The Smoke Signal

It was that time of year again, when we broke out the pumpkins, the costumes, that oh-so-delicious candy. So if you weren’t too busy looking for your Bed Intruder costume, you might have noticed that it’s also that time when a fresh batch of controversy gets unloaded on the world courtesy of Stockholm in the form of the Nobel Prizes. Some Nobel awardees, such as the one in physics for the discovery of graphene, are unquestioned by the international community. Then again, you don’t get much debate over physics unless you’re dealing with students who lost points on physics midterms.…

It’s not that fun being a senior. I mean, sure you get to go to Waterworld, show off your independence by driving yourself around, do all these senior things that you’ve been looking forward to since you stepped onto this campus. But on the other hand, all those seniors that you used to look up to for advice and have good times with are spread to the winds. When you start seeing the younger siblings of friends in your classes, you get the full blown impact of how old you are. Count yourself lucky though. At least you’re not doing…

In elementary school, it was dashing to sport the roller backpack look even if there was only a Spacemaker pencil box and some dried Elmer’s glue inside. Sometime during that period, telling other people to spell “icup” was pretty trendy, too. For a society that defines itself by opportunity and a generation that supposedly draws from originality, it seems the social phenomenon that connects us is actually come-and-go fads. Though we boast that the members of our society enjoy the freedom to express their minds, the majority do not embrace it. Be it the newest fad, fashion trend, or internet…

     In February 2010, the superintendent and state education commissioner of Rhode Island agreed to fire every single staff member, principal included, at Rhode Island’s Central Falls High School because of poor performances on student standardized test scores. In July, 241 teachers working in Washington, D.C. were let go due to inadequate student test performances. Another 17 percent were given notice that, if scores did not improve in the next year, their jobs would be terminated as well. And, in August, the Los Angeles Times published a formula evaluating 6,000 elementary school teachers based on student standardized test scores.      These…

     In 2009, UC Berkeley began offering a class in competitive Starcraft, a renowned science-fiction real-time strategy game, with a basis in Calculus and with the goal of improving real-world decision making skills. University of Florida followed suit in 2010, adding a course called “21st Century Skills in Starcraft”, and Wabash College placed the critically acclaimed 3D puzzle game Portal on its mandatory “reading” list for freshman. Video games, deemed mindless entertainment since their inception, are now rightfully being considered by academic institutions as a serious art.      Like a good book or movie, a good video game challenges the player…

     There is a common misconception, especially in our high expectation-crazed MSJ population, that stellar college rankings represent best personal fit. A generic number assigned to a university is rapidly becoming replicated on our personal college lists. Even worse, we have started to apply to these “top tier” colleges simply because they are “top tier.” How many times have you heard someone (or maybe even yourself) say that the reason they are applying to Stanford is because “it’s one of the best colleges in the US! And everyone applies, so I will too…even though I doubt I’ll get in.” The…

Check out the graphic opinions of Smoke Signal’s artists throughout the year!

I admit it; I used to be someone who used Sparknotes indiscriminately. Temptation lured me to err at 2:30 AM, after hours of diligent work (and sneaky procrastination). Completed the history notes? Check. Reviewed for the biology lab? Check. Studied for the pre-calculus test? Triple check. Finished reading chapters one through eight of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn? Che– oh, shoot. Guess I should read the abridged summary online then. During the wee hours of the morning, the heart-stopping realization of overlooking the English reading assignment creates immense panic for any sleep-deprived MSJ student. Horrifying images of being clueless…

Three simple, yet incredibly loaded words: second semester senior. This phrase has reached legendary proportions. Apparently, students can cut class on a regular basis with no consequences. Homework and exams? Unheard of. Overall, students believe that being a second semester senior grants you the right to give up on formal schooling and to experience true “freedom.” Well, guess again. As much as we hate to, we will reveal the truth. Senior year is clearly the hardest year of your high school career. Stressing over SATs is nothing compared to what seniors go through when applying for college; researching potential colleges,…

Many factors go into the debate on public and private schools. The differences in community and culture carry over to the networks and relationships students build, and price tags may enhance or detract from a school’s appeal. Cost According to College Board, the average private four-year tuition is $26,273, compared to $7,020 for publics. However, out-of-state fees at publics are often high; out-of-state tuition at the University of Michigan, for example, is $34,937. Not that all privates are unaffordable. About 19 percent of students in privates are attending institutions that charge tuitions below $19,000. Around two-thirds of all full-time undergraduates…