A picture of me from the summer: before I realized the pleasant pain that is purple and gold

Unfinished. In the expanse of words floating in this bodiless head of mine, unfinished rises to the top. I am as unfinished as it comes, in regards to staff and my essence of entirety, just like this year....

By nature, I possess the chronic inability to listen to the entirety of a song. Texas Sun, a four-song EP crafted by Leon Bridges and psychedelic group Khruangbin, however, has turned my world into a place...

Sophomore Ivan Wheland is purely a people person. The words funny and carefree, yet thoughtful and respectful come to mind when discussing Ivan, and, through his friendly soul and mature mindset, he strives...

It truly is a privilege to have your heartbroken. Coming from a person who has had their heart shattered by approximately three boys, one dog, two best friends, and one boss, heartbreak, however painful,...

Politics is inherently embedded in every aspect of our culture, so why does our education system make the conscious decision to stray away from the topic in classroom discussions? For sophomore Tananya...

Even among this mildest of winters, the overwhelming, or possibly underwhelming, lack of sunshine serves to suffocate us all. Just as I began to feel like I had lost the feeling of breathing forever, Mt....

I don’t have many, but one of my greatest and everlasting pet peeves is emptiness. Not a physical emptiness, like that of a depleted cookie jar or gas tank, but one that bears a closer resemblance to...

Sophomore Sahil Sawant is a natural inventor. When in need of something new, Sahil's first instinct isn't centered upon purchase; he opts to find a different solution.  After his brother took the family’s...

A rapidly increasing climate crisis is tearing through our precious earth. Millions of misused weapons take the lives of the most innocent members of society each and every day. Social injustice prevails....

Senior Hannah Becker, a part of the relatively recently formed girls’ wrestling team, experiences the effects of inequality within her sport each and every day, leaving her to ponder if all sports are...

Hidden among the vlog channels, lifestyle blogs, mommy youtubers, craft videos, and countless other categories of content that litter Youtube’s virtual storage room, there is one that looks at things...

With each passing year, the community involved with sustainable living has been steadily increasing. Awareness of the benefits of living greener stems from sources such as social media, familial efforts,...

It is in today’s era of modern thought and self-expression that I find the most peculiar discrepancy. Plastered across the various platforms of social media are people, millions of people, who yearn...

Name: Zach Wright  Grade: 10 1. What is your act? “I sing and play guitar.” 2. How did you prepare? “It’s just a lot of practice; I’ve been playing [guitar] for about three...

“How to be alone, how to live forever, how to wait, how to worry, and yes, how to love.”  In its very own words, this is Criminal’s podcast “This is Love.” Hosted and co-created by Phoebe...

Name: Sam Musgraves Grade: 11 1. What is your act? “I breakdance.” 2. How did you prepare? “Well, unlike last year, I tried to go more in depth with my choreography. Last year was...

I found my first soulmate when I was in kindergarten. His name was Luca, and he didn’t go a day without crying on the playground. Through most of 2007 and part of 2008, tears never ceased to spill onto...

In a world before the number of double taps on a post was the definition of self-confidence, before the number of digits under a picture labeled its worth, life was simpler. Before you felt the need to...

A string of chords flowing from the painted fingernails of a 17-year-old. An attic bedroom with too many instruments filling all of the empty space. An aged computer. A friend’s garage. A group of boys...

It's one thing to be a high schooler whose music has garnered a fan base, but it's a whole other level of success to have a following that is so engaged that they send care packages. Ian Walschots, a senior...

Similar to Thom Loos, Jake Domeier’s introduction to Pay with Pesos is also one of chance. After crossing paths with Henry Lovejoy Vandenburg at a party, he was asked if he would be interested in joining...

Thom’s story regarding his introduction to music is seemingly one of chance. After walking home one day and finding a guitar pick on the ground, his thoughts were, “well, I’m halfway there; now I...

Approximately one year ago, Henry Lovejoy Vandenburg attended his very first house show. Although he enjoyed it overall, his thoughts consisted of, “this is a good experience, but I wish the bands were...

Micah Baron, lead singer of Pay with Pesos and junior at East Grand Rapids High School, has always had an affinity for music. With an air of confident swagger combined with the seemingly effortless way...

In a world of instant credit and Black Friday purges, amidst the constant stream of conflicting advertisements encouraging the purchase of more things in order to make the things you already have invisible,...

Our attachment to our hair is rooted in the traditional values which encompass our idea of beauty. What makes a person beautiful? For seemingly centuries, we have looked for this beauty in the “natural”...

What is your work schedule like? “I work at Chick-fil-a, and I usually work about three days a week, sometimes less, sometimes more. [I work] Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, and I usually work about...

Does my cat think about me when I’m not around? When I depart for school, does she spend the day pondering my return? When I finally snuggle into the warm embrace of nighttime, does she remember that...

Abby Wright To Abby, for being my gentle reminder each and every day that life is beautiful. Thank you for practicing yoga on concrete sidewalks with me, for letting music completely engulf you and...

Senior Grace Ohanesian has always had a love for beautiful things. Birds, watercolor pallets, breathtaking landscapes, and all things nature are what she continually finds peace in, she says. This...

Name: Kai'Enna Tucker Grade: 12 Role: Sarah Good 1. What part of being in the play makes you the most nervous? "The thought of everyone watching is [scary] and exciting. The thought of messing...

 “I learned about punishment from a young age; I learned it happens because of love.”  The very first line of The End of the F****ing World is so powerful it almost becomes indescribable. To hear...

Name: Aaron Jachim Grade: 12 Role: John Proctor 1. What part of being in the play makes you the most nervous? "The line load [makes me the most nevous]. I have the largest amount of lines of...

Over the summer, the beloved band since 2010 Of Monsters and Men released a new album Fever Dream, which, to say the least, is a timely departure from their previous works.  Overall, the album can...

Planned. Parenthood.  Two words that have the power to evoke enormous controversy and unimaginable rage.  Two words.  Resting upon these two words is the health and safety of millions, yet...

God is in the waterfalls; God is in the trees.  God has never spoken to me inside the walls of a church. Sitting in a pew watching the red and orange stained glass hues fall lightly over the faces...

“I don’t know where home is, and the doors wide open” -Mt. Joy.  The name of a street scribbled hastily onto legal forms. The simple text description sent off into the abyss: “the white one...

100 origami cranes. 100 origami butterflies. 100 origami stars. 100 origami llamas.  Senior Nicole Aquino first got the idea for her annual origami gifts in middle school, and she hasn’t stopped...

My speakers don’t work.  July of 2019 will forever mark the day that the speakers in my car stopped working. A stutter and a spit of musical tunes shot out one morning, unknowingly uttering the last...

We outgrow our clothes. We outgrow our shoes. We outgrow our classes and our beds and the immense interest that we had for ballet at the age of eight.  Outgrowing, as oxymoronic as it might be, is...

Let’s face it: teenagers are in love.  And, let's face it: adults don’t want to admit it.  Love is one of the most essential parts of life. We love our friends, we love our families, we love...

Anyone who describes me as “sweet” has clearly never met me.  I am a lot things—personable, punctual, passionate—but sweet is not one of them.  It seems as though “sweet” has become...

“If you don’t use plastic straws but continue to use plastic bags, you’re a hypocrite.” “If you repost pictures screaming for change on your social media but don’t take physical action,...

“Basically, I’m broke because I [spend] all of my money on traveling.” Summed up, this is new student and senior Dan Johnson. After being born in the Netherlands and living there for nine years,...

1. What bug are you? “I’m a bumblebee.” 2. What is your favorite improv game?  “My favorite improv game is probably debate. It’s where there are two debaters against each other, but...

I used to love to read.  I used to write just for the fun of it.  I used to look forward to jumping into the pool to swim countless laps.  I used to love to do a lot of things.  Over the...

In his work entitled Allegory of the Cave, Plato said, “Human beings living in an underground cave, which has a mouth open towards the light and reaching all along the cave; here they have been from...

When Senior Aaron Jachim entered the auditorium in the spring of 2018, he had absolutely no intention of trying out for the improv team.  “I wasn’t even going to audition,” Aaron said. “I just...

September 7th, 2007 was the first time I slipped my feet into a pair of ballet shoes. Engulfed in a sea of other children, I aimed to stand out. Standing on my tiptoes, I tried to be taller than everyone....

It feels as though I am constantly busy. I’m busy doing things I love to do. I’m busy doing things I don't care about. I’m busy doing things that seem to take eons to complete. For a long time, I...

“You can make a big college feel small, but you can’t make a small college feel big.” These words that came out of our University of Michigan tour guide’s mouth last Friday have taken root...

Name: Roman Kalaczinksi Grade: Freshman Running for: Secretary 1. Why are you running? "I am running because I am always open to trying new things, and Student Council seems like a great...

Born and raised in Okemos, Michigan, freshman Sofia Johnson has been surrounding herself with family, friends, and sports for as long as she can remember. After her father got a new job in Grand Rapids,...

Name: Rachel Lynch Grade: Sophomore Running for: Class Secretary 1. Why are you running? "I am running in the election because I hope not only to improve the class participation but also to...

Name: Wilson Godfrey Grade: Freshman Running for: Vice President Why are you running?  "I am running for the leadership experience. It will be fun, and I think it would be a good position...

Canadian singer-songwriter Mac Demarco is not at all new to the world of funky tunes. Over the course of his six total albums, he has dabbled in the genres of Indie rock, Psychedelic rock, Jangle, and...

In a world riddled with virtual everything, the reality of cash transactions has been phased out. Payment apps such as Venmo, PayPal, Zelle, and Square Cash have push-started yet another trend of instant...

May 21, 2019. This is the day that the seniors will take the final step away from FHC and make the first step towards college. For many, high school has been a rewarding experience, full of friends, memories,...

After a six year hiatus, indie pop band Vampire Weekend has released their long-awaited album Father of the Bride. The band’s members, consisting of Ezra Koenig, Chris Baio, Chris Tomson, and Rostam...

Film: Confinement Producers: Sydney Kushak and Joe Clancy Interviewee: Sydney Kushak 1. What’s your film about? "Our film is about a teenage boy that causes trouble, and his parents have...

Money exchanged for items. Favors exchanged for feelings. Time exchanged for tears. In a society characterized by time spent working, time spent helping and time spent simply doing, we forget that...

It all started with a dream. A wonderful, bubbly, passion-filled dream of beaches, hot weather, and a West Coast life. Senior Cristina Gardner has always dreamt of going to California. Ever since she was...

Five minutes in and I’m already crying. The story of Jenny Young (Gina Rodriguez) is one that many, if not all of us, can relate to. When her boyfriend of nine years, Nate (LaKeith Stanfield) breaks...

Even if you don’t follow social media influencers like the Kardashians or other celebrities on apps like Instagram and Twitter, you’ve probably encountered at least one ad for something like “Flat...

“I started doing lesson drop-ins at the end of sixth grade. I played soccer at that time, and I was getting kind of bored with it. My friend said, 'You should play water polo,' and I was like, 'Alright,...

“Every summer, I go to Montenegro and visit my family. My dad's entire family lives there, so we go and basically live there for the summer. We have a cottage-type house. For a few summers, I even trained...

Airbnb is one of the most popular ways to spend a vacation in a faraway place. The hospitable energy, exotic locations, and privacy continue to entice travelers since the year 2008. What you don’t always...

Ever since 2014, Flint, Michigan and its 96,448 residents have been in a crisis for the most basic human necessity. Water. In recent years, First Trinity Missionary Baptist Church has been a large...

Prior to 6th grade, all junior Pranav Nalam had known was his life in India. When his family decided to move to Virginia, though, everything changed. The schools were different, the culture was different,...

Powerful and politically charged. These are the words that can be used to describe both the emotions inflicted as well as the subliminal messages produced by the typically soul-funk artist Anderson .Paak....

Polar Vortex. Snowpocalypse. Biggest winter storm since the Blizzard of ‘78. 13 snow days. Overall, it's no stretch to say that this winter has been a complete and total mess. And the mess doesn’t...

As sophomore Sarah Chesner stared down at her blank, blue sheet of paper, the seemingly millions of class choices threatened to overwhelm her. The idea of choosing an entire year of classes with limited...

I entered the Celebration Cinema North theater last Saturday night with my ticket in hand, expecting to walk into a movie full of blood, gore, and murder. This preconceived idea of mine can be attributed...

If you’re looking for a sign, this is it. As a person who has drastically cut her hair more times than I would like to admit, it's easy for me to preach at people, girls especially, who are on the...

“I have a lot of pets; ever since I was born, we’ve never had less than five cats in our household, so I’ve always been around animals. It’s really crazy, but it's nothing that I would change....

Ever since the age of five, senior Amina Makic hasn’t been afraid to pursue her many, varying hobbies. From fashion, baking, and her interest in the medical field, Amina manages to break free from traditional,...

June 9th, 2018. It’s a warm, sun-filled day, and my mom and I are crammed into our gray, 2012 Honda Civic. All the windows are open, including the sunroof. We forgot all the hair ties at home, and our...

“Being raised in a different culture is something that has always been a part of my life. I was born in Germany, but I didn’t spend a lot of time there. I moved to Northern Ireland when I was two....

“These four years are the best years of your life; enjoy them while they last.” This piece of “advice” is something that has been said to me more times than I’d like to admit throughout the...

Participating in the orchestra or the band is quite a large feat. Students who choose to do so must attend classes during school, as well as attend camps and rehearsals outside of normal school operating...

The ever-expanding plethora of restaurants in Grand Rapids is littered with sushi bars, burger joints, ice cream shops, and places that specialize in foods that many haven’t even heard of before. Many...

In a time of such social injustice and prominent unrest between the different political parties, it is rare that one can observe two people actually listening to another. Although many may disregard this...

The word "community" has multiple, varying definitions. Some say that it means a whole society working together, while others will tell you that it's individual people linked by some type of force or motive....

Traditionally, horoscope readings are generally used to make predictions about love, loss, relationships, feelings, and experiences that people are predicted to have each month. Based on your birthday,...

“Aim for the middle.” This is a saying that regularly spills from my mother's mouth, a saying that is regularly brought up during times of stress, and a saying that has always helped me to stay...

There are currently around eight million high school students who are participating in a sport of their choice at this very moment. Of these eight million, however, only 480,000 athletes continue on to...

Working out is hard. Going to the gym is a hassle, and one can’t help but feel intimidated by the daunting, muscular people that inhabit it. The “gym culture” is not one that personally appeals to...

One of my biggest pet peeves is when people ruin a perfectly good experience by trying to make it excessively fun or last forever. For me, there comes a point when all the fun has been used up, and continuing...

Everything begins with a story. Some people choose to listen to the story, and others choose to share it with the world. For junior Ella Byam, there is a story worth telling in everything. Whether...

I am a movie crier. Happy movies. Sad movies. Action movies. I cry at them all. Most people close to me know this by now and simply shrug and look away when they see me shed a tear over Disney’s Inside...

For many citizens in America, Planned Parenthood is merely an afterthought, something that they may not necessarily know about but hate anyway. Some wealthy men and women, particularly those in positions...