How to Survive the Month of March

Right about this time of year, Presentation students find themselves facing one of the most stressful months. Without a break to sustain them until Easter, these students face increasing loads of homework, as well as the ever-infamous research papers. And as college acceptances start leaking out, seniors are under added pressure. Extracurricular activities are in full swing, and social lives fly out the window. But don’t worry, because these helpful tips will help you to survive March.

1. Purchase a lavender pillow. With all the stress of this time of year, you will find it hard to relax and get some sleep. Heat up your lavender pillow, and watch yourself helplessly sail off to dreamland.

2. Eat some chocolate. You may have some left over from Valentine’s Day, and you want to make sure it’s gone before the Easter Bunny shows up. Regardless of what some rumors suggest, chocolate is healthy—for your heart and soul!

3. Compliment yourself. Who doesn’t need a little extra encouragement from time to time? You’ll need the support when you study for that midterm. Just don’t go overboard.

4. Watch T.V. When choosing a show, make sure it is as mindless and entertaining as possible. Old reruns of your favorite shows are a great choice.

5. Reign in the computer addiction. Have your friend change your Facebook password for you so you won’t be tempted to procrastinate. Instead of going on MyLifeIsAverage.com, make your life average by getting a decent amount of sleep!

6. Reward yourself for not procrastinating on your work. Cookies are an excellent reward.

7. Have a bake sale. Baking is a tasty way to relieve stress. You can even give the money earned to mission drive.

8. Find new hobbies. If you have something fun to do in your free time, it will be more relaxing.

9. Have a party with your friends. Choose any theme you want. You don’t need a special occasion—everyone loves to celebrate!

Evening of Awareness

“Things are to be used and people are to be loved, but the problem in today’s world is that people are used and things are loved.”

At Evening of Awareness on January 27, I reflected on this quote while watching a fabulous presentation by senior Regina Chau about the Presentation CI trip to Zambia last summer. Seven different speakers put on presentations about trips they had gone on or programs they had participated in that made a difference in the world, which was appropriate as the evening’s theme was “the power of students to affect change.”

The evening was put on by CI and was hosted by junior Katja Kane-Foempe and seniors Anne Marie Tran and Kerynne Tejada. The night ran smoothly with seven different presenters, each representing a different trip or program that had worked to make a difference. These included the San Jose and San Francisco Urban Plunges, the trip to Zambia, the Casa de Clara program, the sophomore service trip to West Oakland/SF, the Global Women’s Issues class members talking about issues facing women around world, and the SOA trip to Georgia.

The presentations were impressive, well put together and, most of all, very thought-provoking. The night started out with a fantastic speech by Sacred Heart representative Todd Banks. He spoke of freedom fighters and how we all have the power and call to change someone’s life, if not change the world. “Tomorrow, if not today, you’re going to change the world,” he said. Banks also talked about how these programs and trips were the first steps in doing just that. These were the programs that changed people’s lives, and the trips that brought awareness to injustices in the world.

Banks also noted that social injustices can be changed with small steps. “Sometimes the answer is simple,” he said, “so listen and they’ll tell you what they need.” Sometimes it is not a large-scale food drive that is necessary, but just a loaf of bread out of your own kitchen, or a jacket out of your closet. He closed by encouraging the audience to “be the freedom fighter God has created you to be.”

After such inspiration from Banks, we split up into different classrooms to watch different presentations we had signed up for. Senior Mary Clare Bernal shared her experience in the San Francisco Urban Plunge in one of these first presentations, with an outstanding PowerPoint on the different places her group had visited. She spoke of visiting with the poor in a soup kitchen the first day, and how it changed her whole perspective on poverty and social issues such as this.

“They’re just like us,” she said, “but with different circumstances.” Her group stayed with the Presentation sisters in San Francisco and spent the trip visiting and working in many different places in San Francisco. They visited the Tenderloin Children’s playground, which is a safe place for the children of the area to hang out rather than just being on the streets, and a place called The Lantern, where they taught ESL classes. When Bernal finished her presentation, we made valentines to be sent to the children at the Tenderloin.

After a juice and cookies break, the next presentation I visited was about Zambia, which was put on by senior Regina Chau. She spoke of the incredible poverty in the areas she visited, and how impressive it was that these people still had hope. The group visited an orphanage, and she talked about how, even there, all the children were very happy with hopes for the future and were glad to see her group. They had “the biggest smiles on their faces,” she said. Even in such difficult positions, people worked hard to get by and live well.

The group visited schools that had been put together for kids whose parents had been lost to AIDS, where the whole school was run by volunteers. They had to raise their own money, and worked hard to do so. The group stayed with Presentation sisters and visited several schools, a community center, an orphanage, a hospice, and many other places during their visit.

After the second presentation, everyone returned to the theater and broke up into groups to decorate a piece of fabric for a patchwork quilt and to reflect on the real meaning of the presentations of the evening. We talked about the different presentations we had gone to and the different places or programs they had worked with, and how all of these things work to bring hope to such difficult situations. Sometimes all that is needed is a ray of hope to give someone the courage to help a situation, and all of us have the power to bring about that ray of hope.

iPod Psychoanalysis: Inside Miller’s Mysterious Mind

Welcome back to our special feature “Psychoanalysis…by iPod.” Today’s subject: Ms. Mary Miller. You may know her as Presentation’s principal, and today we are going to be delving into the mind of Ms. Miller based on the top five most listened to songs on her iPod. To start off, let us just say that based on Ms. Miller’s favorite genre, we can say she is one classy person. Let’s start with her top song.

Für Elise

This first song was composed by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1810. The title translates into English as “For Elise,” and this classical masterpiece has been world renowned for generations. That’s right, we’re talking about “Für Elise.”

Ms. Miller’s version is by Annerose Schmidt, and her top song reveals many interesting things. First off, Ms. Miller likes to listen to soft, relaxing tunes to help relieve the stress of her busy day. As a principal and an English teacher, Ms. Miller is constantly running from one place to another, and she needs a chance to slow down and catch her breath; what better way than a beautiful song like “Für Elise?”

Clair de Lune

We now move on to the second most listened to song. The version on Ms. Miller’s iPod is by Alain Planés, but was originally one of the most famous piano suites by Claude Debussy. This song is the third and most famous movement of Debussy’s Suite Bergamasque. Meaning moonlight, this next song is titled “Clair de lune.”

Once again, we can see that Ms. Miller loves her classical music. We can take the analysis further by focusing on the title, “Clair de Lune.” What does moonlight say about Ms. Miller? Maybe it refers to the way she sheds “light” on the subject in her English classes. Whenever she is teaching a novel or a poem, her insightful analysis benefits her students and allows them to become “brighter” young women with a great English education.

Winter

You may or may not have heard Ms. Miller’s third song. It is the oldest of the songs we’ll be analyzing today, and as a part of Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, it is definitely a classical favorite. Ms. Miller’s pick is “Winter.” More specifically, part II, Largo.

This song is appropriate for Ms. Miller because the four concertos in The Four Seasons were written to go along with four sonnets. She loves teaching and reading poetry, and, although “Winter” has no lyrics, it is designed to complement a sonnet. Also, seasons figure prominently in the life of anyone whose schedule revolves around a school year. As Ms. Miller has eloquently explained in the past, each fall is an opportunity to start new at the beginning of the school year. Maybe “Winter” is when things at Pres are in full swing and life is as busy and fun as ever.

Hasta Mi Final

Ms. Miller’s next two songs are by Il Divo. She definitely likes to practice her español, and this next song titled “Hasta Mi Final” means “Until the Day.” Let’s start off with the most literal analysis: one of the tenors in Il Divo is David Miller. But aside from that, the four singers in this quartet come from different countries and different musical backgrounds. Maybe Ms. Miller dreams about traveling the world to all of the different places that the singers come from: Switzerland, France and Spain (David Miller is American). Going along with The Four Seasons, maybe Ms. Miller is planning a trip this winter; we’ll see!

En Aranjuez Con Tu Amor

The last song on the list is “En Aranjuez Con Tu Amor.” The first line of the song is “Aranjuez, Un lugar de ensueños y de amor.” For all you French students, this means “Aranjuez, a place of dreams and of love.” Aranjuez is actually a town in Spain near Madrid. It is known for the Palacio Real de Aranjuez, a Spanish royal site, as well as its strawberries. Maybe Ms. Miller has revealed her favorite fruit, maybe she just loves Spanish, or she once again wishes to travel to far-off places. One thing’s for sure, she’s sticking with the classical theme, and this song once again shows us how calm and peaceful she is.

Maybe the next time you see Ms. Miller in the hallways, you’ll know a little more about her inner psychology. Or maybe you’ll just know that she really likes classical music. Either way, we hope you’ve enjoyed this psychoanalysis!

The Happiest Place on Earth? Disney Point/Counterpoint

Mary Clare’s Pros of Disney

Vision, innovation, imagination, and magic: The Walt Disney Company has provided all this and more to millions of people for decades.  Try to imagine a world without Disney, a world without Mickey Mouse and a world without the dreams and hopes that we all were inspired to follow while watching our favorite Disney movies.  It’s almost impossible.  There’s a reason why Disneyland is “The Happiest Place on Earth.”

From the first animated feature film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1934, to the first fully computer-animated feature film, Toy Story in 1995, Disney’s innovation has been apparent from the start.  Disney movies have been treasured for generations as classics, ever since Walt Disney created a mouse named Mickey, who starred in “Steamboat Willie.”  With family-friendly entertainment, people from all around the world love a good Disney movie.

Some of the most beloved characters of all time have been brought to life by Disney.  Mickey Mouse is a given, not to mention the Disney Princesses and Winnie the Pooh.  Disney has taken classic tales and has made them accessible to the world.

Contrary to some people’s belief, Disney does not encourage weak female damsels in distress.  Just look at Belle, from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, a smart, independent young woman who sees more than outward appearances and taught everyone to see the beauty that comes from within.  What about Mulan, a girl who brings honor to her family through her courage, self-sacrifice and determination?  Disney has not only respected women, but has empowered them to believe in their dreams and their abilities.

Disney has also made children aware of their impact on shaping our world and our future.  Disney Pixar’s Wall-E is a heartwarming film that brought the environment to the attention of children and adults alike.   In May, Disney’s Friends for Change: Project Green was launched, an environmental initiative on Disney Channel that encourages kids to pledge to take part in projects to help the earth.  Disney Channel icons like the Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato and Miley Cyrus, among 29 other stars, have inspired kids to make a real change in their impact on resources and the environment by focusing on climate, water, waste and habitats.  Disney will donate $1 million to environmental causes throughout the year.

Disney is also supportive of helping the community.  In 2010, Disney’s “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” program will encourage people to volunteer by providing a complimentary one-day pass to Disneyland or Walt Disney World to anyone who volunteers at one of the participating organizations through HandsOn Network.  This offer is also available for children ages six to 17 who volunteer with an adult, inspiring people of all ages to make a difference.

Some people are concerned that Disney as a corporation is too large and dominant.  The United States prides itself as a capitalistic society in which anyone can follow his or her dreams for business and success.  If Disney has become such a prosperous company, it is because we the consumers have created a demand for Disney products, so don’t worry—Disney is as large as we make it.  Apparently, we must really like Disney.  The company’s impact on the economy is probably more than we realize.  With theme parks, merchandizing and television, Disney has provided jobs for thousands of people.

A common argument against Disney revolves around the idea that children are not being exposed to reality but are instead being brought up in what they believe is a perfect world.  But what is wrong with preserving the innocence of children as long as we can?  Yes, we live in a world with war, violence and suffering.  Why do we want children to be exposed to all of that at a young age?  Instead, we should be encouraging children to believe in their dreams and potential.  Laura Perrone, senior, said, “I think that Disney brings magic into people’s lives.  So much of our world is focused on what’s realistic.  Children need an opportunity to have dreams and to use their imaginations.”  An exposure to imagination and creativity is essential for today’s youth.  Because if we want the future to improve, we need a generation of compassionate, creative and confident people who will find solutions to the issues with which our world is faced.

Walt Disney said, “Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long.  We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things – because we’re curious.  And curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.  We’re always exploring and experimenting.”  Disney continues to explore new options and solutions, and our world would not be the same without it.

So this spring when all you seniors graduate, what are you going to do?  “I’m going to Disneyland!”

Teresa’s Cons of Disney

I wish I could say that when I was little, I wanted to be a ninja. But according to my mother and incriminating photographic evidence, I, like most young girls, wanted to be a princess. Why? Because to my fellow five-year-olds then (and even some high schoolers now), being a princess seems to make all your worries go away and guarantee you a “happily ever after.”

Disney has long been promoted as the one company that really makes dreams come true. But what kinds of dreams, and at what cost? The ideals that Disney projects onto the young, impressionable minds of its viewers may not necessarily be ideal for the kind of strong and independent women we want to take after and grow into. All the typical Disney Princess have startlingly similar storylines. They start off as subservient and oppressed in some manner, suffer bits of cruelty ranging from being fed poisoned apples (remember, kids, never accept apples from creepy old ladies wandering around in the middle of the woods) to losing their voices. The princesses then cry bitterly before getting rescued and living happily ever after.

 If you think that this reflects reality in any way, shape or form, then I have evidently been living under the wrong rock for the past 16 years. Besides proving that they can keep an excellent house and can be kind to singing animals, what are the redeeming qualities that the princesses of our youth possess? True, the Disney tales are typically meant for young girls and promote values like being kind to everyone and following your heart. But equally important as we grow up are values that will instill in us independence and strength, morals that don’t make us wait around until someone else takes it upon himself to ride up on a white stallion and make the bad things go away. Unlike Sleeping Beauty, we should not need a man to awaken—we need to wake up our own potential and slay the dragons ourselves.  Poisoned apples, wicked stepmothers, and evil half-octopi women are metaphorical demons in our own lives, stumbling blocks that we need to learn we are capable of dealing with on our own.

The argument has been made that Disney is only a fantasy world and not to be taken seriously. Yet Disney itself often tries to blur the lines between fantasy and reality. And why? Not because it particularly cares about us living in a candy-coated world, but because the more we believe, the more Disney profits. An example of this is the city of Celebration, Florida; a town that was supposed to re-create Walt Disney’s version of a utopian community. Celebration sought to showcase all that was best from an age gone by—an age that never actually existed. By trying to simulate the magic of its animated kingdom in the material world, Disney overstepped the boundaries from movies and theme parks, where people expect fantasy, and into a blurry haze where no real distinctions are set between what is real and what is manufactured perfection.

 Disney is one of the richest and definitely the largest entertainment organization in the world. Yet for all its money and fame, Disney does not always try its hardest to make everyone’s dreams come true. There has been considerable outrage over Nike’s use of sweatshops, but people usually do not try to probe beneath Disney’s shiny and distracting surface, perhaps afraid that they will become too disillusioned by what they see there. According to the National Labor Committee, workers for Disney in China are paid 33 to 41 cents an hour—lower even than China’s minimum wage of 42 cents. The workers are often cheated of their overtime pay and have no health insurance or pension. In Bangladesh, Disney’s workers are paid 5 cents an hour to assemble Winnie the Pooh shirts that Disney then sell for $17.99. Workers are beaten if they do not meet quotas while being forced to work 14-hour days seven days a week. And Disney doesn’t just promote female subservience in its films. According to The Atlanta Journal, Disney’s female workers in Haiti are often forced to either become mistresses of their overbearing supervisors or quit their jobs. I certainly hope none of these workers have been watching any of the films of the company that employs them, because they will certainly receive the wrong message. Unless people decide to pull their heads out of the sand and look at little more closely at their blind hero-worship of Disney, nothing is going to change. The underpaid and underprivileged workers will discover all too quickly that happily ever after is nothing more than a sugar-coated phrase for “Reality is too harsh and does not sell, so we’re going to just end the storyline here.”

The line between what we would like to believe and what we actually do can often be a bit too fine for my tastes. When we start to take a few too many trips to Disneyland, when we expose our children to Disney princesses and nothing else, and when we buy Disney merchandise with no thought other than that it must have been made by the “happiest people on earth,” we are simply fooling ourselves. It’s one thing to believe in dreams, but it is another thing completely to lose sight of reality.