tankard outBy Briley Tankard (Senior Staff Writer)
Three years, 54 articles, countless laughs. This ultimately sums up my time as a staff member of The Ridge Review. Now there were days when editing never seemed to end, and deadlines were quickly approaching, but overall newspaper has been my favorite class since the first day I joined. The time spent in Mrs. Stephenson’s classroom was not only fun, but also therapeutic. It was a fairly small class, so we’re a pretty tight knit group. We got close, and ended up becoming really good friends. We could vent to one another, laugh with one another, and play a very competitive game of trashketball (which I won). After a long day of class, newspaper would always calm me down, even on my worst days. My favorite thing about newspaper is how there is absolutely no judgement. You could tell the class your most embarrassing stories, and their view of you would not change. While the newspaper staff has changed over the years, each year has never failed to be better than the last. My time on the Ridge Review has been nothing but positive. There are a few people who made this experience something I will never forget, so it would be unacceptable for me not to mention them in my farewell article. Izzy, I love you and I am so glad I got to watch you grow as a person since Sophomore year. I wouldn’t have wanted to represent the class of 2015 with anyone else. Ally, thank you for the endless walks to my car, and always laughing at my jokes even when they’re only semi-funny. John, I can’t think of a better person to make a handshake out of emojis with, and take down in trashketball. Last but not least, Mrs. Stephenson. You’ve kept me in check and listened to my rants for three years, and for that I cannot thank you enough. I can go to college knowing The Ridge Review is in excellent hands. We will forever be a tight knit group. Tankard out, Briley back to scratchBy Isabelle Allen (Editor-in-chief)
Before the inventions of modern day music listening, there were cassette tapes, eight tracks, CD players and record players. With the creation of digital downloading from stores such as iTunes and Amazon, music has slowly degraded into a less precious commodity. These recent innovations in the music industry have killed off the “old timey” nevertheless raw and real vehicles of music listening. In recent years however, the record player (interchangeably called turntable) has began to make what some call a comeback. According to Wall Street Journal writer, Neil Shah in 2014, “Nearly eight million old-fashioned vinyl records have been sold this year, up 49% from the same period last year”. With Jack White’s Lazaretto toppling at number one for vinyl record sales with 75,700 copies sold, and Arctic Monkey’s AM coming in at second with 40,600 sold, the main source of profit seems to come from neo-nostalgic young adults buying from back alley record shops, or more likely, indie-rock enthusiasts buying merchandise from a more corporate entity such as Urban Outfitters. Record players were the technological advancement that allowed for listening to music at home for the first time. The use of record players has made a distinct imprint on today’s musical vernacular. It’s use has coined the term “music releases” and often times one will hear “record” interchangeable with “album”. The phrase “getting rotation” originally meaning the record literally going in rotation on the turntable is now defined as a song being played on the radio. Defenders of MP3s may argue that without easy and quick access it is a deal breaker, listing the time consuming efforts of buying a record, and hoping it isn’t scratched as reasons why one shouldn’t buy vinyl. However, nothing beats buying records from your favorite bands at the local record shop, bringing an album home, reading the lyrics, and looking at the album artwork. Switching the sides of an LP is what makes the experience seem more human. Feeling the stylus run through the grooves of an LP and the wistful, almost romantic crackle as the turntable rotates is an experience only one can experience through a record player. It’s much more fun than aimlessly scrolling through a touch screen. Additionally, records allow the listeners to see the musician’s artistic vision. By being able to read over lines and lyrics and examine the records artwork, a more intimate connection can be made between the artist, artwork and the buyer. While the rebirth of old generation technology could be a total fad, it is great to see youngsters get excited about purchasing physical vinyl LP’s instead of intangible MP3’s. Whether the music is in the genre of classic rap or rock n’ roll - vinyl proves to be one of the most hands on listening experiences to date. Source: http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-biggest-music-comeback-of-2014-vinyl-records-1418323133 |
The last hurrahBy Isabelle Allen (Editor-in-Chief)
I often go back to a folder of high school nostalgia that I keep at home and I read old editions of the Ridge Review. When I read these articles, I am reminded of the weeks of seemingly endless editing. I am reminded of all of my rookie grammatical errors that for some reason took forever to finish, and my struggles with identifying and fixing passive voice as well as unparallel sentences. When I think back to all of these things, I smile. It is difficult to believe that my six semesters of journalism have finally come to a close. My senior year, I was promoted to Editor-in-chief, which was a huge personal achievement. Even though the only reason I was promoted was because the previous editor, Sam, could no longer fit Newspaper in his busy IB schedule. However, this new role still felt like a major accomplishment because I started out as a mediocre staff writer that was absolutely terrified of getting critiqued by peers. While the faces change every year, The Ridge Review is always comprised of a staff who has a passion for writing. Whether it be sports, briefs, editorials, or plain old news articles. I have noticed in my three years that the writers on this team consistently put their all into each and every article without much complaint at all. For that, I am not only appreciative but also thankful to be apart of such a dedicated class of writers in my several years on the Newspaper staff. I would like to thank our advisor/mentor/teacher Mrs. Stephenson for sitting through 90 minutes of gossiping almost every day of the school year, but more importantly letting me become part of the staff, and believing in my potential as not just a writer but as a student. Thank you for pushing me to become a leader, and helping me with no questions asked along the way. I would additionally like to thank Briley, Ally and John for being an (inter)stellar crew my last semester of Newspaper. Thank you for getting your articles in promptly and fixing your edits without question. Ally and John, good luck holding down the fort next year, I promise it really isn’t that bad. l8ter, Izzy Allen being inkedBy Isabelle Allen (Editor-in-chief)
Tattoos are a form of body modification that dates back to prehistoric times. According to writer Cate Lindberry, “the earliest known examples were for a long time Egyptian and were present on several female mummies dated to c. 2000 B.C.” Tattoos have been known to symbolize links to polynesian tribes, social status, gang relation, jail time and now more commonly, plain old self expression. While the act of getting tatted has been around for thousands of years, tattoos were often considered taboo. Especially in modern western civilization where those associated with skin art were usually affiliated with being social deviants. It was in the 60’s and 70’s when tattoos became a more mainstream practice with the fad of motorcycle gangs, rock n’ roll and alternatively,the hippie culture. This is not to say that tattoos were completely accepted by the public. Persons who wore permanent ink still came off as anomalous and riotous personalities. In recent years, however, getting inked has become a more widespread statement. As of 2013, 14% of people of all ages acquired at least one tattoo, with a regret rate of 17% as reported by the Pew Research Center. Students of Cedar Ridge have begun to embrace the en vogue tattoo movement as well. Senior Karissa Marino sports a quote on the side of her ribcage that reads “be bold enough to use your voice, brave enough to listen to your heart and strong enough to live the life you've always imagined”. “I love it. It signifies the way I plan to live my life and it’s a mantra that I plan to stick with” said Marino, “When I was going through a tough patch in my life, I was scrolling on my phone and saw the quote and it just stuck with me for about two years”. Marino doesn’t regret her decision of getting a tattoo, as she is planning to have more done, when there is of course a deeper meaning attached. With many young persons getting inked, it’s important to remember that a tattoo is permanent, unless one holds excessive amounts of money. Tattoo removal ranges from $200 to $500 per session and it takes from five to twenty sessions depending on the size and vibrancy of the body art. Not to mention the extremity of pain when getting something removed is much worse than the pain from originally getting the tattoo. Whether they symbolize a deeper meaning, or is a quote that one lives by, tattoos are a form of self expression that has been around for ages. It is important to note that getting a tattoo is a huge life decision as the results (almost all the time) are indeed permanent. One really needs to become aware of the implications of getting a tattoo, and should have full confidence when the day comes. Take it easy, red wolvesBy Ian Feather (Assistant Editor)
It’s hard to both believe and accept the fact that my time with the Ridge Review has come to a close. The past year has been a learning experience in several forms, and a fun one at that. During my time on the staff, I’ve had the opportunity to learn new journalism skills, talk to interesting people in and around Hillsborough, and develop bonds with members of the staff that will last for a very long time. I’d like to thank several people who have been very important to me on many levels over this past year: Sam Higgins for convincing/forcing me to join the Ridge Review staff, Izzy Allen and Briley Tankard for always making time go by a little faster during 4th period, and Ms. Stephenson, who somehow put up with me for so long. While the members of the Ridge Review staff change with every passing semester, one thing seems to always remain the same--the staff of this newspaper is a family. Although it’s not uncommon for tensions to run high, especially when it comes time for editing, I haven’t felt any more at home in any other classroom than in Ms. Stephenson’s during 4th Block. I want to encourage anyone reading this to not only keep reading the Ridge Review and similar print publications, but also for you yourself to encourage anyone you may know to do so as well. It’s imperative that objective information on current events remain easily available to the public, and in my opinion newspapers are the way to deliver this information. While the popularity of the Ridge Review has declined in recent years, it was always nice to know that I was writing for a paper that puts so much emphasis on journalistic excellence. Without a doubt, the Ridge Review is the best newspaper out there. |
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