Are birthdays considered holidays?

By: Livie Pedersen

       The yearly calendar is filled with a myriad of holidays that bring people excitement and give holiday spirit. One specific day out of the year has the ability to be the most important: a birthday. Everyone has their own birthday falling on a specific day, and birthdays are not officially considered holidays. 

        During Wilson Hall’s spirit week during homecoming 2023, we had a daily theme of holidays. It fell on my birthday, so I decided to dress up as a birthday! Our middle school principal, Mr. Gandy saw this, and said I could not do that because a birthday is not a holiday. I disagree with that. 

        Obviously, a birthday is specific to one person, so everyone’s birthday cannot necessarily be tracked and controlled and truly marked as a holiday on our calendar. I understand that and how everyone has a birthday, making it not as special or unique in the big picture, but if someone has a birthday, they need to be treated with respect and kindness. After all, a birthday is a huge milestone for someone’s age each year, as it is the day that marks moving up to the next age. Thinking back to what Mr. Gandy said to me that day locks in my opinion that birthdays should be important enough to be considered a holiday and needing some kind of celebration from people around you— from a simple “happy birthday” or a planned surprise party, any celebration is worth it. A lot of people end up being sad on their birthday and statistics show that you are more likely to die on your birthday, so it is extremely important to make sure someone’s special day truly is special, whether it is actually considered a legal holiday or not. 

Why College Basketball is better than the NBA

By: Johnny Lauzon

Do not get me wrong, I love the NBA, but it really does not get very good until the playoffs. College basketball plays thirty two regular season games whereas the NBA plays eighty two. Having too many regular season games takes the value away from them. The New York Knicks, the NBA champions last year, had a record of 53-29 last season. Losing twenty nine games does not seem too good, except they were the best team last year. Having this cushion allows star players to sit out of games when they feel even just a little injured and still have their teams make the playoffs. Also teams get away with not playing 100% because most games they play simply don’t matter. In college basketball, each game means a lot more because they don’t get as many losses before they get knocked out of the playoffs. Also your record determines which seed you get in the playoffs. In the NBA, because of salary caps, teams are much more even. Obviously, there are teams that are better than others, but a 1 seed to an 8 seed in the NBA is a lot closer than a 1 seed to a 16 seed in college. So if your record is bad in college, you might still make the playoffs, but then you’re gonna have to play one of the best teams. I think both playoffs are good and fun to watch, but march madness is definitely better. The NBA playoffs take a little too long, and because they play 7 game series there is less room for upsets. However, in march madness, there are so many good games on all the time and so many upsets.

Why Georgia Football is the best

By: John Land

The Georgia Bulldogs are the best college football team because of their talented players, strong coaching, and winning tradition. Georgia is in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), by far the toughest conferences in college football. Over the years, Georgia has proven that they can compete with the best teams in the country. One of their biggest strengths is their defense full of 5 stars , which is known for making hard tackles, stopping insanely talented offenses, and creating turnovers. Georgia also has a powerful offense that can score points through both passing and running the rock. Another reason the Bulldogs stand out is their success in the College Football Playoff. Georgia won back-to-back national championships in 2022 and 2023, proving that the team was finally the best in the country for two years after being a top 10 team for almost 10 years. Head coach Kirby Smart has played a major role in building Georgia into a national powerhouse. His leadership helps prepare players to perform under pressure and work together as a team. The Bulldogs also have some of the most passionate fans in college football. Thousands of fans fill Sanford Stadium every Saturday to  watch the dawgs kill their opponents, and make it a difficult atmosphere for other teams. Georgia has also sent many talented players to the NFL, showing that its program helps athletes develop their skills and reach the next level. Although other schools have strong football programs, Georgia’s championships, talented roster, and loyal fan base make it stand out. The Bulldogs combine skill, discipline, and teamwork to remain one of the most respected teams in college football. For these reasons, I believe the Georgia Bulldogs are the best college football team and have what it takes to win another national championship this season.

Why Krispy Kreme are the best donuts 

By: Gray Sanders

I think Krispy Kreme has the best donuts, yes over places like Murphys and Dunkin. One of the main reasons I think Krispy Kreme is the best is due to the fact that the closest one is almost an hour away. So therefore, I do not get it near as much, which makes it so much better. Don’t get me wrong I love Murphys, and I am a frequent visitor, but Krispy Kreme has this rare ability that you don’t see in many donut shops. That is their ability to stay fresh, almost 5 days after you buy them. I can buy a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts and eat one 4 days later and it is almost as good as when I got it. Whereas, Murphy’s isn’t even that good the next morning! And Dunkin is just bad. Another reason Krispy Kreme is so great is the flavors of the week, they constantly change things up and don’t have the same donuts every week. But still keep the core donuts as well. A great thing that Krispy Kreme does is for every donut the glaze it like a normal donut, and then put the extra things on. Not make a whole new one. Also, they are pretty cheap being on average around $17 per dozen. And I feel like most places are around $20. The hot and ready glazed are probably the best in the game, and give Krispy Kreme a good edge. It’s hard to pass a Krispy Kreme that has that sign lit up and not go there. That is why I believe Krispy Kreme has the best donuts.

Top 10 Road Trip Songs

By: Christina Osgood

Road trips are always better with music. Even if you are driving across the country or just going somewhere close, having good music will make the driver so much better. Some songs will make you want to sing, while others are relaxing. So these are my top 10 best songs for a road trip.

Number 10, “Life is a Highway” by Rascal Flatts. The song is basically made for the road. It is an upbeat song that will keep your wheels turning.

Number 9, “Cruise” by Florida Georgia Line. This is a very relaxed, chill song that is perfect for driving with your windows rolled down.

Number 8, “Party in the U.S.A.” by Miley Cyrus. This is one of the hardest songs to not sing along to, a great classic.

Number 7, “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Another amazing classic for the road, especially for the South.

Number 6, “Good Time” by Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen. A positive and upbeat song to keep your spirits up on the drive, especially on a long one.

Number 5, “Life Changes” by Thomas Rhett. A good relaxing country song that gives an easygoing vibe.

Number 4, “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson. This song has a very catchy chorus that makes a long drive feel shorter.

Number 3, “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers. This song brings so much energy into the drive, keeping the drive exciting.

Number 2, “Don’t Stop Believin” by Journey. This song can be easily recognized by anyone who may be in the car. It is an energetic and timeless song.

Number 1, “Take It Easy” by The Eagles. One of the best classic songs for a road trip. It is a great song for everyone with different musical tastes to enjoy.

Ranking the Spirit Days

By: Cameron Kohl

  1. Group Day. This is a great theme for many reasons. This theme allows you to pick a group of whatever size you want. There are many creative ideas for this theme. This year the senior girls decided to do New York City which was a great idea for many reasons. There were so many costumes to choose from being the Statue of Liberty, a taxi driver, the apple, and many more. 
  2. Ages Reversed. This was a new theme this year and sparked excitement all throughout the high school. After years of the same beloved themes it was still nice to have one that was different. The ages reversed consisted of the seniors being babies, juniors being teens, sophomores being adults, and freshmen being elders. 
  3. Holidays. This is a beloved theme that we have almost every year. There are many options to dress up for this day. Some of the classic holidays to dress up as are Fourth of July, Christmas, and Halloween. 
  4. Black out. This was an extra exciting theme because it was the Friday of homecoming. This means that we came to school to be surprised with our homecoming theme. This year the theme was Barons in the wild. It was such an amazing theme and was so much fun to walk around and see all of the hard work our cheerleaders put into that day.  
  5. Jersey. This was still a fun day to dress up for but was put on the day of our SAT so not as many people dressed up as the other days. Making this day be at the bottom of the list.

Does Listening to Sad Music Make You Depressed

By: Wyatt Meyers

Music can affect the way people feel a lot especially during certain seasons of the year. For me, music can sometimes make my mood better, but sad music can also make me feel more emotional. During the fall and winter, when it gets colder and darker outside, listening to sad music can make feelings of loneliness or sadness feel stronger.

Artists like Current Joys, TV Girl, Duster, Mom Jeans, and Alex G all have songs that can give off a sad or emotional feeling. Current Joys has a lot of songs that sound calm but also kind of depressing. TV Girl has music that can remind people of relationships memories, or feeling alone. Duster has a very slow and dreamy sound which can make you think alot. Mom Jeans has songs about relationships and personal problems, while Alex G has music that can feel emotional and sometimes confusing.

Even though sad music can make someone feel more sad, I think it can also be helpful. Sometimes listening to music that matches how you feel makes you feel like someone else understands you. It can also help people let out emotions instead of keeping everything inside. During the winter, I think this can be especially important because people may spend more time inside and have less things to do.

However, listening to sad music all the time could possibly make a bad mood last longer. It is important to listen to different types of music and do other things that make you happy too. Overall, sad music can affect mental health in different ways depending on the person and the season. Sometimes it can make sadness stronger, but it can also help people understand and express their feelings.

Why College Basketball is Better Than the NBA

By: Wilkes Burnette

 While the NBA is exciting to see Lebron make a superstar play, the Greak Freak posterize someone on Christmas day, or watching Jalen Brunson hit the “Brunson Burner” after clinching 2026 finals, the NBA is still not as fun or as exciting as college basketball, and I’m going to tell you why. College Basketball is one of the most exciting sports to watch. One reason is you never know what can happen. A couple of examples is watching D.J. Burns and the NC State Wolfpack make a legendary run in the 2024 march madness tournament or watching Meetchie Johnson drill a three from the Carolina logo to seal an upset win vs Kentucky which led to a court-storming and all night party in Colonial Life Arena. While the NBA is a long, grueling 82 game season, college basketball is a 30-33 game grind where you see people step up and carry their mid-major team through the conference tournament and clinch that 16 seed. The best part of college basketball which is universally agreed is no doubt march madness. While being arguably the most entertaining sports event in the world, march madness is like no other. It is always fun to see that Cinderella run or even see a 16 seed upset a one seed like in 2023 when FDU beat Purdue and end what looked like a national championship favorite, fall to a team that no one had ever heard of. Without a doubt both the NBA and College Basketball is exciting but watching march madness and the crazy games from 12pm-10pm college basketball easily tops the NBA

Why Going to your School’s Athletic Events Matters

By Karsen Jones

Going to your school’s athletic events is so important because you need to cheer on your fellow peers. You can’t just expect to think you know your classmates just from sharing a classroom with them, you need to show up and support their extracurriculars. They work too hard after school, so when game day arrives, it is so devastating to see empty seats. If you were planning to get to know anyone from your class better, this is the best way to do it, showing up and cheering them on whether it is on the court, field, or any others. Also this could be a great way to spend your free time after school. As an athlete, we really appreciate seeing familiar faces in the stands rather than just in a classroom. Attending sporting events for your school also helps with the team as well, by hearing how the crowds roar with students and faculty when there is an amazing play. Attending school events promotes your school spirit as a student, which also allows you to become a part of something bigger than yourself. This allows a student from a community to feel like they are part of something that everyone enjoys. In addition, going to sporting events creates new friendships and bonds because it shows how much you really care for your school and the people in it. In conclusion, attending school events is beneficial for not only the student who attends the event, but also the school as a whole.

Headphones or Earbuds

By: Jacob Cartrett

Everyone, whether at the gym, on a long car ride,or just for fun, listens to music or some type of entertainment, usually with headphones or earbuds. Earbuds are great. They are easily stored and don’t take up a lot of space or get in the way when resting your head, but they do have a tendency to fall out of your ear because of some head movements which may not even be intentional, which can be very annoying. When they fall out, they are obviously very small and therefore can lead to you losing one or even both from the pair.  On the other hand, headphones do get in the way to some degree, especially if you’re trying to rest your head on the side. Headphones, if worn for a long time almost everyday, can make headphone dents in your head which is not the best. However, headphones very rarely fall off your ears, leading to never-ending enjoyment of your music or whatever you may be listening to. If they do fall off, then they are large enough to spot and are almost never lost. The only way to lose a pair of headphones is by misplacing them. Also if you want them off but have no where to put them, you can just wear them around your neck, which usually isn’t uncomfortable. In my opinion, headphones are better because they almost guarantee that they won’t fall off but I also make sure to reposition my headphones to minimize the chances of a headphone dent. Headphones are also more comfortable in my opinion because they surround the ear instead of going inside like the earbud has to. Headphones are just outright more comfortable and allow you to enjoy whatever you may be listening to without any disturbances and therefore the better ear equipment.