What you’ve been waiting for has finally come—lunch time. Stomach grumbling, you desperately try to think of where to eat within your mere 45 minutes of freedom. You consider going for the relatively good food in the cafeteria for an easy fee of $1.50, but brush it off quickly. Today, you’ll be adventurous and venture out for lunch. Have a gander at your choices:

The Expensive Eateries

Terry’s Gourmet Deli
(Chambers Street and River Terrace)

Stuyvesant students make up the majority of this deli’s customer base. Right down the block from Stuyvesant, Terry’s practically screams easy access—in terms of proximity and food selection. Some favorite food choices include pizza bagels (a bagel with melted mozzarella cheese and pasta sauce), salads (with all the toppings you can possibly imagine) and hearty sandwiches (some come with a free can of soda!). However, the deli’s food seems to be its only redeeming quality this year. Most of their prices have been upped at least a dollar or two, much to students’ and their wallets’ despair. If you decide to frequent Terry’s, be sure to have at least seven dollars on you. Beware of the lack of seating here. Instead, Stuy students tend to head over to nearby Rockefeller Park.

Zucker’s Bagels and Smoked Fish
(Chambers Street between Greenwich and Hudson Streets)

Zucker’s is fairly new to the Stuyvesant area. The food is delicious enough to make you forget about the holes the prices burn through your pockets. Their selection ranges from lox on a cream cheese bagel to delectable blocks of milk chocolate. Zucker’s specializes in bagels and fish in addition to other foods of the Jewish variety. Eating here with close friends is a must—the cozy atmosphere and soothing music provides the perfect opportunity to relax between hectic school periods.

The Amish Market
(West Broadway and Park Place)

The Amish Market is quite the walk from Stuyvesant. If you have enough time in your lunch period, treat yourself to something from the Market’s open food bars. Its salad bar is phenomenal, and the hot and cold food bars are sure to have foods that appeal to every member of your lunch party. The seating here is adorable and great for large lunch groups.

Kiva cafe
(Reade Street between Greenwich and Hudson Streets)

This Italian café is still relatively unknown among Stuy students, probably due to the fact that it’s tucked in between a hair salon and a nondescript apartment complex along Reade Street. All worries pertaining to school simply dissipate in this intimate and cheerful setting. This might have something to do with the high number of customers under the age of five who tend to frequent the café, or the inspiring art decorating the eatery’s small confines. My favorite item from Kiva cafe’s menu is the genoa sandwich, comprised of sweet Italian salami and olive paste on a ciabatta roll—light, satiating and worth every penny. Plan to spend at least seven dollars here.

Pakistan Tea House
(Reade Street and Church Street)

Though it’s rare that you’ll have enough time in a lunch period to sit and eat here, the Pakistan Tea House flaunts a wonderfully exotic menu that will make your mouth water. But the savory carte du jour clearly outshines the venue: the cramped space is quite stressful, and there is rarely enough room to sit, let alone eat. Most of the food the Tea House has to offer is on display, with main dishes mostly utilizing chicken or lamb. If you’re vegetarian, have no fear: Pakistan Tea House features a handful of side dishes that only contain vegetables and spices. Those who can’t take the heat should be wary of this restaurant. It’s more practical to visit the Tea House after school hours with more time to savor each bite.

Attractively Affordable

Gourmet Market
(North End Avenue between Chambers and Warren Streets)

Gourmet Market, usually called “Fake Terry’s” by Stuy students, is a less expensive version of Terry’s Gourmet Deli. It’s located practically across the street from Stuyvesant’s lobby. The hot food bar here is reasonably delicious—their macaroni and cheese is quite tasty for a nice price of $2.50. The employees here are friendly as well.

College Convenient
(Chambers Street between Greenwich and Hudson Streets)

Most Stuy students have no idea what College Convenient is. It’s the true name of “Hole in The Wall,” Stuy students’ nickname for it. This bodega will probably have whatever you need, whether it’s food, drinks or even school supplies. It makes for a great pit stop on the way home from school and can supply sustenance for the rushing student at lunch. The best deal here has to be the large 23.5-ounce Arizona cans for one dollar—so much liquid for such a cheap price.

China Red
(Chambers Street between West Broadway and Church Street)

Eat here at your own risk. This Chinese food restaurant has been plagued with rumors of unsanitary practices, but for some reason this doesn’t seem to deter Stuy students in the least. China Red has all of the American-Chinese food classics, like chicken with broccoli and General Tso’s Chicken, for reasonable prices.

Portobello’s Pizzeria and Sicilian Kitchen
(Murray Street between Greenwich Street and West Broadway)

Portobello’s is a great spot for freshmen to hang out in large groups and banter over copious amounts of food. The pizza spot seems to even take pride in the fact that it’s located so close to Stuyvesant and the Borough of Manhattan Community College, adorning its walls in the schools’ paraphernalia and photos. A popular student special offers two plain pizzas and a soda for just 5 dollars, and another grants a pizza pie with a free 2-liter soda for only 15 dollars. The pizza is relatively good, but the cheese often slides off. This restaurant is a great starting point for a freshman’s lunch adventures.

Gyro Carts

The gyro vendors are good for the starved student. Some good choices to try are the lamb over rice dish and any kind of gyro. I’d recommend going to one if you’re in a hurry—there’s usually one located in front of Barnes and Noble, and another located next to McDonald’s.

Mike’s Papaya
(Reade Street and Church Street)

With only five dollars, you can purchase a lot of food at Mike’s Papaya. Hot dogs, fries with cheese and burgers tend to be especially good here. Though there aren’t any seats here (only standing room and ledges) and the quality of service is questionable, the food really does make up for whatever this hot dog joint lacks. It’s more fun sitting across the street in front of the Bank of America anyway.

The Franchises

Whole Foods
(Greenwich Street between Warren and Murray Streets)

The only real problem I have with Whole Foods is the fact that I bought an obnoxiously-priced salad not too long ago from this franchise. But I’ll admit, the salad was worth it in the end. Whole Foods has everything one could possibly imagine. Great soup, sushi, Indian food, picnic food—it’s almost too good to be true. If you’re willing to spend the extra buck, go here for lunch.

Blimpie, McDonald’s, Taco Bell and Subway
(Blimpie—West Broadway between Chambers and Warren Streets; the rest—Chambers Street between Greenwich Street and West Broadway)

These are good places to eat when you’re too lazy to make a choice at somewhere like Whole Foods. While Subway may offer great deals (that are always unclear on its terms), it’s habitually crowded so service is rushed. Blimpie may prove to be a better alternative this year, as its deals are generally cheaper than Subway’s deals are.

Taco Bell and McDonald’s are not nearly as crowded as Subway is. After its major renovation last year, this McDonald’s is nicer than the other three fast food restaurants combined. It’s spacious and there are always open seats. If you’re in a rush, Taco Bell is closest by far and almost never has long lines.

Jamba Juice and Starbucks
(Jamba Juice—West Broadway between Chambers and Warren Streets; Starbucks—Chambers Street and West Broadway)

Even though these two drink franchises are outrageously expensive, the drinks are delicious. Jamba Juice is a fun place to hang out and wind down with friends. Starbucks is the place to get your quick fix of caffeine after that all-nighter. Moreover, you can get baked goods at Starbucks or chips and health bars at Jamba Juice. These two hot spots also have long lines, wide varieties and limited seating in common.

First Floor

The first floor is primarily known for being the headquarters of the Music and Fine Arts Department.  There, you’ll find the Murray Kahn Theatre, orchestra and chorus rehearsal rooms, media studios and Assistant Principal (AP) Music and Fine Arts Department Ray Wheeler’s office.  In addition, students enrolled in swim gym will use the pool entrance on the first floor to get to the pool and its locker rooms.  A few steps away are Principal Stanley Teitel’s office and Assistant Principal of Pupil Services Eleanor Archie’s office; hopefully you won’t visit the former too frequently.  A recent addition to the first floor is the student lounge, which offers ping pong tables, couches and benches for hanging out during free periods. Lining the walls are many benches where you can peacefully study or take a nap.

Second Floor

Entering by the bridge every morning, you will find yourself on the second floor.  A floor flooded with administrative offices, the second floor is home to the guidance suite, school store, the program office and the college office. A more fun place to be is the Student Union (SU), which contains the offices of ARISTA, The Spectator and Big Sibs.  In front of the SU is the senior bar—the classic hot spot for seniors.  The sight of a semicircle jutting out of the floor might seem a bit random, but it’s a respected Stuyvesant tradition. Most Stuy students anticipate the privilege of sitting on the bar. Also, if you’re in for a bit of time travel, check out the “history room,” 229, which contains old, scratched up desks from the previous Stuy building. It is said that Lucy Liu, Stuy alumna (‘86), has scratched her initials or name into one of the desks.

Third Floor

The third floor is mainly filled with social studies classrooms and the social studies office (room 305).  However, you’ll also find crowds of juniors on this floor chilling out in the junior atrium.  In addition, a main gymnasium and gym are also located on this floor.  Deep into the junior atrium is the nurse’s office, where she’ll treat any of your injuries.

Fourth Floor

The fourth floor is rather straightforward.  Your math and some of your technology classes will be on this floor.  Though the sophomore bar is on the sixth floor, don’t be surprised to see some groups of sophomores hanging out by the lockers that look out onto the junior atrium.  Sophomores will also be sprawled out near the front of the escalators in the morning.

Fifth Floor

The fifth floor has more life to it, given that the cafeteria is located there. Be sure to get there early if you want to snag enough chairs or a table with a view. Though the fifth floor cafeteria is spacious and an easy place to buy lunch using the credit on your ID card (notice the money deposit machines near the entrance), don’t limit yourselves to this option.  There are many cheap getaways around Stuy where you’ll receive not only a breath of fresh air, but also better food. Furthermore, the fifth floor is where you’ll find the gym locker rooms, as well as the weight room, which you’ll get a chance to use starting sophomore year. All the way on the left side of the fifth floor are the Foreign Language and Physical Education Department offices.

Sixth Floor

The sixth floor, apart from having another gym and being the center for the English Department and the Speech and Debate teams, contains the library. Crowds of students visit the library to study, use the computers, or talk to friends.  Keep in mind that since the library is a common hang-out spot, the opportunity to study quietly often fades after 1st and 2nd periods.  Club interest meetings are often held there.  Be on the look-out for signs advertising Open Mic and One-Act plays, also in the library.  These are some of the main venues that exhibit artistic talent at Stuyvesant.  Guest speaker presentations, such as the one by Jonathan Safran Foer last spring, usually take place there as well.

Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Floors

The Biology, Physics and Chemistry Departments are located respectively on floors seven, eight and nine.  However, you may find that some of your English classes take place on the eighth floor as well.  Aside from having classrooms, there are some lab rooms on these floors in which you’ll spend your double science periods.

Tenth Floor

After trekking up to the 10th floor, you’ll be rewarded by the sight of several art and drafting classrooms.  Expect to see quite a bit of this floor as freshmen and sophomores. Fortunately, it only goes down from there.

Ten floors teeming with a variety of classrooms and offices may seem daunting.  However, if you stopped reading after paragraph two, just know that you can visit any of the second floor offices to receive assistance.  After you master the navigation of the building, the task of making friends and adjusting to class work will be a piece of cake.

On a recent visit to this location, there were people waiting outside the store for it to open at 11:00 a.m. Once inside, it’s clear why: they wanted to get the first look at the store’s fashion offerings du jour. In fact, the store is mostly run by volunteers whose main incentive is to peek at the wares before they hit the racks.

The small store is filled with everything from quirky finds such as a white Moschino wrap-skirt with closures that look like Band-Aids ($30) to $20 to $35 quality collared shirts for men to Cheap Monday jeans with rainbow pinstripes for $5 (however, at a tiny size 24, these skin-tight jeans would most likely only fit the smallest freshmen). Also noteworthy is a wide assortment of belts ranging from $3 to $8, a pair of $15 black leather boots, $10 heels and a colorful variety of books and music. CDs are cheap at a mere 50 cents each (four for $1) and books range from $2 to $8 (finds include a hardcover copy of The Russian Debutante’s Handbook by Gary Shteyngart (’91) for $4).

All of the proceeds from Housing Works go to helping homeless and low-income people living with HIV/AIDS. “Every [Housing Works] store specializes in something. This store specializes in clothing,” said Lonnie Perry, an employee at the Housing Works location in the West Village.

245 West 10 Street, Manhattan, NY

Rags-A-GoGo

It’s the American Apparel of the vintage realm—gone western.

One step in and a woman wearing a vintage t-shirt cut into a tube top and a vest asks the discount question of the day: Who did Obama pick as his vice-presidential candidate, what state is he from and what percent of votes did he get in Iowa? Answering all three parts correctly (Joe Biden, Colorado, one percent) is rewarded with a $10 discount. Be prepared to find out how she feels about it as you engage in a possibly lengthy conversation about where our country is headed.

In 1989, Joshua Suzanne came to New York City “with a broken heart.” She laughs at herself with an “Aww” before she continues. “[I had] two garbage bags and $350 in my pocket.” She soon became a manager for a massive vintage clothing venue and a year later she started her own booth of vintage jeans and cowboy boots. She claims that the day her booth opened, she foresaw the booth’s transformation into “one of the best-known vintage stores in the city.” Once she gathered enough money, she opened up her own store: Rags-a-GoGo. The store’s emphasis is clearly on men, although there are a few dresses, shirts and accessories (such as purses and heels) for women. Everything in the store has been handpicked from international warehouses by Joshua Suzanne herself. Rags-a-GoGo has set prices for each type of item, with vintage shirts for $8, track jackets and heels for $25, dresses for $28, and boots at $75 a pair. “This is the place you come to get street fresh vintage,” she said.

218 West 14 Street, Manhattan, NY

Beacon’s Closet

This is the store where you will the need to restrain yourself if you’re short on time. Everywhere you look you will find beautiful, quirky garments to fit any style.

Located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Beacon’s Closet is large enough to be a warehouse. In fact, many customers find they need to make two rounds through the store in order to sift through it all. As far as vintage stores go, this one is extremely organized. It has two rooms for women’s clothing (with pants, shirts and jackets in the front room, and skirts and dresses in the back) and one room for men’s clothing. The store is also organized by color, creating a structured rainbow effect. If you are looking for the perfect pair of cheap designer jeans, pants and shorts are organized by size.  Accessories such as hats, wallets, bags and belts are located near the entrance. Shoes of every shape, size and color rest along the walls and on top of the racks.

As the colder months approach, be sure not to miss the impressive selection of jackets, coats and blazers. Not only does the section hold an immense number of finds, it is also one of the easiest to browse through since a fitting room is not needed.

The store buys its wares from the general public at a counter in the men’s clothing section. Although they are rather particular about the items they accept, they will give you 10 percent of the total value of your clothes in cash or 15 percent in store credit. Though this might not sound like much, it usually amounts to a decent discount from Beacon’s Closet’s purchases, due to how low their prices already are.

Shirts are priced anywhere within the $5 to $30 range, with most leaning towards the lower end of the spectrum. One pair of Betsey Johnson jeans went for $24.95, as did a pair of jeans by 7 for All Mankind. Whatever your budget, you’re sure to find something to suit your needs.

88 North 11 Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY | 220 5 Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY

“The Whole Foods Markets in this region always try to do something unique and special in each of their stores,” Thurber said.

Indeed, the layout of Tribeca’s Whole Foods is impressive. Half-supermarket, half-buffet, the organic emporium seems to have something for everyone. Five buffet tables occupy the fresh foods section, one devoted entirely to dessert. Nearby, a pizzeria, sushi bar, a bakery and a display of grilled meats and fresh sandwiches entice connoisseurs. Tribeca’s Whole Foods also offers more spacious aisles, conveyor belt checkouts and full size grocery carts—a first for all New York City Whole Foods Markets.

Unfortunately for Stuyvesant students, the prices are somewhat less enticing. While the buffet tables offer wide varieties of salads and ethnic cooking, the $7.99 per pound price is sure to turn off many budget-wary students. The $2.99 per 8 oz. bowl of soup may make the impressive selection somewhat less heartwarming, while the $6.99 mozzarella-caprese sandwich makes Whole Foods seem like little more than another pretentious, yuppy-friendly sandwich shop.

Yet Whole Foods makes itself stand out from the mold by being environmentally friendly. It has even strayed away from using plastic grocery bags to prove its commitment to conserving resources. There is also a newly established bag policy in which the store will pay the customers 10 cents if they bring their groceries home in their own shopping bags and not in the store’s paper ones.

Naturally, the store continues its idealism in treating customers fairly. Even though Whole Foods is expected to be in high demand by Stuyvesant students and faculty alike, Whole Foods will not be offering any discounts to the school members.

“Whole Foods Market does not offer discount cards to specific customer groups predominantly because we are a company that strives to treat each and every one of our customers fairly,” Thurber said. “So for schools, we support them in many different types of ways, but a discount card is not one of the ways that we do so.”

“They won’t do advantage cards,” junior and Student Union Vice President Casey Griffin said. “But they told me that if we have any specific event that we would like them to help out with, they’d be happy to do that.”

So far, the Tribeca Whole Foods has partnered with elementary school P.S. 234 to contribute to its neighborhood event, Taste of Tribeca, as well as the Manhattan Youth Organization to help with different events and fundraisings. In the future, Whole Foods would like to help out the students and faculty at Stuyvesant through “product support for fundraisers,” Thurber said.

However, “revival” isn’t quite the right word. Director Diane Paulus has not merely revived the somewhat dated musical about hippies protesting the Vietnam War and experimenting with drugs, sex and rock and roll. Re-invented perhaps, for unlike the typical revival of shows from the era, the musical feels fresh and injected with life by an enthusiastic young cast and its new location, amidst the picturesque outdoor Central Park Theater.

“Hair,” which was originally produced forty years ago as part of the Public Theaters’ opening season, was a sensation.  However, certain elements of the controversial original production—audience participation, nudity, a general lack of cohesion—are now old news.  The new “Hair” no longer relies on intrigue to reach its audiences. However, this version, which plays out during the tumults of an unjust war, does more than protest the times, but questions the value of protest itself. “Hair” remains so relevant, because rather than drawing on the obvious juxtapositions between Vietnam and Iraq, the show contrasts the youth of today with the youth of the sixties. This is because we, in contrast to the protest generations that came before us, seem lost and without a cause.

The play’s loose structure is centered on Claude— a Converse-clad native of Flushing, and the members of his Tribe —a collection of Hippies wandering around Central Park in search of money, food and mind-altering substances.  Claude seems less caught up in the movement than his fiery and sometimes angry compatriots—hesitating as his peers burn and throw their draft notices into a garbage can (the only prop used throughout the musical).  What follows is a bad trip, as Claude envisions his future in the war.  Like most of today’s youth, Claude doesn’t possess the passion of the protestors who surround him, and the concepts of right and wrong aren’t always clear, as evidenced in his song “Where do I go?”  In his eyes, the “cause” doesn’t seem like a cause at all, but merely an excuse to party.

Indeed, as the youngsters engage in their stage antics, shedding their clothes and sticking it to the man, they seem like little more than a pack of kids.  Why are they so intent on not cutting their hair anyway?  In truth, the characters seem without direction or unity despite the fact that they share a common cause.

Paulus’s staging is simple, almost primitive.  She has a careful understanding of both the limitations and the benefits of the space, and uses the Delacorte’s thrust stage and setting amidst the trees to great effect, but gives the audience very little to look at otherwise. There is very little choreography—for most of the songs, the actors stand in a line.  However, the effect is more anthem-like than anything else. “Hair”’s only flaw is that it gives the audience very little to cling to besides the music—there is no cohesive plot or set, and the characters are almost anonymous.  However, unlike much of sixties theater, “Hair” is enlivened by a message–that youth could affect social change. Though the message is slightly different, this new revival is not without purpose.

Sitting in the audience watching “Hair,” and looking around during some of the show’s most memorable songs, you can see more than a fair share of aged hippies mouthing (not singing) along.  It seems that “Hair” is merely catering to their nostalgia.  However, in the show’s final moments when the bouncers step aside and throngs of young people crowd the stage to sing and dance with the cast, it becomes clear that “Hair” has found a new audience.  A new audience and a new voice.

Despite the stereotype of research being mental work, I had to do manual labor such as washing glassware, making chemical solutions and reorganizing the lab. All the experiments were excruciatingly repetitive with procedures like pipetting a chemical five times and checking the measurements every half hour. My summer internship was mundane and possibly drearier than other paying jobs.

It wasn’t until my mentor started me on an actual project that I began to appreciate the redeeming qualities of my job. He told me that the first step in my experiment would be to design primers for PCR, or polymerase chain reactions, which are used to create multiple copies of a particular DNA sequence. But he never told me how to make primers or what primers were. I researched on Wikipedia and other Internet sources, learned what the primers’ purpose and mechanisms were in the experiment, and successfully created them using computer programs. This free and independent learning was what my mentor expected from all of his students. I had found a different and better way of learning than the classroom-lecture style I had been accustomed to for the past 16 years.

Within a month, I had developed enough knowledge of the subject and some experience to make my own decisions concerning the project and the lab. For example, I had accidentally left a full flask of gel in the microwave for four minutes, instead of one minute. The cap exploded off and the molten gel spewed over the top. I stared at this unintentional but perfect representation of a volcanic eruption for a moment and cleaned the microwave before the gel hardened.  As he usually did with all my other mistakes, my mentor laughed and said, “Yeah, that can happen sometimes,” but followed with a mini lecture on safety.

Research became enjoyable as I became used to the working environment. Other lab members and I often helped each other by asking for and returning favors like storing Petri dishes with bacteria in refrigerators and guiding a lab member in a wheelchair through narrow walkways. Striking up conversations always proved to be worth the effort. Discovering that my mentor had been a political science major at Swarthmore College before stepping into research, that the graduate student in the adjacent lab was a young mother and that the quiet graduate student, Anna, enjoyed going to Mets games replaced my previous views on research and the people involved.

The responsibility I had was stressful because, unlike a school assignment, the results would be evaluated and used by the scientific community. However, as a senior who will toil through the brutal college application process, having some control over my job (or over anything) was comforting. I now know from experience that in the real world, I am defined not only by my grades, but by my genuine enthusiasm for my occupation and my relationships with the people at the workplace.

Most students believe that spending the summer sitting in a classroom will help prepare them for another rigorous school year. However, immersing oneself in real life experience such as jobs and volunteer work, even for two months, can help us distance ourselves from schoolwork. Work is therapeutic.

“Hey, where’re you going to college?”

Silence. Then:

“Um, not sure.” Hoping to nip this discussion in the bud, I explained that such things aren’t decided until one has already applied to college.

Next question:

“Oh, so where are you applying? How are those applications coming along?”

I break out into a sweat. This must be what it feels like to get invaded by Russia; take it easy, Georgia, and think. The Stuyvesant answer involves patient waffling, and then a few well-chosen, vague sentences about completed applications from sophomore year. (Oh, and a casual Harvard mention with the obligatory, “My parents are making me apply.”) My answer, executed with maximum nonchalance, mentions all of these elements, includes a few schools I have not visited, and then hastily changes the subject to my co-workers’ alma maters.

But the nasty, nasty truth is this (and fellow Stuyvesant seniors, gloat away): I haven’t started my college applications, visited a single college or bought any college guides. Oh, I made an account with Commonapp.org; I took my SATs and SAT IIs; I even hunted around for teacher recommendations. But the thought of putting fingers to keyboard means I get a sudden urge to reorganize my bookcase, clean my room or walk the dog.

This was alright when junior year was ending and the possibilities were endless. I had six beautiful weeks to hone my college applications, to write picturesque essays that would bring tears to the eyes of every college admissions officer. By October, I would be strolling the hallways in a blaze of completed-applications glory.

Except, with the summer sun bright on my face and my back no longer weighed down by the textbooks and backpacks of junior year, I did a little irresponsible thing—just a little one—and decided to actually enjoy my summer before entering the ninth circle of hell known as “first term, senior year.”

Now, I hear you overachievers clicking your tongues. But I did my research: starting your college applications later is not only tempting, but pleasantly smart. Read through college applications and you start to recognize a common theme. They don’t want your life’s history. They don’t want to hear about how many digits of pi you can recite. The College Powers That Be want inspiration.

After a junior year of dragging myself from home to school to debate practice to SAT class to homework to school—lather, rinse, repeat, and notice the lack of sleep in this pattern—I felt anything but inspired. My short-sightedness—the “get a good grade in these classes and ace your finals” mentality of junior year—had crippled my ability to look at the long run. So when I sat down one weekend in early July and downloaded a college application, I was shocked to realize that I didn’t know what the biggest influence in my life was. What I wanted to do in life. What career path I was most attracted to.

So I started working, hooking a legal internship, a job on a political campaign and a few tutoring gigs. I threw myself into 50-hour weeks with gusto and began to enjoy the latitude I was afforded as a member of the working world. With that breathing space came the recollection of what I actually wanted after high school: to publish a novel, to travel the world, to cultivate an interest in law that I had stumbled upon years ago. In short, I figured out the answers to the troubling little questions on college applications—not by studying a little bit harder, but by living my life a little bit more.

You conscientious seniors can avert your eyes all you like—I don’t regret deciding to live out my summer without the nagging presence of college applications.

But, seniors with empty pieces of paper, listen up. The world of college applications is reminiscent of a very long lane in a very deep pool. The trick is to do your best Michael Phelps impression—focus, get your eye on the prize and start swimming. Maybe you’ll win every race, maybe you won’t.

But, I’ll see you at the end.

Murderous Mary, the first elephant in Tennessee, was undoubtedly unaware of the fame she would bring to the town of her final performance—or how stories of her killing would one day be told by a wilderness aficionado to a busload of whitewater rafting beginners.

Signing up to paddle solo through class three and four rapids, I was anticipating a physically and emotionally grueling day, a summer vacation experience to discuss for years to come. I was not, however, expecting to be less impressed with the water than with the god-fearing redneck who guided me down the Nolichucky River (Cherokee for “river of death”).

I am, especially with the fast-approaching presidential elections, quick to pick up on individuals’ political stances. Yet I often let my own preconceptions place individuals into constricting ideological boxes.

Traveling across the Bible Belt and into the depths of Appalachia, nearly everyone I came across had a thick southern drawl, had never left his or her home state, was ultra-conservative and explained the world in terms of Christianity.

Josh, the rafting guide, seemed no different. After experiencing motion sickness from five hours of boating—I thought I’d grown out of this more than five years ago but apparently not—I ended up on Josh’s boat for the final hour of the journey. Sadly I felt more like hurling than talking. But he kept calling me “princess” which made me feel guilty about mooching a ride down the river. So I talked and covered the basics of high school, music, television and sports.

One thing led to another and soon we were talking about the upcoming election. At the mention of Barack Obama, Josh scrunched up his face and we hit a rock. Because Obama wanted to take the Ten Commandments off public buildings, remove “In God We Trust” from dollar bills and did not put his hand over his heart during the Pledge of Allegiance, Josh deemed Obama the antichrist. I was not sure what to say. A political leader, he believed, must stand for the values upon which his country was founded.

At the mention of Hillary Clinton, all I got was a scoff in response. It took some prodding to get Josh to admit his aversion to the idea of women holding leadership positions. Responding, I’m guessing to my horrified expression, he quoted certain passages from the King James Bible. Yet Josh did not degrade women. He readily acknowledged their capability to lead, but thought religious texts ought to be carried out to the T.

Josh’s religious faith was solidified after he survived being shot during his second tour in Iraq. Someone must have been looking out for him.

Even after two tours, Josh thought Iraq was a mistake, something George W. Bush entered so he could finish what his father started.  And he did not agree with many of Bush’s or Senator John McCain’s policies. Their one overriding positive quality, he believes, has been their constant support of the troops. Thus, McCain would get his vote in the upcoming election.

By the time we skirted the last rock of the 10-mile Upper Nolichucky, I had a newfound respect for Josh. Yes, he had political and religious views I will never be able to understand, but he had thought about everything. All his views had reasons. He was willing to fight a war he didn’t believe in just because he had faith—in religion and in his country’s leaders.

I consider myself a liberal New Yorker who is open to many cultures and values. Yet I went into Josh’s territory feeling superior. Ultimately I realized that this country must overcome its current quandaries together—through understanding and collaboration.

So as the donkey and elephant rush towards November neck and neck, I’m rooting for the donkey all the way. But now that I understand more about where the elephant’s coming from, I have a little bit more respect for it.

For those two weeks, Americans were swept off their feet. But when the Pledge of Allegiance is broadcasted over the Public Address everyday, most Stuyvesant students remain seated. It is believed that those who don’t say the pledge are less patriotic than those who do. Being from Canada, I remain seated because I want to remain as neutral as possible—loyal to Canadians and respectful of Americans. Other individuals have their own reasons. Some immigrants, for example, have a deeper appreciation for America. Those born and raised in the U.S. have spent most of their lives here and their Western lifestyles leave little room for comparison to life in developing countries.

Although it seems like American-born teens take their freedom and rights for granted, it may not be their fault. The pledge has not been fully understood in most classrooms, leaving many confused about why they should respect the flag. The pledge is often emphasized by grade school instructors, but it is rarely explained comprehensively. Students in my elementary school felt obligated to stand up and say the pledge, but no one would understand why they were doing it because none of us knew the meaning behind the words. But as we got older, many of us started making our own decisions—some remain seated and others continue doing what they have done since elementary school.

For the many who don’t say it, the pledge only represents values in words rather than values put into action. What does the promise of “liberty and justice for all” mean when our freedom is clearly limited and rights are based on biases? Since there is so much stereotyping in this country, “liberty and justice for all” does not stand true for everyone. So when people root for Team USA or wave the American flag with pride, even if they don’t recite the pledge, it doesn’t mean they lack patriotism or gratitude. You could be looking at some true patriots.

Double dutch is a playground game where two people stand 10 to 15 feet away from each other and spin jump ropes in opposite directions while others try to jump in between the ropes. That’s right: the city is now sanctioning competitive jump roping. While they’re at it, the PSAL ought to add competitive hula hooping and hopscotch as well.

It is true that the reasoning behind the decision to add double dutch, a particularly popular activity amongst girls, is well-intentioned. Shani Newsome, the double dutch coach at Brooklyn’s Bedford Academy High School, explained that the addition will encourage girls to participate in an official sport. “Double dutch is a sport that gets girls involved, no matter what their condition is,” she said to the Associated Press. “It’s something that builds stamina.” Other positives are that there is free gym space in spring, and that this activity is quite inexpensive. Nevertheless, this is not the right thing for the PSAL to organize.

Another sport, competitive cheerleading, is very popular amongst girls but still has not been made official by the PSAL. While Stuyvesant and many other public schools have cheerleading squads, they have to leave the city to enter competitions. A sport like this that is already well established in schools should not be passed over for a street yard game.

If cheerleading was to be instated as a spring sport, as double dutch is now, it would not conflict with the squad’s existing schedule which consists of cheering on the football and basketball teams during the fall and winter, respectively.

In addition, becoming an official PSAL sport would greatly ease the cheerleading squad’s financial burden. They do not receive city funding like official teams do. Currently, they pay for their coach, transportation and tournaments’ entry fees through a combination of the school’s money and fundraising.

But instead of the plausible choice of cheerleading, the PSAL decided to take on the risky endeavor of becoming the nation’s first league to sponsor a double dutch program.

If this ends up being a popular sport, I’ll applaud the PSAL. But if, as I predict, the novelty wears off and the number of participants starts to dwindle, the PSAL can only look back and realize that cheerleading would have been a more proper sport to add.