Dear Future Historian,
If, for some reason, you are searching for evidence of what it was like for the average person during the COVID-19 lockdown and you have stumbled across this article, let me tell you some things that will make your job a little easier.

Asthma is a relatively common disease. In many instances, it is mild, and people can get by with using an inhaler when the need arises. For senior Phoebe Hancock, asthma has taken a much larger role in her life. She suffers from severe allergic asthma, meaning her reactions are mostly caused by her allergies. Combatting this disease and its side effects has meant countless visits to the doctor, numerous tests, and even a few operations.

The dozens of pictures taken daily on phones can make people lose sight of the skill photography requires. With photographers needing to learn abilities ranging from staging to exposure to shutter speed, along with many terms most people have never heard before, photography is a complex art. SkillsUSA allows students in photography, in addition to other disciplines, to showcase their abilities. At this year’s SkillsUSA competition, senior Laura Salazar competed in photography where her submission featured a patio home building with unique architecture from Florida to earn third place and advance to state.

I never watched any sort of dog show until this year, so when I turned on the Westminster Dog Show this year, I was a little surprised myself. I caught it at the very end, where the judge decides which dog out of the six category winners is Best in Show. As a poodle owner, I was pleased when a standard poodle was chosen. Of course, all of the other dogs present were wonderful models of their breeds, and I wouldn’t have been upset had one of them won.

Ah, 2020, the start of a new decade. The summer Olympics are set for Tokyo this year, and the United States has some strong athletes that the country should unify around. But never fear! The presidential election is here to rip that unity apart and destroy any semblance of camaraderie.

Playing sports, riding roller coasters, drinking caffeine, all things most teenagers take for granted. But for junior Jaci Siegert, each of these poses a potentially-deadly risk.

When it comes to the animated film industry, Walt Disney Studios dominates the market with a long list of classic, award-winning movies. I remember getting up early on weekends when I was little to peruse our collection of VHS tapes under the TV and pop one into the VCR. I’d watch my selection, and if I could, would rewind the tape to watch it again. Those movies hold a special place in my heart because of the nostalgia of VCRs, the memories associated with them, and the quality of the movies.

As the lights dim and the curtain closes, applause breaks out from around the theater, and one person stands, followed by another until the rest of the auditorium is in a standing ovation. For an actor, this is the ideal reaction from an audience. But it’s not easy to get. An actor must shed their identity and take on that of a stranger. Every step and facial twitch must match that of the character they portray. Every word must be interpreted to best convey the emotion of the moment. While some may find this too difficult and shy away from the limelight, senior Evan Pope revels in it.

While most people learn about how the legislature works in their government class, very few people have the chance to go through the procedures of Congress. This summer, senior Caleb Merell was chosen for this opportunity and was able to go to Washington DC with Boys Nation.

I guess I could do a fancy introduction, but this is going to be a long article, so I’ll just jump straight to the point. An unfortunate number of people are suffering under the delusion that Google Docs is actually better than Microsoft Word. Perhaps I should cut people some slack, especially teenagers. In school, all of us are required to use Google Docs. Why? In elementary and middle school, it was a great option for classroom settings, allowing things like sharing and internet access.

America has the reputation of many of its citizens being monolingual, but one student is breaking that stereotype. Senior Dylan Thatcher has studied and practiced multiple languages for the past several years. He is currently learning French and German, but he knows bits of Spanish, Russian, and Chinese as well. He sees language as a way to reach others and experience new cultures.

This article is a continuation from an article in the previous edition of the Norseman that discussed the degrading of cultural morality and why swearing is immoral.

Graphic sexuality has also escalated dramatically, particularly in movies. This not only includes actual sexual encounters but promiscuous jokes and actors wearing little to no clothing. It usually doesn’t even affect the plot but instead attempts to appeal to audiences at a gratuitous level.

What started as a competition for a pizza party ended up in a viral post with tens of thousands of likes and hundreds of comments. For Black History Month, the Key Club held a contest for advisory classes where they could decorate their teacher’s door with a famous African American to win a pizza party.

Gunshots rang out in the library during lunch on April 20, 1999. Americans were shaken to their core as the worst school shooting in history took the lives of 13 people. Over the last two decades, more lives have been taken and, with the introduction of social media, bullying has only gotten worse. As these things have increased, so has the public’s level of despondency. Yet despite the looming hopelessness many people feel, lights of hope shine out in the darkness of despair and remind humanity that not all is lost. One program that has given light and hope to many people is Rachel’s Challenge.

It’s a classic stereotype for the oldest generation to talk about how things were in the “good old days” and how recent years have taken a turn for the worse. Though this is in many ways over-exaggerated, there is one point I definitely agree with them on: the decline of morality.

She stares at her phone screen, the expression on her face a mixture between disturbed and longing. Then, abruptly, she throws her phone on the couch next to her, stands up, and walks to the bathroom. She turns on the light and stares at herself in the mirror. Slowly, she shakes her head and leaves the bathroom. Tears begin forming in her eyes, but she forces them away. Why can’t I be like them?

I’m sick of politics.

This doesn’t mean I’m not politically informed or don’t have a political opinion. No, it’s quite the opposite. I have a strong political opinion, regularly read the newspaper, and even read a political magazine.

I’m just so sick of politics.

Bright, flashing lights. Throngs of people. Conversation occasionally punctuated by laughter. The scent of food diffusing through the air. This was once the normal scene in the early to mid 1900s in downtown Bryan. However, as the city began to expand and businesses began moving closer to where people lived, downtown Bryan slowly fell into disrepair as malls and big-box retailers took over. What was once the cultural hub of town became a run-down, deserted reminder of times passed.

The runners get set in the blocks and await the sound of the starter’s pistol. BANG. Athletes explode off the line as they look toward the finish. Seniors Miranda Golden and Charnell Gibson advanced to area to help the team win the area championship. While Gibson focuses on the shot put event, Miranda participates in the 4×4, 300 m hurdles, high jump, and occasionally the relays, but out of all of these, the hurdles is her favorite event.

Because English is one of the most widely spoken languages, there are many variations in it. One of the biggest differences is between English in the United States versus Britain. The British spell things strangely, such as spelling “gray” “grey”, “color” “colour”, and “realize” “realise” (they like to avoid z’s for some reason). Perhaps sometimes an American might think that the British way makes sense or a British person might like the American way better, but usually, there is little overlap. However, one rule that both Americans and the British argue about is the serial comma, otherwise known as the Oxford comma.

Bright lights, goals, black and white checkered balls rolling across the grass. Senior Ryka Shea is in her element. As she passes the ball to the offense, she catches her breath and grins to herself. This is the place she loves to be: on the field with her teammates experiencing the type of adrenaline only a game can provide. Though Ryka always looks for a competitive edge, she also focuses on being positive on and off the field, recognizing that attitude can go a long way.

Natural talent is something continually praised, particularly in today’s society. “That kid’s a natural!” the announcers exclaim. “He was born with this ability!” Many times these “naturals” are lauded for what they can accomplish, but it is often second nature for them. While it is wonderful what they are capable of, it can sometimes discourage other people who do not have any natural talent in that area. Frequently, they end up quitting because they feel like no matter how hard they try, they will never match up to what the others are capable of doing.

They look down the green with narrowed eyes to block out the sun’s glare. After adjusting the clubs in their hands, they mentally calculate the distance and the amount of force they must swing to get a tiny ball over 300 yards across a field while avoiding water hazards, sand traps, and trees while taking into account the wind. Becoming more confident, they swing, and the balls fly away through the air. For sophomore Skye Faldyn and senior Ellie Conrad, this has become natural.

As I scroll down the web page full of music I am supposed to listen to in my lab time for piano, I come across one video that looks like it could be interesting and click it. After a few seconds of watching it, I quickly become fascinated in the music and the skill of the people performing. What’s more, I vaguely recognize the pop song these people are playing but soon quickly realize that there is classical music blended into it. When the video is finished playing, a name pops up across the top of the screen: The Piano Guys. My only thought is this is so different than anything else I’ve ever watched or listened to before. I wasn’t the only one with this fascination. All over the world, millions of people have felt the same way I did, leading the group to receive invitations to prestigious places and events such as Carnegie Hall and the presidential inauguration.

This year, Bryan High met standard according to the state by earning five out of the seven possible distinctions the state can award a school for the fourth year in a row.

I have had many different math and science teachers throughout the years, but nearly all of them have made the same claim: the standard system is ridiculous and America should switch to the metric system. The standard system is the units of measurement such as inches and Fahrenheit that are used in the United States, and the metric system uses measurements like centimeters and Celsius and is used in the rest of the world. Every time I hear this claim, I flinch internally. What did all these people have against the standard system? Why would we use it so much if it was completely impractical? Perhaps I was a bit over-attached to the standard system since I grew up with it, and the metric system really was easier to make calculations with…did I have an unreasonable loyalty? Though I had my doubts, as I have grown up and progressed through school, I have discovered many merits of the standard system over the metric.

The hum of the crowd echoes across the field to the pitcher. She takes a deep breath before she hurls a softball across the plate. Despite the speed and curve of the ball, the bat makes contact, and the ball arcs through the air…into the waiting glove of the center fielder. The pitcher and center fielder grin at each other before running back toward the dugout as the side is retired. This is a normal occurrence in junior Rebekah Hubachek and senior Emily Hubachek’s life. The sisters have played softball for much of their lives and now play together for Bryan High.

“A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” are the words that begin some of the most famous movies Hollywood has ever produced. Captivating audiences with lightsaber duels, X-Wing and TIE Fighter battles, and the Skywalker legacy, Star Wars has become a franchise famed around the world. Recently, Disney decided to continue the saga by releasing The Force Awakens, the seventh installment of the series, in December 2015. Along with the new episode, they also released Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. It is not technically an episode but instead tells the tale of the mission to steal the Death Star plans that are later used in episode 4. Overall, I thought it was a great movie and a wonderful way to enrich the series.

Since crashes caused by texting and driving are increasing, cities and states are taking action to prevent these disasters from taking place. On November 9, College Station enacted a new law that makes it illegal to use handheld electronic devices while driving, excluding times when the driver is stopped at a stoplight or is in an emergency situation.

What happens when you combine two of the most delicious substances on Earth, chocolate chips and cookie dough, into one amazing food? The answer: you get a chocolate chip cookie! This classic treat has always surpassed others of its kind in popularity, including sugar cookies, white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, and even the famous snickerdoodle. Of course, every cookie wants to be like this star. Because of that, a devious substitute has emerged, tricking people into eating it as it masquerades as a chocolate chip cookie. Yes, I am talking about none other than the evil oatmeal raisin cookie.

While many features differ from country to country, there are a few things that every country has in common. One of those is currency. Despite all of the flaws and problems that money can cause, it is necessary to keep a country running smoothly. Since money is such an instrumental part of a well-functioning nation, […]

The automotive technology program earned certification from the National Automotive Technician Education Foundation (NATEF) which gave them a distinction shared by only 60 other schools in Texas.

Camping, selling cookies, and badges are things that people normally associate with Girl Scouts. Though these activities are usually at the forefront of what people assume a Girl Scout is, there is a lot more to it than the normal stereotype. It provides opportunities that are not normally available to people. Freshman Emma Turner got to experience one of these opportunities this summer when she ventured on a trip to Europe with other Texas Girl Scouts from the last week of July to the first week of August.

Recently, opposition has been growing in America against something that has been around since 1787: the penny. Yes, this little, brown, seemingly insignificant coin has been the subject of much debate across the nation. More and more support is growing to get rid of it. Entire websites have been developed with the goal of eradicating the penny. Yet despite all of their effort, these people are wrong. The penny contributes a whole lot more to society than many people realize.