Spring 2021: Expectations

Letter from the EICs
BY MICHELLE GONG '21 & ANUSHKA WANI '21
This month marks the anniversary of several major events: our publication going fully online, our remote school situation, and, of course, Dr. Fauci’s rise to fame. And as we all know, we have COVID to thank. 
High vs. Low Expectations in School
BY NAKISA RAZBAN '23
High expectations mean high results. This is the mindset with which we’ve been raised. Media constantly bombards us with articles and books telling us why high expectations lead to success. Our teachers always tell us to aim high and expect a lot from ourselves. Our parents tell us to “shoot for the stars.” The ultimate goal is success, or what society defines as success for youth: good grades and achievements. Our culture is obsessed with pushing ourselves students harder and keeping our expectations as high as possible. However, to what extent are high expectations favorable, and when do they begin to work against us? ...
The Expectations We Hold for Our Country
BY ERIN TOBIN '23
On January 6th, 2021, an act of domestic terrorism occurred in our nation's Capitol building, resulting in horrific violence, arrests, deaths, and trauma. Ultimately, though, Joe Biden was confirmed as the next president of the United States. Later that night, Trump was banned from several social media platforms, including Twitter, and many of his Cabinet members resigned. Just a week later, House Democrats and ten Republicans voted to impeach Trump. Finally, President Biden’s inauguration on January 20th proceeded without calamity, and our country's once chaotic situation seemed to de-escalate. However, this new sense of hope does not prevent other similar incidents from happening: the attack on the Capitol was not random or unexplainable; rather, it was rooted deeply in the worsening expectations we hold for our country...
The Model Minority Myth Only Benefits White America
BY EMMA XIANG '23 
In 2011, Amy Chua published Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, documenting her strict method of  “Chinese” parenting. Chua dubbed herself a “tiger mom”: a mother focused on preparing her children for success through extensive math practice, rigorous piano sessions, and a no-tolerance policy. The novel concept of tiger parenting buzzed among American parents while reinforcing the model minority myth, which labels certain...
Let's Talk Representation.
BY ANUSHA SENAPATI '24
Picture this: you're lying in bed on a normal Saturday night, and a movie marathon is calling your name. As you scroll through your options, you come across a film starring your favorite person of color (POC). You kick back, relax, and enjoy. Unbeknownst to you, that movie will change your life forever. This seemingly dramatized phenomena actually occurs often. Media can easily...
How Society Forced Women To Unite and Initiate Change
BY NOSARA MAXWELL '23
Throughout history, women have maintained limited rights—often only being valued for their ability to birth and care for children. Until recently, women could not hold any positions of power, which prevented them from advancing their role in society. Men controlled the narrative of civilization around the world, and women’s contributions rarely merited a footnote in this male-dominated history. Though expectations created by men continue to demote women in many realms, in the United States, women have gradually seized power by uniting across both racial and socio-economic lines. During the 18th century, colonial women—restricted to traditional feminine roles as mothers and wives—had very few rights but many responsibilities. As mothers, they followed Republican motherhood: the idea that a woman’s duty is to teach America’s next...
Our Expectations Are Skewed by Internet Algorithms
BY SYDNEY PASCAL '22
With more news, social interactions, and opinions dominating the internet, we must evaluate the validity of the information we see now more than ever. While the importance of recognizing fake news is undeniable, most internet users are blind to the iron grip of algorithms, which analyze users’ clicks and time consumption to dictate what they see. Internet algorithms skew our expectations of people and ideas by supplying users with content that they already agree with, creating echo chambers and rooting out different opinions necessary for combating bias. Most internet users are satisfied with an algorithm that presents content they enjoy, but what are the implications of this algorithm, and is it helping or hurting us? Today’s social media algorithms refine what a user sees by analyzing their viewing history to garner further activity...
What to Expect From the COVID-19 Vaccine
BY DIVYASHRI PRASATH '23
As the race to develop a COVID-19 vaccine concludes, we finally see a light at the end of the tunnel. Recently, vaccine distributors have picked up the pace, but the general public’s expectations for the vaccine timeline do not match that reality of the situation. Even under the best circumstances, the process of vaccinating more people will face some difficulties and take time—likely much longer...
Are Our Expectations Causing Media Bias?
BY ANDONI ZERVOGLOS '22
The existence of media bias is a well-known fact, and in today's world, it's almost expected. The most popular news networks show blatant political biases, either right-leaning, like Fox, or left-leaning, like MSNBC. In fact, according to Deadline, no large centrist broadcasting service even breaks the ten most-watched network list. Our own prejudices contribute to this trend. We ourselves are partisan, and as an unsurprising...
Lessons of Expectation Management from Pixar's Soul
BY MILENA ZHU '22
This past Christmas, with nothing to do, I watched the new Pixar movie, Soul. While it did not elicit an embarrassing breakdown like Coco did, its characters were relatable, authentic, and much more mature than those of a typical Pixar movie. Through its realistic characters and moving plot, Soul teaches us that fixating on a dream can overshadow life’s simple joys, and with COVID-19 still ravaging the world, we are reminded to live day-to-day rather than chase the unfeasible dream of a miraculous cure. Soul was the perfect movie for the end of 2020 because it showed us that in trying times, the key to happiness is to balance our expectations. For those who do not want to pirate or support the ruthless capitalism of dear old Walt...

Winter 2020: Transitions

Letter from the EICs
BY MICHELLE GONG '21 & ANUSHKA WANI '21
As we leave behind the train-wreck that was 2020, we’re eager for a fresh start. Though we know January 1st doesn’t magically hit a reset button and erase our health, political, and social justice struggles, we see the new year as an opportunity to transition into less turbulent times. 
The Depreciating Effect of a Teenage Girl’s Love:
​Why Society Doesn’t Let Girls Be Girls
BY MILENA ZHU '22
When boy bands like the Beatles and One Direction are compared today, they could not seem more different. One Direction is perceived as a passing—or passed—fad while the Beatles are known as one of the most legendary musical acts. However, at the height of their popularity, the Beatles were in fact quite similar to One Direction, largely due to their teenage girl fanbase. Despite the modern praise they receive, when the Beatles were popular with teenage girls, they were held in much lower...
The 2020 Hurricane Season: A Glimpse Into Future Weather Conditions
BY DIVYA PRASATH '23​
As climate change progresses at an alarming rate, so does the severity of hurricanes. In 2020 alone, there were a total of thirty named tropical storms and six major hurricanes, breaking records and marking the year as one of the most active and catastrophic hurricane seasons yet. Although research predicts that we will see increasingly intense hurricane seasons largely due to  global warming, there are still those who ignore these impending fatalities...

Fall 2020: Duality

Social Media’s Effect on BLM
BY AVA WONG '23
The hashtag "#BlackLivesMatter" skyrocketed, appearing in just thousands of posts to 8.8 million posts in the days following George Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020. In the nationwide cry for racial equality, hashtags became a popular method of projecting information to millions of people in a single caption. Today, hashtags such as #InDefenseOfBlackLives, #DefundThePolice, and #BlackLivesMatter (#BLM) are...
The Portland Protests
BY BELLE HU '22
“Feds stay clear! The moms are here!” chanted a crowd of women, linked arm-to-arm, in sunshine yellow graphic t-shirts. Frustrated by the kidnappings and teargas that plagued Black Lives Matter protests, women across all age groups and ethnicities called for peace while handing out sunflowers. What started with a few dozen moms has transformed into a unified movement across several states, though one...
Political Polarization
BY SOPHIE ZHANG '22
When we were kids, our parents taught us to be kind unconditionally. "Take the high road" and "treat others how you want to be treated," they said. However, in our increasingly polarized culture, let’s just say, “It’s complicated.” On October 9, 2019, Ellen Degeneres was caught laughing with George W. Bush at a football game. The internet became outraged. To many, Bush ran a disastrous administration and disrespected...
Hybrid vs. Remote
BY RIBKA SHEIKH '21
School has been in session for more than two months now, and it seems that most people have slowly adjusted to their designated track for the school year. Some are happy with their choice while others aren’t. The two programs differ widely, with hybrid students attending school in-person twice a week and remote students attending Zoom classes from home. Both schedules do their best to provide a holistic school year, but the greatest challenge for each one is effective collaboration. The hybrid track yields itself as the more “normal” of the two since students go to school as usual. It feels like a regular school day, minus the social distancing and one-way halls. Learning in-person specifically benefits the students who prefer group work and a designated space for learning. Because the hybrid program requires students to attend school in-person, there’s more opportunity to connect with friends and interact with teachers. In fact, some special-needs children depend on in-person instruction to adequately learn the curriculum, and adding the myriad of online communication difficulties only complicates things further. Hybrid students still have Wednesday Zoom classes so that janitors can properly sanitize the school. However, even with these precautions, this type of schedule still poses a risk to students’ health, which limits their collaboration...​
WAP: Women Are Powerful or Wet uh…
BY REBECCA ZHANG '22
The first time I watched “WAP” was for this article. So, yes, I’m blaming YOU for the permanent scarring this music video has caused. Before my own enlightenment, of course, Cardi B’s “WAP” stormed in and demanded attention from anyone who would listen. My friends sang it, my dance teacher played it in class, and even the media took a break from COVID-19 and politics to discuss this risqué wonder.While many praise Cardi B for (loudly) promoting body ownership and female power, 'WAP' sparked its fair share of controversies among conservatives and parents alike. Among all the animal print, the dancing in splits, and the skin-tight clothing, the question remains: is “WAP” oversexualizing or empowering women? If you somehow have not heard about “WAP,” let me bless you with some very PG-13...
Duality of Cancel Culture
BY RIYA SHAH '22
As a kid, I found a home in JK Rowling’s legendary fantasy series, Harry Potter. Whether it was the fascinating spells or lovable friendships, the one-of-a-kind series captured so many of us and built an enormous audience. So when I heard that Rowling was #cancelled, I was shocked. Though I had heard some controversy over Rowling’s statements revealing Dumbledore and other characters’ sexuality, I dismissed it as a case of performance activism and didn’t think much of it. But more recently, Rowling’s fans have truly said evanesco (vanishing spell!)after she posted a series of transphobic tweets. Of course, I was glad to see Rowling held accountable for actions that promoted a highly discriminatory mindset to her vast platform. But on the other hand, I wondered how such a passionate fanbase could...
Assimilation vs. Cultural Pride
BY MAYENLI COMFORT '23
Say you were in a foreign country and someone asked, “Where are you from?” Most people would reply, “America,” and that would be the end of the story. But for first and second-generation immigrant kids, it’s never that easy. We start to overthink, and it goes something a little like, “Umm… I was born in America, but my parents are from ___, so I’m kinda ____ but not really.” Fueled by an intrinsic need to belong, first and second-generation kids often face identity crises as they try to balance their family’s culture and mainstream American culture. This inability to define ourselves begins in childhood, where we struggle to be “normal,” and continues as we mature and cannot fully identify with either culture. The U.S Census Bureau describes first-generation immigrants as the people living in America but born overseas, and the...
Good vs. Evil
BY PRANAV AKSHATH '24
School has been in session for more than two months now, and it seems that most people have slowly adjusted to their designated track for the school year. Some are happy with their choice while others aren’t. The two programs, remote and hybrid, differ widely, with hybrid students attending school in-person twice a week and remote students attending live classes several times a week from home. Both schedules do their best to provide a holistic school year, but the greatest challenge for either program is effective collaboration. The hybrid track yields itself as the more “normal” of the two, as students go to school as usual. It feels like a regular school day, minus the social distancing and one-way halls. Learning in-person specifically benefits the students who prefer group work and a designated space for learning. Because the hybrid...

​Back-to-School 2020

Time Management Advice 
BY NAKISA RAZBAN '23
As a sophomore, I can confidently say that time management was not my forte last year. I struggled to finish long term projects, was constantly stressed by homework, and failed to turn in my best work. The mere thought of writing a paper would bring so much disquietude that I couldn’t even start, leading to a last-minute cram session, in which I would blast study playlists and frantically type away. As the clock...
​​Motivation for Standardized Tests
BY DIVYASRI KRISHNAN '21
It’s that time of year again.  Well, sort of. Nothing this year’s been on time, per se, and this article may be irrelevant considering that many colleges are going test optional, but for those of you who are taking the SAT or ACT, it’s that time of year again. The weeks before your exams are a special sort of hell, somehow preparing for a test that may have a not-so-insignificant effect on your future. Believe me, I understand. I’ve been there...
Letter from the EICs
BY MICHELLE GONG '21 & ANUSHKA WANI '21
What is school?... No, really—we’re genuinely asking. With the long days of online classes blending into the even longer days of summer vacation, we haven’t walked the hallowed halls of ABRHS in six months. As...
What is The Spectrum? 
BY SYDNEY PASCAL '22
It may be difficult to find the perfect club to join, but look no further! ABRHS’ student-run newspaper The Spectrum welcomes all students to contribute their thoughts. From writing opinion pieces to working...
Possible Changes in Covid-19
BY PRIYANKA CHIDAMBARAM '23
Back in March, none of us expected quarantine to last longer than a week. This pandemic, unfortunately, is still spreading like wildfire, even as people resume their “normal” lives. With September quickly...

Graduation 2020

Letter from the Old EICs
BY SERENA HAN '20, KIRTANA KRISHNAKUMAR '20, & ANJALI RAMAN '20​
We’d like to begin with a story. It all began last year, when our predecessors bid us farewell. As the first EIC trio, we so insightfully decided in our first letter that two is a party, but three isn’t a crowd—just a really big party. And we’ve certainly partied together over the last year. We partied during the 2019 Graduation Issue Mishap, through late...
Letter from the New EICs
BY MICHELLE GONG '21 & ANUSHKA WANI '21​
This isn’t how we wanted to start our story at all. When we got the email saying that we would be the new EICs, we cheered and looked forward to hoarding Ms. Hammond’s snacks, chilling with our staff, and improving The Spectrum to reach new heights. Suddenly we were hit with 2020...
The End of Year Survey: Looking Back Through the Year​
BY THE SPECTRUM STAFF​
“I loved how every week, everyone could just sit down and work on their articles while eating store-bought cookies and pretzels, simultaneously working on their articles. The members of The Spectrum were all really welcoming..." — Belle Hu ’22

“Every time Jasmine squawks over her unfinished (*ahem* unstarted) article” — Rebecca Zhang ’22

“The time I brought a cake to layout week (I think for winter issue) and we (not so secretly) munched on it in the Mac lab 0_0. 'Twas the peak of salutary neglect and all things sweet at the venerated Spectrum snack table.” — Olivia Hu ’22
Seniors "What I'll Miss the Most"
BY GRADUATING SENIORS '20​
Serena Han, Graduating co-Editor-in-Chief
It’s hard to fathom life without our weekly Thursday meetings—where we shout out announcements and then make the rounds, ambling up and down rows to chat with the Staff about the latest news while munching on Ms. Hammond’s Trader Joe’s snacks. It’s hard to fathom life without our weekly Monday meetings either—the Chief Staff gathering around one table to edit a promising article together until we inevitably get off track; then, we discuss Amber and Emily’s latest whiteboard cartoon caricatures with a similar fervor...
Valedictorians and Student Rankings
BY KIRTANA KRISHNAKUMAR '20​
The sun shines brightly, glinting off pearly white chairs dotting the grassy field. Parents, teachers, and students look on as a girl steps up to the mahogany podium. She straightens her cap, clears her throat, and begins, smiling down at the expectant faces. Laughs reverberate as she recounts her graduating class’s memories; the audience applauds while she honors her peers’ hard work; and after ending with advice for the future, everyone stands to clap and cheer. As the holder of the highest GPA, this girl is the school’s pride. She is the valedictorian, a word that has come to mean the epitome of excellence. Interestingly, the word itself—of the Latin root vale dicere—has nothing to do with achievement; it simply means “to say farewell.” And certainly, valedictorians were once only known for their final address to a graduating class. However, over time, the term has come to signify far more: it is now a symbol of student ranking and a rather contentious practice. Though valedictorians have been a long-held tradition in...
Graduating High School Seniors
BY RIBKA SHEIKH '21
With Australia’s wildfires, the passing of NBA star Kobe Bryant, and the coronavirus, 2020 has already hit us worse than 2019. As we all know, the virus has had many consequences, one of the most notable being a hindrance to students’ education. Millions of students globally have been out of school since the pandemic hit. In fact, as of May, fourty-eight states in the US recommended or mandated school closures...
​Gap Years
BY PRIYANKA CHIDAMBARAM '23
Even as the world pauses due to COVID-19, schools have tried to continue graduation celebrations, either through virtual means or postponement. As a momentous occasion for seniors, graduation marks a significant turning point in life. While the traditional student continues to college, others decide to take a sabbatical year before proceeding to higher education. Gap years supposedly give students time to further...
Farewell to Seniors
BY THE SPECTRUM STAFF​
A letter to our upperclassmen...
Frat Houses
​BY SIVAPRIYA MARIMUTHU '23
Greek life plays a vital role in the college experience for countless students across the United States. Fraternities were originally established by John Heath in 1776 as a mechanism to unite college students with similar interests. Heath’s Phi Beta Kappa, the first Greek-letter society, created a world of secrecy and rituals which are still preserved by modern fraternities today. These social groups rapidly dominated the college community, helping individuals establish friendships and partake in...
Unity at Graduation
BY REBECCA ZHANG '22​
Side by side, shoulder to shoulder, they march forward. The cadence of thunderous applause carries them to their seats, blue robes swinging rhythmically around their feet. A sea of navy, cap-shaped silhouettes ripple across the field; glistening tassels—gold and white—chase after them. Twelve seemingly endless and grueling years escalate to this final moment as over four hundred individuals become one, united by a newfound anticipation for the future, distinguished only by fond memories of...