the sell-out, those women have vocalized their frustration as they don’t have access to the products that they need to keep their hair healthy. Supply chain problems are shockingly very evident when it comes to influencers.

Social media interactors seem to just pick a person and make that person the top influencer; “It Girls,” so to speak. Other Tik Tok creators have tried to top Earle through their own “Get-Ready-With-Me” beauty routines, but the products are the same along with the basis of the video. The “Clean Girl” aesthetic is also shared amongst many influencers through satisfying, minimalist interior spaces, relaxing skincare and bedtime routines, and “Day in My Life” videos. It’s actually quite interesting when thinking back to the earlier 2013-2016 phase on Youtube with vlog-style, routine videos that were produced by creators such as Bethany Mota and Alisha Marie. This truly goes to show that trends in the media almost always resurface. Today on Tik Tok, there’s not just Lauren Loveless or Paige Lorenze; there are thousands of accounts with similar content and follower counts. This creates an alienation in niche creators and personal aesthetics as more and more people, Tik Tok influencers or not, are dressing and living alike. In the past, influencers were unique to the public and were able to build a well-known brand. Now, it’s becoming harder and harder to be a full-time content creator as nothing is “original” anymore, and viewership demand changes by the day. 

It will be interesting to see if this continues and if/when the media becomes completely homogenous and oversaturated. Some may argue that this can be good, as using the same things as others creates a collective group of people who bond over certain products and practices that are helpful to them. All in all, people have the freedom of choice and can invest in whatever products they desire. 

Dark Skies, Sunny Moods

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Picture this: It’s 5pm, you go outside to see a pitch black atmosphere.You’re starting to miss those summer and early fall nights when the sun would beam in the sky until 7 or 8pm. 

This strange phenomenon, daylight savings time, is a biannual occurrence. In the United States since 2007, on Sunday November 6th at 2am, clocks are set back an hour, causing it to get darker earlier, and on Sunday March 12th at 2am, they are set forward an hour, causing it to remain lighter for longer. The cycle of the sun doesn’t change, time does, and humans adapt.

There’s a lot of questioning and controversy surrounding daylight savings time and why it was even put into practice. Most people prefer following the post-March 12th cycle where it’s darker in the mornings so they can adjust to waking up with sunlight extending later in the day, allowing more time for activities outdoors.

Daylight savings originated a couple centuries ago so working class individuals could be more productive during the morning in the wintertime and have more time for post-work hobbies and studies in the spring. After being utilized during wartimes as a measure to conserve energy, the United States adopted daylight savings time in March 1918 and have used it ever since.

With this practice comes effects. The change in daylight impacts public transportation, such as buses, trains, and ferries because there are set schedules for certain departures. It’s a hassle for transportation directors to have to go back and change the schedules and get their employees and passengers acclimated to the change. If not adapted to properly, darkness causes more car accidents as well due to inhibited vision. Daylight savings time messes up humans’ natural circadian rhythm for sleep, and the body is not designed to adapt to this time change. Additionally, In 2020, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine petitioned to abolish it due to the decrease in good-quality sleep they observed. 

The most common side effect of daylight savings time, especially during the November time change, is seasonal depression, which is medically defined as Seasonal Affective Disorder. When it gets dark earlier, people get tired quicker, are more inclined to stay inside, and are less motivated and productive. To most, dark skies indicate night time or bedtime, and there’s an overall mood decrease when this occurs. According to the Nutritional Light Technology company Solshine,“we designate light as NUTRITION –our bodies literally need to be exposed to it to drive certain activities, including metabolizing nutrients we get from food or supplements.Without full-spectrum light, our bodies will struggle nutritionally, driving a cascade of physical and mental or emotional health problems.” 

To address the issue, The Sunshine Protection Act of 2021 was created in hopes of abolishing daylight savings time and was approved by the Senate. However, it awaits approval by President Biden and the House of Representatives before it can be officially put into practice. 

There are many ways humans can navigate daylight savings time and look after their health. Sun lamps are available, which mimic solar energy and can psychologically improve mood. To stay active, people can exercise in indoor gyms, tracks, pools, or dance studios, even starting before the November shift so they can maintain a normal routine when daylight savings time hits. Creating balanced schedules every day can decrease fatigue and increase productivity, helping to resist the urge of laying in bed as soon as the sun goes down. A lot of people also recommend taking advantage of the first day of daylight savings time to get up early or at the same time as before the time change. That first early start goes hand in hand with healthy habits moving forward throughout the year. 

Hopefully these tips and information will help you better understand and adapt to the daylight changes in the future!

Guiding Your Way: The Stellar Student Services

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Are you struggling with your schedule? Not sure how to start the college process? Simply in need of some emotional support? The counseling team here at Myers Park has got your back! The Myers Park Student Services team is an essential part of the school environment. They are constantly working hard while keeping the students’ best interests in mind. Their mission, as stated on their website, is to “collaborate with students and outside resources including teachers, administrators, and parents to assist students in reaching their full potential to function in a global society.” The counselors strive to encourage the talents and diversity of all students, helping them find steady ground at school. 

The counselors have a large assortment of jobs and responsibilities. They tailor the courses and schedules to best fit each student, provide assistance to mental health and disability concerns, educate students and families about the inner workings of Myers Park, and much more. 

It is highly recommended that every student meets with their designated counselor consistently throughout their four years of high school to establish a solid relationship. The better a counselor knows a student, the better they can assist them on specific needs including class changes or college recommendation letters. Though Myers Park has a very large student body and certain counselors have come and gone over the years, students should never feel that they’re left high and dry and should always check in with their current counselor or another counselor. Students can find via the last name who their counselor is along with other information and commonly answered questions on the Student Services Website: https://sites.google.com/cms.k12.nc.us/navigation or through the Myers Park High School website under “Parents and Students” i.e. “Student Support”.

A few of the counselors sat down for an interview to explain their role in the school and give advice to the student body. All of them said their primary purpose at Myers Park is to be an advocate for the students and to work with them and for them. They advise students to not wait till their junior or senior to reach out! 

Mrs. Sherill has been a school counselor for 20 years and at Myers Park for 15 years. “I’ve always enjoyed the school and activities environment so I knew I wanted to be in a high school,” she noted. When asked what her favorite part about her job is, Sherrill replied, “I love the college application process! I’ve enjoyed doing Spring College Night and book clubs with families. I love to help students make their own decisions, what’s right for them, not what their friends are doing or what their family wants them to do.” She is also a great resource for student-athletes with the recruitment/decision process, carrying a lot of personal experience.

Mr. Hunt is a new counselor at Myers Park this year and is very enthusiastic about being a personal aid for students. “I want students to know that they have a lot of options and a lot more to offer than they might understand or might think,” said Hunt. He wants students to know that he is always there if students just need to have some downtime and talk to someone. When asked what his biggest piece of advice is for Myers Park students, Hunt answered, “Reach out! Communicate with someone whether you’re having a great day or a not-so-great day, you may have more people in your corner than you realize. Build that relationship with your counselor. Having that support system around you is super important in these four years here.” 

All in all, the Myers Park counselors are a great resource for everyone. No student is navigating high school alone, just say the word and the counselors are there to help!

A MPHS Guide to Becoming a Bookworm

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Books! Age-old treasures of entertainment passed from generation to generation. Today, we’re seeing a surge. Thanks to social media platforms such as Instagram and Tik Tok, certain novels and authors have become quite popular. 

For the past year or so, content-creating bookworms have been sharing their recommendations, wiping book retailers clean in a week or less. This book-sharing resource has become known as “Book-Tok” on the Tik Tok app. If you’re looking for something new, type in “Book-Tok” in the search bar and I guarantee that you’ll find various, enticing reads. Author Colleen Hoover’s famous novels It Ends With Us, November 9, and Verity have dominated the romance drama section. Taylor Jenkins Reid has stolen the hearts of fiction readers through her best-sellers Malibu Rising and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Swedish male author Fredrick Backman has also turned heads with Anxious People, and A Man Called Ove. This form of book promotion is certainly a great way to increase sales and reader retention. 

In this day and age, large companies such as Barnes and Noble and Amazon have been the go-tos for book shopping. However, these places take significant business away from small book retailers. One familiar to Myers Park and Charlotte is Park Road Books. 

Park Road Books is an independent bookstore nestled away in Park Road Shopping Center. It has been operating since 1977; a true establishment. Many Charlotteans have childhood memories of visiting for storytime specials or getting lost in a book in one of the comfy chairs. Book signings are held here, along with book clubs and author Q&As. You can also meet and hang out with the store’s sweet trademark dog, Yola. They are a literature-loving staff who, with a smile on their face, will always aid you in your reading questions and desires. They’re trendy too, carrying many “Book-Tok” novels in stock. They’ve got you with Frankenstein, Kindred, Persepolis, or any other books you may need for a course at school. Park Road Books oftentimes has a running list of Myers Park and CMS required books for English classes. No need to fret if you haven’t gotten your copy of Frankenstein yet, or are dying to read the It Ends With Us sequel, It Starts With Us. Park Road Books will help you out! Its location is close and convenient. 

So before you purchase that book in your Amazon cart, make a quick run to Park Road Books. It’s very important to support small, local businesses, especially one that’s been so loyal to the community since the 70s! Park Road Books is a cozy, friendly, and quiet space with interpersonal customer service, an experience unlike any other. 

The Way the Cookie Crumbls

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Now more than ever, cookies are the popular choice of dessert. Specifically due to the just four year old franchise: Crumbl Cookies. Whether it’s the pink packaged boxes, mouth-watering ingredients, or the mysterious lack of an “e” on the end of the name, Crumbl Cookies has advanced itself quite quickly into society. 

Jason Mcgowan (CEO) and his cousin Sawyer co-founded the cookie spot in 2017. According to The Silicon Review, both Jason and Sawyer were actually more experienced in the technology and business fields than they were in cooking and baking. They both just had a love for cookies, brought culinary experts to help them out, and Crumbl was born! Jason and Sawyer decided to make Crumbl Cookies a technology-based place, where customers order on iPads, look at flat-screen menus, orders are processed through computerized or touch screen visuals, and cookies are baked and brought out in efficient ways. The co-founders are very big on customer feedback and offer in store and online experience ratings. They advertise through social media on various platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Tik Tok. After their first store-front opened in Logan, UT, many customers loved the crumbly cookies so much that they showed them off all over social media, causing lines to get bigger and demands to get higher. Jason and Sawyer then opened up more store-fronts and started hiring professional videographers to take in-depth commercial-style videos of each cookie for the goal of continuous business. 

Their tactics clearly paid off as Crumbl Cookies now has over 100 locations operating in 17 states throughout the United States. An app and website exists, along with merchandise and home delivery options. Their Instagram has a whopping 1.2 million followers as of September 2021, and they have traditionalized putting out four new flavors each week. The company has been endorsed through social media simply by fans who love to drive there with their friends and family, try the weekly flavors, and give their review. Posting Tik Toks or Snapchat stories of “Crumbl Reviews” teens unknowingly advertise the cookie company to many, helping Jason and Sawyer increase their profit. The cookies have been described as “soft and crumbly,” hence the name Crumbl. Some creative and popular flavors include: Chocolate Oreo, Circus Animal, Classic Chilled Sugar, Sherbet, German Chocolate, Neapolitan, and Lucky Charms. The treats are 6-ounces each, and some can be chilled, solid, and soft, while others can be warm, melty, and crumbly. Milk Chocolate Chip, for example, is warmed, and Sherbet and Classic Chilled Sugar are chilled. Single boxes or individual cookies cost $3.48, a 4-pack box costs $11.18, and a 12-pack party box costs $28.68. To satisfy smaller cravings, mini cookies in every weekly flavare available in smaller boxes for $2 each. Additionally, bottled waters and packaged milks are sold to add a little something to the cookie-consumption experience. Some say these prices are on the expensive side, but most customers say it’s worth it and sharing cookies and boxes with friends splits the cost. Crumbl Cookies also has a rewards program called “Crumbl Cash” where one earns one point for every dollar they spend and can accumulate up to one hundred points to get $10 for free to spend at Crumbl. The cookies are well-packaged and hand-decorated, with many employees working at store-fronts so the lines usually aren’t that long. Not to mention, their facilities have high sanitation ratings. 

Crumbl Cookies has really been the latest craze and face of all things Instagrammable desserts. From the looks of it, more and more locations will be opened and along with more and more flavors produced. Take a little adventure to the nearest storefront and try the weekly flavors!