The couple of weeks leading up to the Esperanza assembly during sixth period last Tuesday filled me with a lot of anxiety and nervousness. First, there were the in-class, pre-assembly presentations during the English classes. Many of us in the project were worried about how the students would react as we introduced a very sensitive, very controversial topic. As we expected, there was some tension, some uncomfortable silences, but overall, we were received well and seemed to garner the attention of the students. After breathing a sigh of relief, I tried focusing all of my energy on the assembly. I started dancing in the project my sophomore year as one of the founding members, so I have performed numerous times with Esperanza. This time, however, was different. Last February we performed in the auditorium in a similar fashion to an audience of mostly Rincon students, but we ran out of time for a question and answer session at the end of the performance. For this assembly, not only did we build up the hype with the in-class presentations, but we knew that there most definitely

            The day of the assembly sneaked up on us quickly. After what seemed like a flash, I was already onstage screaming “I don’t pray anymore”, throwing chairs, and changing costumes hurriedly in the wings between each piece. How is everyone reacting to the narration in between each piece? Are we as dancers conveying the message of the dance in an accessible manner? Did my leap look okay during “Give Me Novocain”? My heart was pounding, partly because of the physically-strenuous nature of performing, but mostly because as each section of the assembly passed, I knew the Q&A session was drawing nearer.

Applause. Bows. “We’re going to have our dancers sit at the edge of the stage and we’re going to open up for questions.” Oh my God, here we go. “Does anyone have any questions?” There were a few moments of silence in which I’m pretty sure my heart fell into my stomach. Oh no, we either confused them or bored them. Oh no, oh no, oh no. Then the first hand went up. Oh thank God. The Q&A carried on, slowly picking up momentum. I was completely relieved; everyone was asking such insightful questions, questions that we were hoping would come up. “How can we be allies to someone who has suffered childhood sexual assault?” “How do we talk to our friends about this?” “What do we do when we know someone who might be suicidal?” I was so incredibly happy that we got people talking, and everyone in the auditorium seemed to be genuinely interested in what was being discussed. I felt very humbled that day. What everyone in the project had been working so hard over the past few months to accomplish came true that day.  We opened a dialogue about childhood sexual abuse. We got high schoolers to think about the severity of this issue. We connected people with resources for hope and healing. I think I can safely say that everyone in the project was satisfied with the audience’s response. Our wish is, now that more people have heard our message, that everyone takes that little piece of esperanza and spreads it throughout our community.

For more information on the Esperanza Dance Project, please visit our website at www.esperanzadanceproject.org or contact Beth Braun, the artistic director of the Esperanza Dance Project and the director of the dance department at RUHS.

Rincon and University High School students show their support on December 17.

In December, the holidays are right around the corner, it is a time for joy and loving kindness. On December 14th, we were exposed to a brash and cruel action, the murder of innocent children and workers in Newtown, Connecticut. Just a normal day at school that was ruined by someone not in their right mind. Now, it is the new year. These actions may have been in the past, but they will always be in our minds reminding us of the horrific things people can do and become. Our deepest condolences go out to the families who have lost a loved ones. We remember those who have passed:

Charlotte Bacon

Daniel Barden

Rachel D’Avino

Olivia Engel

Josephine Gay

Dylan Hockley

Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung

Madeleine F. Hsu

Catherine V. Hubbard

Chase Kowalski

Nancy Lanza

Jesse Lewis

Ana Marquez-Greene

James Mattioli

Grace McDonnell

Anne Marie Murphy

Emilie Parker

Jack Pinto

Noah Pozner

Caroline Previdi

Jessica Rekos

Avielle Richman

Lauren Rosseau

Mary Sherlach

Victoria Soto

Benjamin Wheeler

Allison N. Wyatt

These 27 who died will not be forgotten.

Alina’s grandmother takes awesome concert photos.

Bruce Springsteen is nice enough to use a raffle system to determine which of his fans get the best seats at his concerts- the ones so close to the stage that you can reach out and touch him. Extremely dedicated fans start waiting in line for their raffle tickets at two or three o’clock even though the actual concert doesn’t start until 8. Fortunately for me, my grandmother is one of Bruce Springsteen’s most loyal and appreciative fans. Of course, when I went to see Bruce Springsteen with her in Phoenix last Thursday, I became one of the insane fanatics waiting in line for 6 hours just to see if I would be lucky enough to win the raffle. There are many, many people who wait in line all day but still end up having to stand in the section of the pit that is much further away from Bruce Springsteen.

The way the raffle works is that if there is room for 500 people in the especially fantastic area where Bruce Springsteen is likely to sweat on your hands, then the number they draw and the next 499 numbers get to be in the especially fantastic area. As my family and I waited for more people to arrive and for the number to be drawn, I really hoped that our numbers would be lucky- not because I’m insanely obsessed with Bruce Springsteen, but because I dreaded how anticlimactic it would be if we waited for so long only to get the worse seats. I also had put a good deal of effort into memorizing the lyrics to “Waiting on a Sunny Day” because my precisely up-to-date grandmother knew Bruce had recently been inviting young girls who knew the lyrics to sing the song with him onstage. I could not hide my disappointment when we were tragically not part of the group of 500 lucky raffle winners.

Bruce Springsteen is worth seeing whether you’re standing in the front row or sitting way back and far above the stage. He is 63 years old, but he has more stamina and vitality than most 20-year-olds. The way Bruce Springsteen dances and jumps around on the stage makes his music much more enticing. He easily communicates what each song means to him.

By the third song or so, I was determined to get a better view. Being short is never helpful in crowds, but a ways ahead of me was the gate at the front of the second pit that separated our section from the better seats. I had to make it to that gate. The first person I had to find a way to squeeze passed was a very large and drunk woman who was dancing spastically with a plastic cup of beer held high above her head. I was very concerned about being spilled on as I edged forward, inch-by-inch, gaining what ground I could as she moved around. Then I had to get passed a lady with the poufiest hair I have ever seen. When the two of us danced and sang we would awkwardly collide due to the cramped space. It took a long time for me to get passed her because she was holding hands with the man next to her, and therefore creating a barrier blocking me. Reaching the gate was glorious. The only reason I got there was because at the end of the concert, an elderly woman left and wanted me to have her amazing spot. For the last few songs, I could see spectacularly because the people in front of me were on a lower level than me. What made it absolutely glorious was the first song I heard from my new view. It was the most beautiful song he played the whole night. My grandmother told me it was an old song. He played the piano accompaniment himself, and there was an intense passion behind the sad words that he sang.

The most remarkable thing about a Bruce Springsteen concert is the dedication of his fans. I thought it was absolutely wonderful that almost every single person around me was pounding their fist and singing, “It’s a town full of losers, I’m pullin’ out of here to wiiiiin!” It’s as if all of his fans have been changed significantly by his music, and they all know exactly what the lyrics to his songs mean to them. Each one of them looks like hearing him sing is what they need carry on. There is some sort of unspoken agreement between Bruce and his fans where he puts what he feels into song and they understand and are uplifted by it. This is an amazing process to watch, let alone be part of.

SWEATERS

Forget autumn, December is a winter month. Now, living in sunny Tucson, Arizona, this is hardly applicable, for we really only have 2 seasons: hot and bearable. But, if you venture anywhere that is not Tucson, you will wonder to yourself one of two things: either, “How did it become so cold?” or, “Why is it so warm?” In the case of warmness, you know what to do—put on some shorts. But, if you step outside and it’s chilly like South America or colder, a sweater and pants is the answer. It looks like this:

HOLIDAY DECORATIONS

Holiday decorations are everywhere at this time of year. Many people celebrate many things, so whatever you celebrate, why not decorate for it?

COOKIES

One of the best parts of December is the sudden interest people take in cookies. Chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles, intricately decorated holiday cookies! It’d be a shame to let cookies go to waste, so why not December by eating cookies? Just eat responsibly.

BE NICE TO THE KIDDIES

You may decide to go to a mall one day in December, and find a long line of children and their parents waiting to sit on Santy Claus’ lap and ask him for things. The worst possible thing you can do in this situation is point out that mall Santa is a fake or tell a kid that Santa isn’t real, or steal their cookies, or tell them that they’re on the naughty list, or tell them that furbies are actually really creepy, or tell them that Grandma got run over by a reindeer or—well my point is: be nice to the kiddies during December. They’ve got a lot at stake here.

WARM DRINKS

This goes back to the whole “winter” thing. Warm drinks are the hallmark of December, because during December, people get really into warm drinks, namely Starbucks. They start selling warm drinks in red cups and offer seasonal specials like “apple-cider-cocoa-uccino”. December is the perfect time to drink a warm drink like apple cider or hot cocoa, so why not take advantage of this opportunity? Also, these drinks are great for parties during December.

GIVE

Whatever you celebrate, the December is a month that everyone ought to be able to enjoy. But still, there are families and people who don’t make enough money to buy food or warmer clothes. Food drives are going on, and donations are always being accepted by charities. Giving canned food or small donations to nonprofit organizations allows you to December correctly, and others, too. So, if nothing else, give a little this December.

Election Day was Tuesday, November 6^th and resulted in Barrack Obama remaining the 44^th president of the United States of America, while his opponent, Mitt Romney conceded from the presidential race. Because University High School is a school with many opinions, I asked around to see how students reacted to the election.

Sophomore Guillermo Flores was pleased with election results, stating that “[Having president Barrack Obama] is great. I really think he’ll help out the middle class.” However, sophomore Liz Reckart was not pleased with the election results. “Hopefully [Obama] won’t screw up too bad,” she says. “I’m just a little nervous for the next four years.”

An anonymous student at UHS said, “Honestly, I was sort of surprised. Me and my father—we were Romney supporters—not hard-core “Oh-my-God—Romney!”, but we liked him better than Obama, and we were really surprised that he won by so many electoral votes. Also, I don’t think they should have called Ohio so early, although it did end up Democratic, I don’t think it was right for them to call it so early when they still had 27% of the votes not in yet. It just made me feel uneasy. I had hopes and dreams, and they were sort of crushed right there. The big thing was that if Romney got Ohio, then he might’ve had a chance of winning, so I was like, ‘Ohio! …No!’ As soon as everyone found out about Ohio, it was over.”

Olivia Ortiz, a junior, stated, “I’m personally really pleased with the results from the election because I was for Obama–even though I can’t vote—because I feel like he understands the younger generation better than Mitt Romney, and his plans for college tuitions and scholarships are helping kids who can’t really afford to get to college you know– get there.” Meanwhile, another anonymous UHS student said that “with the interests of Arizona, Romney would have fit.”

Finally, Celina Scott-Buechler, a junior, shared her opinion. “I was really happy,” she said. “Especially because Obama’s opponent, I felt like, was not in touch with our generation, and particularly with our gender—women. I did not feel like [Mitt Romney] would have done anything positive, in fact, I feel like he would have taken us back several hundred years in terms of the progression of women’s rights, so I’m really happy!”

In UHS’ mock election, Obama won 70% of the vote, while Romney won about 29%, and 1% voted for various other candidates. With those results, one might think that most UHS students favor Obama, but University High School is a diverse institution of learning, filled with many opinions; it’s nice to take time to listen to those unique opinions every once in a while.

 Left to right: Azalea Grant, Laura Glaser, Rose Cronin, and Anahi Herrera. 

Not shown: Ty Wood-Pavicich, Itai Kreisler, Adriana Guzman, Taylor Reiter

Lady

by Adriana Guzman

My friends, I had not intended to discuss this controversial subject at this particular time. However, I want you to know that I do not shun controversy. On the contrary, I will take a stand on any issue at any time, regardless of how fraught with controversy it might be. You have asked me how I feel about my pet dog, Lady. All right, here is how I feel about Lady.

If when you say “Lady” you mean the monstrous poodle that walks on me while I sleep, the mutt that uses her vicious canine teeth to rip apart new pairs of tennis shoes, the thirteen pounds of tangled fluff that forgets she’s potty-trained the day my new carpet is installed in my bedroom, the filthy creature that decides to lay on my clean laundry after rolling around in the mud; if you mean the pigeon killer, the one who sleeps all day and barks all night, the supplier of the stench I must endure every time she opens her mouth, the whiney shadow that follows my every move in the kitchen in hopes that I hand over my snack, the spoiled animal that receives more love from my mother than I—then certainly I dislike her.

But, if when you say “Lady” you mean the loyal companion that naps with me when I’m feeling sick, the wonderful snowball that learned how to open my door and sneak in late night kisses on my feet, the adorable pet that gets more excited to see me than my mother does, the spontaneous comedian that cheers me up with her quirky sleeping positions; if you mean the strong and brave body guard that keeps any unfamiliar face away from me with a bark, the warm pillow that lets me relax while I watch television, the vacuum that saves me from my mother’s tuna casserole, the friend that listens to my everyday dramas of the unbearable high school life, the source of the digestive system that I use as a dependable excuse for my tardy assignments—then certainly I love her.

This is my stand. I will not retreat from it. I will not compromise, unless the price is right, of course.

Making Sense

By Itai Kreisler

My friends, I had not intended to sauté this controversial foie gras at this particular breakfast omlette station. To whom it may concern, I want you to know that I do not shun men who curtsy. On the left foot, I will sit on any tissue during any crime, restart-less of how many java updates there might be. You have wondered how I feel about making sense. Alright, stop, hammer time.

If when you say making sense you are referring to a beautiful silky smooth nails of elegantly organized letters, a sweet smelling poem crashing through your ear, a delectably delicious song dragging like broken glass down your throat, a man wearing stripes and skinny blue bell bottoms ripping his Italian words across your hammer, anvil, and stirrup; if you are alluding to those ever so austere blobs of ink you read in the most breathtaking dead tree you carry around, those regurgitated thoughts passed on by a stroke of genius, those little bunny foo foos hopping through a wood chipper and coming out as Picasso painting da Vinci painting a mural doing an old spice commercial while drinking a Heineken— then I am surely not in Kansas anymore.

But if, when you say making sense, you mean putting on that gray tie that looks like last night’s moth feast with those ever so baggy pants with that HARDLY noticeable coffee stain two inches to the left of your zipper, those coke bottle glasses you burn ants in your free time with, sit in that faded baby poop brown desk with what you believe to be a drawing of a clown in the upper left hand corner, crack your lips open to reveal those corn looking chunks or enamel to show your “colleagues” you’re not contemplating suicide, to stare the vending machine that only lets you buy pre-war licorice and freeze dried iceberg lettuce and have it stare back at you in utter disappointment, to walk by her old desk everyday on the way to pretending like you already had lunch—— then there is only one question left.

Do you want to make sense? Or make cents?

Try standing on that.

Urban Dictionary

By Laura Glaser

My friends, I had not intended to discuss this controversial subject at this particular time. However, I want you to know that I do not shun debate. On the contrary, I will take a stand on any concern at any time. Regardless of how fraught with difference it might be. You asked me how I feel about Urban Dictionary. All right, here is how I feel about Urban Dictionary.

If when you say “Urban Dictionary” you mean the foul language, degrading terms, grotesque descriptions, the bloody monster that defiles innocence of youth, defies rhyme and reason, destroys rationality, provokes disrespect, promotes chauvinism; if you mean the encyclopedia of profanity that denounces the credibility of earlier words, the reminder that there is no hope for society in the future—then certainly I am against it.

But, if when you say “Urban Dictionary” you mean the pinnacle of society’s mindset, the education of valuable terms, the philosophic dictionary, the answers to all questions, the humorous annotations, the pointless analogues, the allusions that are read when good fellows get together, that puts laughter on their lips; if you mean the comedic anecdotes of pointless actions, the almanac of facetiousness, the go-to for all your life questions—then certainly I am for it.

This is my stand. I will not divert from it.  I will not accommodate.

University High School

By Rose Cronin

My fellow students, I had not intended to discuss this controversial subject until graduation. However, I want you to know that I do not shun controversy. On the contrary, I will speak openly and honestly on any subject at any time. You have asked me how I feel about University High School. Well, here is exactly how I feel about UHS.

If when you say “UHS” you mean the devil’s workshop, the torture chamber, the cruel monster that deprives students of sleep, ruins academic self-esteem, destroys any social life we once had, administers more tests than the Salem witch trials, and doles out homework like it’s candy on Halloween; If you mean the school that topples its students from the pinnacle of health and mental sanity into the bottomless pit of shame, despair, helplessness, and deep envy of any test scores higher than his or her own – then yes, I rather dislike it.

But if when you say “UHS” you mean the institution that creates not only excellent, hard working students, but individuals passionate in their pursuits; If you mean the place that values its students’ individuality; that has wonderful teachers who encourage independent thought and thorough understanding rather than fact-memorization and busy work; if you mean the school that pushes students to do the best work they can do; if you mean the school that builds leaders and dreamers and scientists and writers and historians and artists; if you mean the school that makes a student proud to announce to anyone, “I am a Penguin”- Then certainly, I love it more than you can imagine.

Facial Hair

By Azalea Grant

My friends, I had not expected to breach this subject at this time, in fact, ever at all. However, I do not recoil at unprecedented topics or measures. I wish to share my opinion on the subject of facial hair.

If, when you say facial hair, you mean an unruly, nasty nest for cracker crumbs and old soup, or the characteristic trademark of the men of the street, the difficulty that causes words to become muffled and unintelligible, the bearded ladies of the infamous circus circles, the big bushy unibrow or sideburns unaccompanied by beard and moustache, even the goatee, then I say, indeed, it should be finished.

If, however, when you say facial hair you mean the cleanly kept mark of care in a man’s life, an attractive feature on his face, even the clean-shaven jaw devoid of bristle or shadow, or the signature look of the mountain man – full and quite appropriate – while he spends his spare time emanating burliness, or perhaps if you mean the fatherly look of the bushy moustache that droops, or the lengthy, white and wizened beard adorning the stooped, age-old characters that are so deeply ingrained in our culture, or the aesthetic sculptures made of whiskers to internationally compete; if you speak of the firm fixation of culture and fashion on the stylization of these illustrious creations, however impossible they may be, and the glorification of such prints and looks, the popularity coupled with the impracticality of steampunk handlebar moustaches pitted against Victorian icons, then I say, that it should be encouraged.

This is my stand, and where I shall remain.

Legos

By Ty Wood-Pavicich

My friends, I had not intended to discuss this controversial subject at this particular time.  However, I want you to know that I do not shun controversy.  But rather, I will take a stand on any issue, at any time.  I will do so regardless of how controversial the said issue is.  You have asked me how I feel about Legos.  All right, here is how I feel about Legos.

If when you say “Legos”, you mean the hellish bricks that shred unguarded feet like the deathly Gaulish pikes from the gore-spattered era of the horrific, ruthless Gladiatorial games; if you mean the horrid, so-called toys, that upon swallowing, will scar the esophagus beyond repair, desiccate the walls of the stomach so the very acid it contains will eat the body from the inside out, slowly dissolving the organs just before the entrails are ripped to shreds, spilling the guts of the consumer before the individual even has a chance to be saved by the stomach-pumping battle medics, yea, neither I nor any sane being would wish this upon any child or the loyal companion known as “man’s best friend”.  The stubborn bastards will ever so often stick together with such a bitter cold death grip that one must relinquish their nails in some sort of Swedish war torture, the sole embodiment of the largest shortcoming of the Geneva Convention – then I am certainly against them.

But, if when you say “Legos” you mean the very material that fosters childhood creativity, unparalleled by any trivial, basic, inexcusably simple Little Tikes toy; if you mean the contemporary Newton’s apple or possibly a new, unexplored medium, equivalent of the parchment that ancient scholars, Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, used to shape the foundation of modern thought; if you mean the very tool that allows children to enhance and fine-tune their underdeveloped motor skills; if you are referring to the objects that, once assembled, light up a child’s face in such a way that is unparalleled even by the sun rising for the first time that year, or the feelings and emotions felt by the colonists when they first laid their eyes on the shores of America, or even the combined patriotism and pride felt for the human species when Neil Armstrong first stood on the moon, planted an American flag and gazed back to his home, hundreds of miles of empty space away – then I am certainly for them.

This is my stand.  I will not retreat from it.  I will not compromise.

Change

By Anahi Herrera

Although I have not lost sleep pondering upon the concept, it is nonetheless one worth contemplating. It is the prospect of change that occupies my mind today. More specifically, the task of deciphering the labyrinth of emotions that erupt from change is one that plagues me and many others. Most categorize change as either a positive or negative experience. Typical or not, this is how I feel about change.

If when you say “change” you mean the merciless alterer, the callous manipulator, the apathetic apostate that stirs up fear, summons discomfort, inflicts uncertainty, yes, plants the very kiss of Judas on your cheek; if you mean the bamboozler that violently uproots once strong trees from their mother soil who so loyally, so attentively nurtured her child only to see them dehydrate, and shrivel, and rot, and turn to nothingness – then certainly I am against it.

But if when you say “change” you mean the liberator of men from the tedium of days, the begetter of the once unimaginable, the inventor of the cocoon that once broken liberates a flamboyant and completely transformed butterfly into the expanses of the lovely perfumed gardens and beyond; if you mean the spark of innovation that sends soaring the wings of the once caged imagination, of the once captive vision, of the once confined ingenuity; if you mean the real challenge that once surpassed brings about great feelings of joy, of accomplishment, and of strength – then certainly I am for it.

This is my stance. I will not retreat from it. I will not compromise.

Air Travel

By Taylor Reiter

My friends, I had not intended to discuss this controversial subject at this particular time. However, I want you to know that I do not shun controversy. On the contrary, I will take a stand on any issue at any time, regardless of how fraught with controversy it might be. You have asked me how I feel about air travel. All right, here is how I feel about air travel.

If you when you say air travel, you mean the loud, distracting hum of the engines, the hours surrounded by other travelers, confined metal airborne tubes with crying babies, sick passengers, rude passengers who, on full flights, place their small backpacks in the space reserved for standard roll-away suitcases; if you refer to the cramped hours where the inconsiderate traveler in front of you reclines his seat into your knees as you are attempting to read, or sleep, or do homework, or listen to music, or relax, or do anything else to hurry along the passage of the tedious monotonous hours – then certainly I will shun it.

But if when you speak of air travel you mean the vehicle of skies, the network of the world, the possibility of new horizons that allows a young man to seek his fortune in distant cities or countries, that creates the opportunity for a young woman to escape the sleepy town preventing her from fulfilling her dreams, or brings a family together for Christmas dinner; if you allude to the sights only visible thousands of feet in the air; if you mean the transportation that turned the multi-day long coast to coast journey across the United States that required lengthy planning into a multi-hour long trip requiring little more than tickets with a destination; if you mean the vehicle that allows for relations across a state, across a country, or across the world whether those interpersonal, or interstate, or international relations; if you refer to the industry that provides jobs, galvanises commerce between states or nations, encourages families to continue to have close relationships although opportunity or time may have scattered them, and encourages different worlds to connect although they are different culturally or economically or politically – then certainly I will embrace it.

This is my stance, I will not hesitate in it. I will not waver.

The names of 42 students were drawn at random, but fret not; this wasn’t the Hunger Games. These students, Bella and I included were chosen to participate in UHS’ 2012 College Tour to Northern Arizona University and Arizona State University. We took a bus to from school to NAU in Flagstaff, then ASU in Phoenix, and then returned to school. The trip was very informative and helped me make a decision about what in-state colleges I might attend.

Some stand out features of NAU were the fact that tuition for students does not rise for four years, meaning that whatever cost you have to pay for tuition freshman year, doesn’t change for the next three. NAU is a small school, which is great for those who enjoy small schools and the community they offer, and the weather is much cooler than Tucson and Phoenix.

At ASU, we visited the School of Sustainability and ran into a few UHS alumni! ASU’s School of Sustainability focuses on ways to improve our world so that our actions as a global community have less negative impact on the environment, which is a great opportunity for anyone interested in protecting and maintaining the Earth. ASU, unlike NAU is a large school, and the weather is much warmer than NAU and Tucson.

Overall, the experience was fun, and a good opportunity to get to know fellow classmates better. We learned that the visiting of universities in-state and out-of-state is an excellent and unique opportunity because you get to understand the ambiance and students of a school first person, which can help you decide what colleges lie in your future.

There is an old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words. With 25 frames per second, a video can say more than any words can, so please enjoy our “documentary” of our trip. It’s not a commercial, or work of fiction—we simply came, saw, and filmed.

I followed the college of my prospective major, molecular and cellular biology, in the full-day Up Close schedule and joined the College of Science Academic Information Session and the College of Science Lab Tour. I came into my Academic Information Seminar not knowing what to expect and left with a better understanding of the various majors available in the College of Science.

What surprised me was the tour of the Science Labs. The university had prepared three tour guides, each representing one branch of scientific studies. One student was learning about the neurological systems of moth species within the neurological sciences department, another was developing tutoring software for Tucson students in the computer sciences, and the third student was assisting a team in reviewing dosage size for possible FDA-approved drugs designed to treat a neurological degenerative disease.

The tour I followed took place in the research labs at the Life Sciences South building on campus. There were six of us who got a hands-on view of research within the biological sciences; the senior explained the principles of the samples to us, giving us a condensed overview of the experiments taking place around us. To simplify it even further, the team inserts human DNA into common fruit flies and, through the process we all learned in biology, they cross “blank” fruit flies with carriers for the disease.  She explained that the team uses a bioluminescent tag code in one parent and key DNA in another parent to ensure that the trait for the disease is passed on to the fruit fly offspring with a similar key and tag method on the same affected chromosomes. They then treat the fruit flies in a blind trial of the drugs at various concentrations.

I would take out a cup of yogurt here and say “biology is fascinating!” and try to draw you all into a future in life sciences, but that really isn’t my point.

Aside from the mind-blowing hands-on experience with a real U of A research lab, there was a cheesy school spirit introduction that was nothing new, but I learned more interesting and helpful facts about the U of A than I’ve ever known.

Library services are convenient and well-organized coming into this school year, and the new Think Tank looks like a great new resource for students across campus.

The session leaders also told us some facts about the school’s innovative approaches to energy independence.  Is much of the U of A cooled by tons of ice that’s stored beneath Speedway? Do the Student Union food court restaurants use herbs collected from the rooftop herb garden to flavor their dishes?  Does NASA really like the U of A Astronomy department that much?

You’ll just have to find out at one of the future UA Up Close opportunities listed under the University of Arizona Office of Admissions webpage.

Here are 5 tips to survive all-nighters, or even just improve your concentration.

1.  Eat right to survive all-nighters
If it’s not possible for you to get sleep at all one night, you’re going to need to boost your energy levels somehow. If you have a high caffeine tolerance and you know it won’t make you jittery or restless, try coffee or tea while you study. Caffeine In small amounts can drastically improve your energy and focus for long nights of studying.

WARNING: Be aware of what you put into your body. It’s recommended to avoid energy drinks, for they often contain supplements to increase the negative effects of caffeine, such as increased heart rate, anxiety and shortness of breath.

Another good idea for all-nighters is to avoid sugary foods if you’re going to snack, because they can make you crash sooner. Instead, stick to a protein rich snack or fruit.

2.  The right work space makes all the difference
Studies show that having a distraction-free workspace that you use each day will help you focus; if you are in the same environment every day, your brain will remember that it’s time to concentrate and study whenever you go there. If your regular study space has too many distractions, try relocating. You may find that the kitchen table is a much more effective place to get work done than in your bedroom, where your TV and Facebook and Xbox are tempting you to break focus on studying.

3.  Cramming vs.  Consistency
I’m guilty of breaking this rule often, but it’s a fact: Consistent, over-time studying is much more effective and helps you retain information better than cramming the night before a test. You hear “time management” from your teachers all the time, and although it’s annoying, it’s quite true. The difference that ten minutes of studying new material each night can make in the long run will surprise you.

4.  Sleep, sleep, sleep!
You know how much sleep your body needs, and it’s sad but true that some can run off of much less than others. Make a pledge to yourself to resist refreshing Facebook or YouTube for the thousandth time and get an extra hour of sleep in instead. A good night’s sleep does much more for your body than a quick trip to Starbucks in the morning, and as a teenager you need more sleep for your body to function properly than you ever will again in your lifetime.

Also, if you are pulling an all-nighter to study and it is impossible for you to stay awake at one in the morning, take a nap. Twenty minutes of rest could make you feel significantly more refreshed and energized.

5.  Take breaks and treat yourself
It’s difficult when you’re stressing over that paper that you absolutely must get done, but taking breaks between assignments or at intervals throughout your study time could help you focus, and of course studying all night is not the most exciting thing to do. To keep yourself interested, be sure to reward yourself often for your hard work.

Good luck!