Cycle 4

LiFe Advice with Leo and Fallon !

How to handle social pyramids? What should I do with so many free periods? (’25)

Leo: Well there are two questions to be addressed here. I will speak on #1. What I have found is that, as time passes, there’s not so much a pyramid or hierarchy as there are different groups. These groups certainly aren’t “cliques” as much as they are just people having similar interests, that bond over this. I think that the best thing to do is to put your true self out there, rather than “posing”, and find a group of people that want to do and talk about what you want to talk about. I promise that those people exist, no matter what you are interested in.

Fallon: Regarding free periods, I recommend meeting with teachers above all else. When I came to Harvard-Westlake, it sounded like the scariest thing on the planet. As the weeks went by, it became a necessity. Of course it’s good to solidify some friendships with a couple periods wandering around the senior gardens or perusing the cafeteria, but getting ahead is more beneficial than you’d think. For example: If you’re in a math class with a “Problem of the Cycle,” testing your answers ahead of time gives you an opportunity to be corrected until you’ve got a 100%. How convenient is that!

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“Seniors” – Julia Im (’23)

Banned Book Week

September 22-28 marked the 37th “Banned Book Week,” an event honoring the thousands of books suppressed from schools and libraries across the United States. Harvard-Westlake students can access many of these pieces deemed inappropriate by other communities, meaning we haven’t known life without them. Here are Spectrum’s picks for the most prominent ‘Banned Books:’

1. To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee (most recently challenged in 2017 due to hate speech and violence) 2. Drama – Raina Telgemeier (challenged from 2014-2017 due to LGBT characters) 3. The Catcher in the Rye – JD Salinger (challenged from 1960-2009 due to vulgar language, sexual scenes, moral issues, violence, and dealing with the occult) 4. The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins (most recently challenged in 2013 due to being unsuited for its age group and religious) 5. Captain Underpants – Dav Pilkey (most recently challenged in 2013 due to offensive language, violence, and being unsuited for its age group)

Next issue up Thursday, October 10