Coincidences intrigue me until they scare me; a ghost from my treacherous past I continue to bury the more I move away from it. It’s interesting how coincidences happen, but the irony that occurs within...

Opinions expressed in editorials on The Central Trend are the view of the individual writer and are not the opinion of the entire staff of The Central Trend or the Forest Hills Central staff or administration. A...

Field trips in high school can have a plethora of interpretations, but for American Sign Language teacher Kimberly Anderson, they are eye-opening opportunities for students to bond.  “I think it's...

I seem to remember everything nowadays, except for the important stuff. For example, when to wake up or when certain assignments or assessments need to be completed. Regardless of what I can keep track...

I know that I’m not a robot, but sometimes I feel like one because of the facial expressions that I make. Usually, when I’m upset, the first feature to convey that to you is my face, and I can’t...

For any college-level course, it’s expected that there’s an exam to follow, but the elements of each exam can vary from class to class. For AP Seminar teacher Morgan Beckett, the fundamentals are what's...

These months of the year can either go one of two ways for me: stressful or joyful. It’s the start of a new year, and that’s exciting for me, but it either goes down one path or another. This time...

I dislike Valentine's Day, but that could just be because I spend it alone every year. I like the concept behind it, but It starts to get old the more I see the infinite string of stories of couples posting...

Earth is a miraculous planet, but it’s hard to find appreciation in things when you don’t stop to pause and take in everything around you. This is something I have been trying to do more lately.  Being...

When history teacher Kyle Carhart first heard about senior exemption, he was unsure as to what it entailed for students, simply because it was never a policy that was enacted when he was a high school...

I loathe shopping. Just kidding, I adore it, but only if it’s online. For some reason, going inside stores has never really been my forte. I’ve always been someone who loves to purchase items from...

If I had to describe myself in one word from the perspective of someone who just met me, it would be "shy." I am a very shy person. In fact, I’m shy to the point that when you talk to me, we won’t...

Entertainment; that’s the first thing that comes to mind when I think of the word "break." Whether that be watching shows on Netflix, short videos on TikTok, or even people’s lives on YouTube, this...

Before I started high school, I never really considered myself someone who liked to be affiliated with history. It was always a monotonous subject for me. I always thought that you had to be constantly...

Dear junior year, I’m going to be completely honest, I am not loving junior year, and it’s weird for me to even say those words that are coming out of my mouth right now. It’s nothing like I thought...

Tiktok, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook, and so on. I’m sure we’ve all heard of these words before, right? But what’s the one thing that comes to mind when you think about these platforms?...

For many people, owning pets can mean as little as one or two animals, but for senior Sammy Deridder, this means 35. Since she lives on a farm, she is constantly surrounded by animals; these creatures...

A couple of days ago, I turned 17, and although it’s never really been a special number, I knew that my birthday would feel a little different this year. Whenever I think of birthdays, I don’t think...

Dear Katelynn,  It wasn’t until my sophomore year of high school that I realized that there were such kind people in this world, and I never realized the true gravity that friendships held until...

Thank you to… Mom - For always being there for me  Despite how stubborn I can be, you never choose to give up on me, and I think that’s what makes you such an amazing person. You always make...

When most people think about a club, they often think about collaborating with other students within their school. Junior Lucy Wu, one of the eight members representing the Student Advisory Council for...

Lately, I’ve been feeling the need to hold on to the present for as long as I can. It’s my junior year of high school, and it’s now just hit me that I’m not living out my high school experience...

I love November, but to be honest, who doesn’t? It’s one of the last months before the end of the semester, my birth month, and a month for giving thanks. Ironically, it’s also the month when Black...

For as long as senior Emma Costello could remember, she has always held a passion for the medical field. But, she never anticipated that she would find such satisfaction in doing simple tasks such as being...

AP US History teacher Steve Labenz has had students with parent's expectations set so high he thought they had to be joking. Because Labenz teaches one of the most difficult AP classes at FHC, he understands...

Growing up, I was a very curious person, and whenever I would inquire about my parents' childhood, it would always revolve around their life in school.  My parents are from India, and back then, they...

Name: Ava Redmond Grade: 12 What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the word 'grades'? “Hard work, studying, and tests.” What advice you would give to someone who stresses...

Name: Ian Mahoney Grade: 12 What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the word "grades"? "The thing that comes to my mind when I think of grades is spending nights studying for tests...

Dear Chloe,  Joining Model UN in my junior year of high school was one of the best decisions that I ever made.  Before I met you, I never realized the power of friendship, and I can honestly say...

I know that feeling.  That angst-ridden feeling you get when you're just aching to know what score you got on an assessment seconds after turning it in.  The lump sensation you get in your throat...

I am someone who would revolve my life around grades. No matter what I had to sacrifice, what mattered to me most was the numerical value upon completing any assignment or assessment.  But, over the...

When I was younger, I remember telling my mother that I would simply walk or bike everywhere because I was too afraid to drive.  But, when my mom would ask me, “What will happen when it rains or...

Senior Addy Scholtens finds it funny every time she is asked if she is related to Human Anatomy teacher Chad Scholten. Although they have similar (but not the same) last names, there is no relation; however,...

I have never been someone who was ever really worried about the way our environment functions, but ever since I started taking AP Environmental Science, I realized that we impact the world more than we...

This Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending Improv Central, provided by FHC’s theater department in the auditorium. Although this show was neither a play nor a musical, I was entertained throughout...

In high school, they say that junior year is supposed to be the most stressful, yet important, year of high school. But my year so far has felt neither strenuous nor pressurizing, and it’s hard for me...

The first word that comes to mind when I think of the word math is 'numbers.' But, the first object that comes to mind is a calculator. Ever since the 6th grade, I have always used a calculator when it...

For the first time in three years, Central Singers will be attending Vocal Jazz Night, a one-day event at the Fine Arts Center on Oct. 20, giving choirs from different schools a chance to come together...

As someone who is stuck in the continuous cycle of going to school, participating in extracurriculars, and constantly doing schoolwork for upcoming assessments, it would be dishonest if I said that no...

Many students find themselves searching for their passions in high school, but this is unlike senior Lara Butlevics, who has always had a talent for video editing.  With older brothers who took the...

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of the word "childhood" is cartoons such as Mickey Mouse and Tom and Jerry—mainly because these were the characters that I grew up watching and are ultimately...

Dear APUSH 3rd hour,  If you would have told me a year ago that my second favorite subject in school was history, I would have laughed and instantly run away from the future version of myself. But,...

Most people look at me as your average girl just living her life in high school; a girl that works four hours every Tuesday, writes for the school newspaper, and is a part of the Science Olympiad team.  But...

The first word that comes to mind the second I enter the kitchen is "appetizing." This isn’t because of the food that is being made, but rather the smell of the food that was cooked; the smell of my...

For the past 16 years, I have lived in America, but as someone who has parents from India—who moved all the way across the world to America—it can often be difficult to understand the significance...

From having a hip injury her junior year of high school to finding her creative outlet for life, senior Julianna Hahn has found her passion in life and has ever since been working towards achieving that...

Sometimes, I wonder how different my life would have been if maybe I was the oldest sibling, if I was an only child, or even if I maybe had an older brother or younger sister. Regardless of these thoughts...

What was your reaction to getting on prom court? "I don’t really remember my exact reaction. I was at home, so some of my friends texted me to tell me I was on. I was happily surprised since I didn’t...

At the start of my high school career I was very quiet and reserved; I would spend every weekend studying and never give myself breaks. I would only devote myself to the part of my life that I knew would...

Dear Dad,  My rock, my soul, and my warrior that gets me through the darkest of days; oh how thankful I am for you. Your ability to remain calm despite how caught up I can get in life is the reason...

Every day, when I come home from school, you can catch me doing one of two things: either watching YouTube or Netflix. I enjoy Netflix because there is always an array of shows to choose from but as someone...

There are certain moments in my life that I wish I could just erase from existence and other moments that I wish I could relive again and again. But what makes memories so special isn’t what actually...

When it comes to singing and dancing, I am more of a singer, mainly because I can relate to music more and I find myself less stressed when I have background music running while completing homework. Although...

Ever since I started middle school, my main focus has been centered around one thing: grades. I would drop everything just to maintain my grades, even if that means giving up my chance at a social life...

Every year, FHC loses a class of seniors only to be replaced by an incoming batch of freshmen. Counselor Jodi Arsulowicz always finds this time of year so exciting because of how energized the next class...

Growing up, my mom always said that I was innocent, and my dad always said I was inquisitive. In my grandma’s eyes, I will never be less than her sweet, little grandchild, and from my sister's perspective,...

About a year ago, I was an online student. I would wake up, open my computer, and that was it; that was school for me. Education was confined within the four walls of my bedroom, and I did this nonstop...

Senior Amy Wang finds it difficult when she is faced with a question that she can't answer. At the start of high school, Amy found a passion for helping people, and ever since her sophomore year of high...

I never thought that I would miss living in the same household as my sister. Up until about two years ago, my sister, Akansha, and I lived in the same house. We are three years apart in age but four...

When I listen to music, it’s like traveling to my own world. A world where it’s almost impossible to feel anything but happy; a place where only I exist. I often find that when I listen to a new song,...

The first thing that comes to mind when AP Literature and Language teacher Lisa Penninga thinks of the word "quarantine" is the feeling of being separated from other people and having to detach from others,...

“You’ve never eaten steak?” “You don’t have chores?” “You never get grounded?” “Your parents pay for you?”  These are all things people have told me intermittently from...

Growing up, I was never that kid who enjoyed reading books. Whenever someone would ask me if I preferred the book or the movie, I would always say the movie because it was more entertaining and quicker...

Freshman Kris Anderson is constantly finding new ways to interact with people. For Kris, this can mean eating lunch with students from various grades, joining multiple sports teams, or even taking...

Before I was born, my grandpa from both sides of the family passed away, and my grandma from my mom’s side lived most of her life without her husband. My grandma never attended college and has lived...

As someone who is out of the house seven hours a day for five days of the week, it would be accurate to say that I am always on the go. Whether that be staying after school or having to attend doctor's...

As the second semester creeps upon us, for many seniors, this can be a very exciting but also nerve-wracking experience. For some students, second semester can mean waiting to hear back from colleges...

Dear Uncle J,  It has now been 164 days since your passing, and the only thing I can say is that I wish I could've seen you one last time. Every time you would come visit us, it would always be a surprise,...

There are three reasons why I always enjoy this time of year. My birthday is always exactly a month before Christmas, Black Friday never fails to be enjoyable, and Christmas and New Year are next to each...

For the past eight years, freshman Nora Magers has been making repetitive strokes back and forth for the FHC Girls Swim and Dive Team. Nora started swimming when her mom–who has been swimming since she...

Over the course of the past 15 years, I have been told three things interchangeably. I’ve been told that I have good handwriting, been constantly reminded of the body hair on my skin, and that I ask...

To my sister, Akansha Das - for being the best sister ever  Through thick and thin, you have always been there for me whenever I need you. From helping me with my homework to being my personal chauffeur...

During the time spent in quarantine—a time period when everyone was isolated—I can assume that most of us got use to transforming our lives into a fully virtual environment. For some of us, this...