It’s a strange feeling knowing you accomplished all your goals. It’s hard to move forward and move on when you don’t have anything to work towards anymore. It’s unsettling to know that this will...

I’ve told you the story of my first impression of you probably a million times over the course of our friendship, but for the people who haven’t had the pleasure of having a front-row seat to the Mia...

For the past couple of months, many of my stories have been stuck in the past. Due to circumstance, I have been dwelling over my life here at FHC, half the time waiting for its quick end while simultaneously...

We are perfectly preserved moments of what our brain lets us remember. Every second of rushing chaos or unforgettable expression of ourselves bury deep within; we become a still picture frame on the shelf.  Right...

When junior Josie Butler first auditioned to be in the musical, she didn’t think it would involve wearing a wedding dress. However, after receiving her part as Glinda the Good Witch, it became clear...

For years, I have watched as the seniors, my sister, the past editors, my old cheer captains, my friends, the goofy guys in the hallway who were for some reason always yelling, the girls who wore impeccable...

It’s this time of year.  This time of year gets people. That gets me. The once impeccable word choice dulls. Our word count dwindles. The calendar, once sporadic with yellow highlighted stories,...

Freshman Maja Vidinlic has known what she wants to be since the age of two. At least, that's when her dance career first started.  “I started dancing because of my sister,” Maja said. “She is...

Something I am really trying to remember lately is that it's not my job to make you like me. It's something that, hypothetically, I know, but that I have never really grasped or obtained in my real life...

The other day, I was visiting my sister, and we were both dreading the week to come as it meant we had to wait many more weeks until we got to see each other again. And, in our despair, she started...

According to senior Sydney VanLente, there is only one class that offers students enough freedom to have exhilarating and sometimes slightly chaotic experiences, and that class is Gone Boarding. One...

Sometimes, I cry.  Sometimes, I cry when I am happy. Sometimes, I cry when I am sad.  Sometimes, I cry when I feel a little bit broken, and sometimes, I cry when I am at peace with the world around...

Senior Will Pointer found himself on the water with his friends, abandoned, sinking, and slightly concerned, but luckily for Will, this was just an average crew practice.  “[My friends and I] were...

I am always talking about a fine line. There is a fine line between this and that. I am walking on a fine line. And, when I use the phrase, I always picture a metaphorical tightrope of sorts.  I see...

For the first time in months, I woke up this morning with the sun.  I know that sounds weird considering the sun rising is one of the only actual consistent and reliable things our world has; however,...

The ASL students and the elderly meet at the Fine Arts Center.

Much like TikTok trends that come and go before you even have the chance to catch up, people can also trend on TikTok. The most recent example of this is Alix Earle.  Alix Earle has been posting on...

For most high school students, pressing snooze, laying in bed an extra five minutes, and sometimes even skipping first hour are all very common practices.  However, this is not the case for senior...

I was in eighth grade when the rise of the VSCO girl trend first started to appear. Looking back, many of my peers and I—now seniors in high school—cringe at the thought of the classic shell necklace...

I have always been a relatively independent person. From the outside, it may not always seem like it, like how I cling to my sister when she's home from college or ache for social interaction every weekend,...

 For most four-year-olds, falling into an endless mound of frigid snow is a cause for tears, but for senior Thomas Carano, it was just one of many skiing memories.  “When I was four years old, I...

Murder, mother-daughter relationship, marriage. These are the core concepts woven throughout the plot of the youthful, yet complex, Netflix series Ginny and Georgia.  Season two of Ginny and Georgia...

Like waves finally settling after a storm, the light at the end of the tunnel, the quiet whisper of happiness and triumph. Most people assume that success is loud, that success is something that needs...

Dear reader,  Every once in a while, I venture deep into the back-end of this website. I scroll past the add new story tab; I don’t even bother to flash a glance at pending. In fact, I avoid the...

There are very few opportunities—especially in high school—where one has the ability to save a life; however, this past week, multiple students have made the conscious decision to donate blood at FHC’s...

I’ve always had a packed lunch. Growing up, my sister and I were appalled by the idea of hot lunch. I am not exactly sure what originally fueled our hatred for such a common thing, but nonetheless, our...

Mom- Your support and unconditional love have been the most dependable things in my life for as long as I can remember, and sometimes, it feels like it’s the only dependable thing. I know for a fact...

I crossed my fingers with one minute left, and I didn’t uncross them until I was jumping up and down, aggressively hugging my teammates with glistening eyes that were looking at the excitement ahead.  About...

Junior Rachael Yeager found herself jumping into the ice-cold water, confident of the vision she had for the season ahead of her; however, what she didn’t see coming was the rat that had her and her...

I tend to disregard the fact that money is an essential aspect of life. I throw out comments about future purchases that I hope to follow through on with ease, and when it comes to my future home, it’s...

Name: Payton Dailey Grade: 12 1. What is your reason for not drinking strong forms of caffeine? "I just don’t like the taste of coffee or anything carbonated, so to find a source of caffeine...

Name: Lara Butlevics Grade: 12 1. At what age did you start drinking caffeine, and what was your reason for starting the habit? "I started drinking caffeine pretty early; I would say I was 13....

When you wake up in the morning, and you hear the satisfying ripple sound your coffee makes as it hits the bottom of your mug, I can almost guarantee your first thought isn’t “hmm, I wonder what environmental...

As I was sitting in AP World History, my leg was vigorously shaking up and down while simultaneously matching the rhythm of my uncontrollable pencil tapping.  We had a presentation that day, and I...

Most people my age are very aware of politics. Although I am not exactly sure when the shift from being somewhat ignorant to being painfully aware occurred, it happened nonetheless. Given the sensitivity...

“Ew, this is gross.” “I definitely don’t think I am going to be a coffee drinker.” “I’ll stick to my tea.” These are the words my sister quickly stated after she had her first...

Caffeine, helpful or harmful? With 62% of the population consuming coffee on a daily basis, it raises the question, what are the effects of caffeine? Through this investigative series, topics such as the...

“That was really good advice.”  “Have you ever thought of becoming a therapist?” “Allie, I need your help.” These are all comments that are directed at me on a weekly basis. My closest...

A torn-up piece of paper, a mere scrap I deemed unworthy. In the trash, it went to join the graveyard of old journal entries, doodles, and to-do lists that didn’t make the cut.  I am a writer.  I...

There he was, frivolously pedaling up a mountain on his bike, when all of a sudden, a cliff came out of nowhere. He's falling and falling until a pegasus swoops him up and brings him safely to the ground.  Senior...

Comfort: to soothe, console, and reassure. In the chaotic mayhem of our day-to-day lives, finding little glimmers of comfort becomes a necessity in order to remain grounded.  Some people may find their...

Delta math assignment  Empty pending  Write column  Make up math quiz  Write ASL script  This is my school to-do list for this week. As the days progress, I will check off...

Friday night football games are one of the most iconic and beloved traditions at FHC. Whether you're a football player tirelessly playing for the win, a cheerleader on the sideline entertaining the crowd,...

Delicately looped around my ring finger, snug yet not uncomfortable, lays my most valuable possession.  Worn on the fingers of my loved ones, passed down. Now, this significant object has found a home...

Grade: 12 What excites you most about Improv Central?  "What excites me the most about Improv Central is simply getting to work with everyone on stage. It wasn't something many of my friends expected...

Grade: 10 What excites you most about Improv Central?  "I'm excited that the public is going to pay to experience the team speaking the first or second thing to cross our mind for more than an hour....

Grade: 12 What excites you most about Improv Central?  "Improv is exciting because you never know what's going to happen even in the next minute; one word and the entire scene changes." Why...

A common rule in life is that a majority of the time, a remake of a television series or movie is almost never as good as the original. As hard as producers and writers may try, it always comes out feeling...

In life, there are few hobbies that would end with your friend eating cold chicken fried rice out of a plastic bag; however, senior Gavin Cai may have found the only one.  Gavin recently started his...

Despite the few retellings and small tidbits of information from past seniors I've gotten about the ongoings of senior retreats, it is more or less a myth. No one ever knows exactly what happens there...

There was a time in my life when writing columns was my favorite thing to do. It was my personal coping mechanism to let the words exude out of me in a well-constructed yet slightly overused metaphor.  My...

I don’t wake up at 5:00 am.  In fact, I've never been able to rise any earlier than 6:15. I much prefer to consume my avocado in guacamole form rather than on toast.  And, first-hour yoga...

I am not a reader. The last book I read was for school, and the last series I finished all the way through was Harry Potter in the 6th grade. Needless to say, I much prefer to spend my time watching TV;...

Although many people long for the hustle and bustle of city life, FHC’s new assistant principal Kristy Loughin-Vance finds the adventurous outdoors and majestic winters that Michigan is so fond of to...

It’s hard for me to even fathom my junior year being over. It's been this ominous cloud hanging over my head for as long as I can recall. In fact, I remember the day I found out about the SAT. I was...

As summer weather has already started approaching and school is coming to an end, a variety of new and unique hair trends have started to emerge. However, this being said, some hairstyles have become...

Name: Emalea Rooke Position: Speaker TED Talk Title: Embracing Balance Why did you apply to be a speaker? "I applied to be a speaker because I wanted to be able to experience everything FHC...

Name: Emmy Willemin Position: Student Director Why did you apply to be a student director?  "I applied to be student director because I wanted to be involved in FHC Inspires in some way. I thought...

Name: Nathaniel Hahn Position: Speaker TED Talk Title: How To Make A Good Joke Why did you apply to be a speaker?  "I wanted to help others learn how to spread joy and laughter." How are...

A silky memory, so slippery you might lose it, so soft you feel comforted by it, and yet, so cold to the touch that you fear it. It’s a faint vision, a piece of paper that fell between the files of my...

If you have ever browsed the middle school or high school library and found yourself wandering into the romance section, then chances are you saw an overwhelming amount of one author: Sarah Desson. My...

Avery, Nat, and I sitting on the old, brown couch this week

I had just started middle school, and like any sane thirteen-year-old girl who was ridden with anxiety and a slight control problem, I opened a Pinterest account. This might not seem like the most rash...

Only senior Natalie Mix has a strong enough passion for the art of words that she would find herself stepping on, over, and through furniture for a good story. “I have been writing my whole life,”...

I don’t know what it is about watching hot, thirty-year-old women sell multi-million-dollar houses to young couples with too much money, but the amount of serotonin that the Netflix TV series Selling...

I’ve never really liked running. For some reason, I tried to make it a hobby of mine when I was younger. I did more years of Girls on the Run than I can count, and in middle school, I even ran track...

What started out as a joke, a common interest among friends, and a playful yet competitive sport, has now turned into an event that many students participate in, according to junior Annie Douma.  The...

As an avid watcher of Bridgerton season one, I had my doubts about how season two could possibly live up to the intense, romantic, and beautiful prospects that season one had to offer. Similar to season...

There are a few consistent sayings or rules for The Central Trend, and when I hear them, no matter who's speaking, I hear Mr. Georges's booming voice clanging around my brain.  Some of those rules...

Freshman Will Stevens found himself in a flexing competition with his older sister—junior Caroline Stevens—to see who has the biggest muscles.  Will and Caroline have been going to the gym together...

As a high school student that only works a few days a week, I will do almost anything to find deals in order to get the best price for something: coupons, sale sections, and even dupes for some of my favorite,...

There have been times in my life when writing has been a viable outlet for me. Every so often, I write a column that truly encapsulates my feelings and doesn’t feel like an assignment, but rather a piece...

In the span of one day, junior Aden Pomeroy found himself meeting people from Switzerland, China, Korea, Germany, Mexico, Turkey, and beyond.  Aden has been a part of Odyssey of the Mind for four years...

“You think your life is hard, I am a high school junior wearing size thirteen Nikes—men's size thirteen Nikes” This quote from Tall Girl—a Netflix original movie—went viral as a commonly used,...

In honor of Black History Month, The Central Trend is doing Q&As to discuss the importance of Black History Month and the best ways to amplify Black voices.

1. Can you describe your journey with the NAACP of Grand Rapids? "I will say I'm an NAACP baby. I grew up in the organization. My parents had us involved at a very, very young age—involved meaning...

This profile contains spoilers for the Star Wars movies and affiliated TV shows. Standing on stage, sword in hand, anxiously anticipating his partner's next move, senior Callum Blackburn found a purpose...

When scouring Netflix for my next comfort TV series to add to the long list—Gilmore Girls, The Office, New Girl, etc.—I am in search of a show that meets certain criteria. With the recent popularization...

No humiliation compares to sitting idly still in Mrs. Smith’s fifth-grade classroom anxiously anticipating the subject shift from science to language arts.  If you spoke to me now, my petite poetry...