At the end of my freshman year, I defined white as one color of my life. It was the color of my summer, the color of my feelings. It knew me and every other color of my life. This year, I have identified...

I think about the Met Gala far more often than I probably should.  The second that the celebrities disappear into the unknown happenings of the Met Gala, I begin to think about the red carpet for the...

All I can think about is college gear: hoodies, t-shirts, pennants, keyboard stickers, and confetti. As I have finally made a decision on college, these thoughts have infiltrated my brain even more....

As I reflect back on the main colors of my life, I am just beginning to meet a new pair.  They have been slowly reaching for me. They have known me for years. Streaming through the blood of my relatives,...

“Alexa, play the Coachella Main Stage livestream on YouTube,” was the sentence that left my mouth on Friday at 8:55 p.m. Why? One of my all-time favorite artists would be making her Coachella debut...

No matter how hard I try, the hair framing my face never sits how I want it to.  It bends back toward my hairline too far up and gives the effect of a man with a receding hairline holding desperately...

Senior Carson Bebout’s passion is photography. However, he knows very little about it. “I don’t know much about photography,” Carson said. “I know enough, but there’s more to learn. It’s...

The world of high school girls is divided: sparkly dress or Easter dress? Walking around school, all I hear about is Prom. Girls are looking for dresses and asking if I have mine, where I got mine,...

I see the world through a vision of blur.  The clouds have covered the sun, though perhaps my mind has done it, not nature herself. Then, the sun comes out, but blurry she is. A murky grey filter has...

I am not committed to a college, yet I keep shopping for my potential schools. But, never from the official school store. I am simply obsessed with any vintage college clothing and utterly repulsed...

On a typical Friday morning at 7 a.m., senior Eisley Sandefur can be found in the lecture hall with a box of donuts on the front table and chattering voices filling the air. This consistency in Eisley’s...

I first learned of orange and blue in a fit of tears. My mom told me that I would be joining my local PGA Jr. League team; It was the very last thing that I wanted for my summer. I didn’t want to...

Through the past year, I have been seeing an influx of colorful sneakers.  Adidas particularly has been largely in the spotlight. I hopped on the colorful shoe trend last fall with a birthday gift...

Old Silver has been watching me for longer than I can remember.

I have been competing and cheering in Ranger Green for as long as I can remember. My brother was already a Ranger by the time I was born. I grew up in the stands of his football games, basketball games,...

From Jan. 27 to Feb. 3, the world’s best under-20 alpine skiers competed in France for the 2024 FIS Junior World Ski Championships.  On the last two days of the competition, the men's and women’s...

I love bows.  I have strands upon strands of ribbon to tie into my hair. I weave long ribbons into my braided hair; I tie a slick back with a bow. I knot a strand around the belt loop of my jeans. And...

Every year around Valentine’s Day, I hear the everlasting debate over heart-shaped jewelry. My TikTok page is flooded with girls begging for no more heart-shaped jewelry. I can understand the appeal...

When thinking of pharmacists, one might not think of putting a syringe into a chicken wing. Senior Kendall Gleason, who spends parts of her day in the pharmacy program at Kent Career Tech Center (KCTC),...

At seven years old, I met rocky red.  It hid beneath the glistening snow. It pokes its head through the dirt on the mountainside. But I did not yet know how much I would get to see of rocky red. I...

For the first time in six years, I was home with my family.  Not in my literal home, with my literal family, but it feels the same. I was back with about half of my classmates from Goodwillie Environmental...

In my life, copper isn’t a color; it’s a place. It’s people. It’s a feeling. It’s a lifetime. It’s a week. I have been lucky enough to get to spend the past two Thanksgiving break weeks...

As the holder of all of my top five songs on Spotify and my second top artist of the year, Sabrina Carpenter is very clearly one of my favorite artists.  I’ve been a fan of hers since performing...

To Mom, for everything that I am Thank you for being my best friend. When I was younger, I didn’t think people were serious when they said your mom would become your best friend. Now, I can’t...

I’ve been waiting for The Other Zoey to come out since this summer.  I think I may be the biggest fan of rom-coms, from cheesy, crappy ones like The Kissing Booth to amazing classics like Notting...

Among Christmas-celebrating individuals, there is the everpresent conversation of when to start the celebration. For some, like sophomore Lindsey Fortino, the answer seems obvious. “Everyone should...

Being an avid baker, senior Mary Holtgreive has had her fair share of successes, as well as failures. “One time, I was trying to make cupcakes,” Mary said. “They had to be filled with cream, but...

Cherry red is the color of ladybugs. Every spring, they swarm my windows. Dozens of ladybugs adorn my windowsill. I don’t know where they come from or how they get inside, but without fail, they arrive....

When the air turns cold and the leaves lose their green, there is nothing I want more than a warm, fresh-from-the-oven cookie. I love to bake but cannot stand to be working with the oven during the...

In middle school, I got into an argument with my friend over the color of my shirt. I said it was orange; she said it was red. While it could’ve passed as either, it was definitely a red-orange: too...

I absolutely loathe scary movies. I don’t often see joy in jumping on instinct every other second. Purposefully getting myself scared and raising my heart rate to a level is fine for running, but...

Picture this: you’re mysteriously invited to your sister’s house. You show up to a group of people who are all connected, for both good and bad reasons, from marriage to betrayal. Your sister has yet...

I am surrounded. It’s everywhere. It’s on my walls, it’s in my veins, it’s in the sky and the lake. It adorns my wardrobe: the furniture and the clothes. It’s in my eyes. Sky blue is everywhere. My...

Most exchange students get assigned a family through a program. This program assigns their state, school, and home for the year. For Christine Byers Martinez, no program was needed. “I didn’t come...

Fall is my favorite season. Not because it’s the season of my birthday or because of the bright scenery, but because of the weather and the outfits that come with it. I have been looking forward to...

It was never my favorite color; it still isn’t. It’s too bright and eye-catching, but I associate it with some of my favorite memories. I’ve been wearing a neon green ski helmet for ski racing...

A few years ago, I discovered a sulfate-free, paraben-free, silicone-free, dye-free, and cruelty-free shampoo and conditioner from Love Beauty and Planet.  The idea instantly enthralled me. Without...

If your TikTok "For You" page is anything like mine, you have watched various people try Greta Wilson’s wavy hair routine countless times. In most of these videos that I have seen, the person trying...

I learned to ski in a carnation pink helmet. Some of my earliest memories are at Caberfae, with a ski leash on my back and a pink helmet on my head. That helmet stayed with me from my early days on...

Senior Mickey Mehney didn’t always have a home on the team that he is now a captain of. During his freshman year, he felt out of place among the majority of his skiing teammates until he found a friend...

I have been training my hair since I was a kid.  By training, I mean increasing the days between washing my hair. I can go a comfortable three days without washing it by just keeping it dry when I...

As I rifle through a green bin of dresses, I grin. I see a mass of lilac and ribbon. I put it first on myself, then dressed my American Girl doll in a matching one. I place a braided crown of gold on her...

This year, I’ve learned to love the silence, of both my brain and environment. I live in awe of its beauty. There is such peace in being able to sit and exist. Not every moment needs to be filled with...

After running off stage during a performance, freshman Josie Nugent was struck with the realization of her mistake. “One time at a dance competition,” Josie said, “I accidentally went off stage...

Though Converse are year-round shoes, their new releases are perfect for this upcoming summer. They’re full of bright colors and patterns, unlike those typically released for colder months. One of...

Nepotism babies aren’t always fan-favorites in Hollywood. Since nepotism babies have famous parents, it is sometimes assumed that they haven’t had to work as hard for roles and jobs. Sometimes people...

I hate pistachios.  They are, by far, one of the stupidest foods. Who would ever want to snack on a type of food that you have to work for? And don’t get me started on the pre-shelled ones. Despite...

I miss you. I miss you more than the trees miss the sun on a cloudy day, more than they yearn for it during the winter. I miss you more than how badly the grass needs the rain—even more than the sun...

A few years ago, I was obsessed with Chaco and Teva sandals. At this time, I was going to overnight camps over my summer break. I never knew what shoes I was supposed to bring when the packing list, year...

Are you politically active? What does that even mean? In my book, being politically active means being an interested and involved citizen. It means educating yourself about what is going on in the world....

Taylor Swift kicked off her long-awaited Eras Tour on Friday, March 17. As soon as the openers hit the stage, my TikTok page was full of people going live at the concert. In the following days, I began...

Sophomore Morgan Cerny has big hope for the next years of her ski racing career. “Oh, you know, I'm just going to the Olympics,” Morgan laughs. “I’m joking. I’m hoping next year to maybe get...

A few months ago, I saw a TikTok of Glossier’s Balm Dotcoms at T.J.Maxx. Naturally, I knew I needed to go to T.J.Maxx that day. I ended up finding the Mint Balm Dotcom. The product I found is in the...

Everything is changed. Pink was the color of life. It was Aurora’s dress and that girl from Team Umi-Zoomi’s hair. It was covering my walls and windows and bed. It was happy and bright. It was innocence...

If you get any TikToks on your For You Page about T.J. Maxx, you've likely heard the words of Avery Katherine Wood. Wood makes videos about products she finds at T.J. Maxx. She forever opens these videos...

When searching through one of his go-to thrift stores, senior Quinn Brennan found unique pieces of clothing to expand his closet, including a piece from over thirty years ago. “I have a vintage band...

On Feb. 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. The Russo-Ukrainian War had been ongoing since 2014, and I had heard nothing of it. But right after the invasion, it was all anyone could talk about. My TikTok...

Dear Converse, what is this? This year’s Converse Valentine’s Day collection is a compilation of unoriginal shoes. When I initially looked at this drop, I liked it. But as I scrolled through the...

I used to have trouble sleeping.  There were monsters under my bed, in my closet, and outside my windows. My room was too dark. Nightlights filled the gaps of every open outlet. I would lie in bed...

As of Jan. 7, Kevin McCarthy is the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. It took him 15 rounds of voting to get here. The last time that more than one round of voting was needed to...

There are two key events during former president Donald Trump’s time in office: his impeachment trial and the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection of the U.S. capitol. Recently, these two moments are merging into...

Stuck in sickness at regionals, or Region 13, it seemed that senior Masyn Cole had no hope left.  “I woke up in the morning, and I started throwing up so much, dry heaving because I didn’t drink...

I absolutely love Converse. Yet with a small collection of five pairs (plus my mom’s two pairs), I always reach for the same pair. They’re light green and light gray. The green makes enlargened flower...

There is no doubt in my mind that this year is the year of the vest. But for some, like my mom, it’s always been the year of the vest. For as long as I can remember, if I wouldn’t want to wear a...

“The mountains are calling, and I must go.” Yes, I must.  I find peace in the brisk air. It fills my throat with ice after a run. My throat burns as I inhale more and more, trying to slow my heartbeat....

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege to attend the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association (MIPA) Conference with the staff of The Central Trend. During the conference, I attended a review writing class...

When the original Enola Holmes movie came out in 2020, I think it’s safe to assume that I wasn’t the only girl getting caught up in a Louis Partridge spiral. While I wouldn’t call it quite an obsession,...

Senior Olivia Thornley cannot stay away from the water. After being a part of the swim and dive team at FHC for three years, Olivia left the swim program to fully focus on another aquatic sport: crew. “I...

Is there any way to develop a club with no set activity for every meeting?  Apparently yes, as junior Sam Wordhouse discovered.  “I was in the [FX] control room with [seniors] Andrew Weiskopf...

I want to preface this by saying that I am a hypocrite.  I buy my dresses for school dances at Von Maur and Macy’s, and I always attempt to find one at Windsor. My dresses are often plain colors....

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. Upon...

The pieces of the puzzle are scattered. They litter the entirety of the table that they are sitting on. At one point, portions of other puzzles were thrown in the mix as well. Those pieces have now either...

These are the words I thought I’d never write. This is my 100th story for The Central Trend.  100 stories written, (nearly) 100 stressful nights spent writing. Two, going on three, years have...