Emalea Rooke is a senior entering her first year on The Central Trend. Since she was little, Emalea has always had a passion for bringing her imagination to life with creative writing, and she is excited to expand her writing skills this year. Other than writing, Emalea enjoys reading, drawing, and spending time with friends. She is the head of costumes for FHC Theatre this year and hopes to use the knowledge she gains in college for Fashion Design.
The average student attends only three schools before college. I have attended 13.
In kindergarten, I attended Village Leadership Academy in Boise, Idaho. There, I learned how to cross the street without...
For over ten years, I have maintained a close friendship with my best friend forever (aka, BFF), Easton.
It hasn’t been perfect—we live almost 2000 miles apart, and Easton doesn’t have the most...
I watch as the basket fills up.
First, heaping lemons line the bottom of the weaved wicker, smiling up at me. Their presence is comforting and joyful—despite their occasional sour taste. I know that...
I read once that, should a star explode, its electromagnetic radiation could take 600 years to reach Earth. A star could explode—gone from the Universe—and we would have no idea for six centuries.
That’s...
“If you think too loudly, you’ll never hear the answer you’re looking for.”
One of Amazon Prime’s newest rom-coms, How To Date Billy Walsh, carries this message throughout the film with a...
“Crispy chicken or grilled?”
Crispy or grilled? Do I want strips battered with panko crumbs and egg wash, or would I enjoy a seared slice plated fresh from a pan? It’s a circling question.
The...
Over the summer, I had the privilege of attending a two-week class at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). During this time, I got a taste of dorm life and gathered an idea of what is essential...
The sun came out today.
1,935 miles away, I can imagine how its rays brushed the tips of white pines, scattering light across mountains that stretch to the sky. 992 miles from here, I can predict how...
Broken spines mitigate the soul.
I’m not talking about the kind that sends pain shooting through your back or paralyzes you from the waist down. I’m not speaking of the broken spines that doctors...
When she was younger, senior Molly O’Meara was enrolled in Cannonburg’s ski school; this unique experience jump-started a love for something Molly would have never expected: skiing.
Molly still...
Recently, a huge upset in the world of social media arose as TikTok and Universal Music Group (UMG) failed to renew a contract that affected over one billion users.
For those who aren’t familiar...
What makes a space still?
Perhaps the color—a glassy white sweeping across every wall, so someone standing in the center sees everything and nothing all at once. It is that which would make it still:...
From Florida to Frankenmuth, senior TZ Cumbo-Nacheli and her family adventure to an array of places every break. Each time, she cherishes the memories, the relaxation, and the fun that embody each experience.
This...
Adorned in shades of yellow and the face of a Scottish Fold tucked into a backpack, I couldn’t help but notice the newest movie poster in the theatre’s display case: Argylle.
Immediately, I rushed...
When I was young, I found a butterfly.
Immediately, it was mine. In my tiny boat with a family friend, I scooped it up from the murky water where it fluttered, and then, I sat perched on the edge of...
When senior Lauren Roth invites others to her home, she always shows them the records that ornament her walls.
Ranging from Metallica to Billie Eilish, each one acts as more than just riveting decor;...
Last week, at DeVos Performance Hall, my love for theatre was reborn.
In seat A25 of the Balcony, with a perfect view of a colorful stage and all of the antics that occurred upon it, I sat beaming as...
Floating along the rim of a gold-brushed cup, my favorite tea leaves swirl in lukewarm water.
This lonesome drink, forgone from my mind, remains quiet and cumbersome on a silent white floor. Its presence...
All over social media, New Year’s resolutions are being criticized with titles like Everyone is Over New Year’s Resolutions, The Reasons Your New Year’s Resolutions Will FAIL, and New Year’s Resolutions...
Strawberry bushes are perennial plants. With good care, their return is promised for years—unless they contract a disease.
Once, strawberry bushes graced my home. Their sun-soaked leaves decorated...
“Nothing can cure the soul but the senses, just as nothing can cure the senses but the soul.”
This philosophical thought, curiously written by Oscar Wilde, has sat in my mind since I read it.
He’s...
Four years ago, in her freshman year, senior Penny O’Meara cooked marshmallows with a solar cell during Biology class.
If this activity doesn’t sound familiar, it’s because it shouldn’t. Penny...
Since I was young, one dream has remained stagnant at the top of my bucket list: studying abroad.
I grew up with simultaneous comments of encouragement and disgust towards leaving my country, but my...
The other day, I was considering the oddities of society’s standards. One such standard is that, in the US, we are required by law to wear clothes.
The oddity isn’t in the law itself—I surely...
Two years ago, FHC’s daily news program, FX, advertised that the water polo team needed new players, catching the ear of current senior Alex Ophoff.
Despite the daunting prospect of joining a sport...
I would like to start off my Countless Thanks with a thank you to the world. Earth is my home, and I rarely appreciate it as much as I should. I am so grateful for all of the experiences I have had in...
Jenga has always had me on my toes.
Joyful faces would surround me in my first games. The amateurs and the experienced players alike found a brilliant delight in waiting for the tower to fall.
Over...
The faint aroma of well-made popcorn and artificial butter filled my senses as I sat down, prepared to watch Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse for a second time.
While many movie franchises often...
For many high school students, independence is rapidly approaching—alongside it, the financial obligations that come with leaving home.
FHC’s Personal Finance teacher Kristen O’Brien believes...
Page after page, I wrote.
Swirl after scribble, I drew.
Day after day, my essays became littered with nonsensical doodles. Messy margins quickly overshadowed my whimsical tales and sensational stories;...
Over the past few months, a new building has arisen beside Chick-fil-A on the corner of 28th Street and the Beltline. This new building, flooded with windows and a warm color palette, belongs to BJ’s–the...
The following includes the tedious steps to making the perfect grilled cheese sandwich:
First, find some bread. Sequestered in the store near sweet treats and flowers, numerous choices await. From modest...
