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My Favorite Things

By: McKenzie Gray Mills

This week I’ll be talking about how special my friends are to me. Growing up in a small town can be hard at times, but there’s a lot more ups than downs. Having the same friends from elementary school to highschool is one of the ups. Being able to grow up side by side with my best friends is one of the biggest blessings in my life.

Some of the most memorable times together have been on school trips. In the fifth grade we all went to Washington DC. This was such a fun trip. We got to see a lot of cool things while being with our friends and parents. As close as all the kids are is just about how close our parents are too. My favorite trip has to be Kanuga though. Kanuga can either be someone’s favorite or least favorite trip ever. I think it has to be my favorite because of how close we all seemed to get. After being with each other for such a long time people would think we can’t get much closer, but it somehow happens. We first went to Kanuga in the sixth grade and then again our junior year. It was pretty fun the first go round but the last time definitely takes the cake. We went on hikes, made our own little movie, and spent quality time together. My favorite part of this trip had to be when we all had pieces of paper taped on our backs and we wrote something we liked about someone or our favorite memories together. I think this was so special to me because none of us had trouble thinking about what we would write. It just came so easy.

It’s crazy to think that after this year we won’t all move on to college together. Some of us will go to the same college, but it won’t be the same fifty people that have been together since preschool. It will be a big change for all of us. We all know deep down that these are the friendships that will last forever.

Top 5: Vegatables

By: Addie Griffin

Vegetables; not everyone’s usual favorite dish, but can be a staple if you let it. There is such a wide variety of vegetables to eat, but today I will be ranking my top five favorites!

5. Starting off the top five list is asparagus. It is fancy but still really good. It’s got a nice flavor that goes with everything, and it feels kind of special when you have it on your plate. It is even better whenever it has a little lemon on it.

4. At number 4 are green beans. Green beans are simple but so good. They’re crunchy and taste great with just a little salt or butter. They’re perfect for eating as a snack or adding to a meal. Green beans are just plain reliable and tasty!

3. Now starting the top 3 list is Corn. Corn is sweet and juicy. Eating corn on the cob is messy but totally worth it. My favorite way to have it is with my mashed potatoes. It’s weird I know, but it just shows how good it tastes with many different things!

2. At number two, we have broccoli! It’s crunchy and tastes good with almost anything, especially with cheese on top. You can dip it in ranch, mix it in with your pasta, or just snack on it raw. Broccoli is one of those veggies that’s very diverse which deserves the number 2 spot!

At our number one spot we have brussels sprouts. This definitely will come to a shock to most because they are usually thought of as the worst vegetable, but they’re awesome if you give them a chance. When you roast them, they get all crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They’re like little bites of magic once you get used to them, especially if you cook them with bacon.

Top 5 Potatoes

By: Addie Griffin

Potatoes are such a diverse starch. I mean go ahead; think of all the ways you could eat potatoes. It’s a lot, right? That’s why I thought I would rank the top five ways to eat potatoes!

5. Starting off the list we have raw fries. They’re great, but only if they are cooked and seasoned well. They are even better with some vinegar on them too! Despite them being delicious, they can be easy to mess up. If they aren’t cooked properly, they can end up tasting soggy and plain. This is why they are at the number 5 spot.

4. At number four we have baked potatoes. Baked potatoes are one of my favorite foods! When you bake them, they get all soft and fluffy inside. They’re even better when you add toppings like butter, sour cream, cheese, or bacon. The only reason they are in the fourth spot is because they need these toppings to taste good, and don’t really have the best taste in their natural form.

3. Starting off our top three list, we have hashbrowns! Hashbrowns are amazing for breakfast, especially from Chick-fil-a. They are shredded up and fried until they’re crispy on the outside, but soft on the inside. You can dip them in ketchup, or add toppings on top of them. Hashbrowns are crispy, crunchy, and always delicious!

2. At number two we have mashed potato’s. They are creamy and very comforting. They’re soft and smooth, especially with a little butter or gravy on top. They’re perfect for Thanksgiving or any big meal. You can add cheese, garlic, or seasonings to make them even more flavorful. Mashed potatoes are one of my favorite comfort foods.

1.Fries are at the number one spot for obvious reasons. Fries are the best! They’re crispy, salty, and perfect for dipping in ketchup, ranch, or any sauce you can think of. They come in all shapes, like curly or waffle fries, and every kind is delicious. Fries are a must-have with burgers, chicken tenders, or even just as a snack. They’re potatoes in the best form!

My Favorite Things

By: McKenzie Gray Mills

This week on my favorite things, I’ll be talking about Wilson hall football. This is super special this week because we are headed to state for the second year in a row. Ever since I was little this has held such a special place in my heart. Friday nights have always been designated to Spencer Field. From being in elementary school and getting to be a part of mini cheer. To it being my last year here and getting the honor to be on homecoming court. Every Friday night lights have such a special meaning.

Last week there was a big group of us supposed to leave for our young life trip on Friday. When we found out we would be missing our last game on Spencer field we were distraught. We thought of every single way to get up there late and nothing was working out. Once it got to Friday we just accepted the fact we would never see another football game at Wilson hall as students. It was until one of the senior boys standed up to speak at the pep rally about how it was their last time all playing together. One of the moms heard this speech and made the decision that we weren’t going to miss this game. We went to the game and all hung out after then woke up three hours later to make the drive up to camp. This is an example of just how special this organization is to all of us.

This Saturday will be the last time us seniors get to bang the drums while being on defense. It will be the last time we watch our friends play a sport they love together. It will be the last time we stand in the student section together. These lasts are becoming very real, but make us so very grateful Wilson Hall makes these things so special.

The Broncos Might be the Most Underrated Team in the NFL

By: Braelen Lewis

Although the Broncos have been terrible in the NFL in the past couple years, going through three different quarterbacks in just the last nine years. This year looks like it could be different although the team has a record of 6 wins and 5 losses their losses have all been to quality teams like the steelers, ravens, and chiefs. Although they still lost in the games they were still able to hold their own against each team even almost winning against the chiefs, but fumbling the game with a blocked field goal to win. Their wins as well have been against some quality teams as well like beating the Bucs 26 to 7 but they also have a lot of wins against pretty bad teams as well like the panthers and saints. Their next game in the season is against the Raiders, of which they have already beaten once this year, so I believe that they will once again destroy them like they did just a few weeks ago. One reason why I think they are doing so well this year is due to the fact that they might have actually found their franchise quarterback in Bo Nix who is having quite an impressive year especially with the mediocre wide receivers that the team has this year. Although their wide receiver one this year Courtland Sutton has not had the worst year with 647 yards this year with only 49 receptions this is probably due to the fact that Bo Nix has a 89.3 Quarterback rating with throwing for 2,275 in the season. Certainly the Broncos are a sleeper pick in the National Football League and could honestly make it very far this year possibly, in my opinion even making it deep into the playoffs but i don’t know about the Super Bowl.

My Personal Top 5

By: Morgan Aycock

Enewton

Some people may have never heard of this brand, but it is a jewelry brand. I love their bracelets even though they’re kind of expensive, they never rust like any other bracelets do. They have bracelets with crosses, pearls, and gold beads. I have gotten two necklaces from there and both of them have snapped in half but it doesn’t matter to me because I’m getting more for Christmas

Laura Park

This brand sells home decor, travel bags, and bedding. I have a spend the night duffle bag, blanket, cosmetic bag, and keychain from there. It is a little expensive but they have really cute prints.I get a lot of compliments on them every time people see them.

Free People

This is a clothing brand that is very popular with teenage girls. They are cheaper than Lululemon and cuter. Although it is a little expensive, They have cute designs that other athletic brands don’t have. My favorite clothing item from there is the “Get your flirt on shorts.” I like that their clothes are loose fitting and not tight because their outfits work for almost every scenario.

La Roche Posay

This is a skincare brand. I use their face wash and moisturizer. It is one of the top Dermatologist recommended skin care lines. I’ve been using it for a couple years and it doesn’t break me out, and it’s not too expensive. It is actually a French brand so it doesn’t have any bad ingredients in it and is perfect for sensitive skin.

Tyler candles

These candles smell heavenly. They also have other things such as car air fresheners, room spray, laundry detergent, and lotion. I use the air fresheners in my car, and I get a lot of compliments about the smell. I also have their candles and lotion, but my favorite scent is High Maintenance. It is the most popular scent, but all of their scents smell very good.

Why South Carolina will make the playoffs

By: Benson Elmore

South Carolina’s path to the College Football Playoffs is not the easiest, but it’s definitely possible with the right combination of clutch wins, good matchups, and the power of the team. Here’s how Carolina can and will make the CFP

1. Raw Offense

South Carolina’s offense has been stacked lately, with Lanorris (him) Sellers, Nyck Harbor, Mazeo Bennet, and Joshua Simon, giving them a dangerous passing offense. The Gamecocks have been able to put up points against top-tier competition, and if they continue to develop their offense under Beamer, they’ll have the firepower to compete with any team in the SEC. And let’s not forget about Rocket Sanders who knows how to blow right through top tier defenses

2. Strong Coaching

Shane Beamer is a rising star in the coaching ranks. His energy, leadership, and ability to develop players have already shown results in his first few seasons at South Carolina. He’s built a solid foundation for the team and has proven that he can win big games, which is shown by South Carolina’s stunning upsets over a couple of ranked teams. With Beamer continuing to grow as a head coach, the Gamecocks could make a crazy statement in the future in the SEC.

3. SEC Scheduling Advantage

South Carolina plays in the SEC, which is without a doubt the most competitive conference in college football. While the schedule is tough, it also provides the Gamecocks with opportunities to get some big wins. If they can thrive in a tough schedule and pick off the last couple of teams on their schedule, it would give them no reason for the committee to keep them out of the playoffs.

4. Defensive Improvement

South Carolina’s defense has been raw at least lately. People like Kyle Kennard and Dylan Stewart have dominated O-lines. Don’t even get me started on the defensive backs. This defense can beat any team in the league, no doubt about it.

5. The College Football Playoff Expansion

The most important factor for South Carolina’s playoff chances in the future is the expansion of the CFP to 12 teams. With a larger field, the chances of South Carolina making them increases significantly. If they can keep winning games, they will make the playoffs.

Best Candy

By: Olivia Cogswell

When thinking of an unhealthy snack most people think of candy. Now there are so many different types to choose from due to the wide variety. There are chocolates, gummies, gums, and even hard candies for people to choose from with a wide variety of flavors. However there are several superior choices to be made. Here are the top five.

Skittles are a chewy, fruity candy that come in lime, grape, orange, lemon, and cherry. They have many variety packs to choose from like: original, tropical, sour, smoothie, and wild cherry. People can also get this candy in gummy packs. However the regular skittles are not the best, they tend to hurt sensitive teeth. Sour skittles also tend to leave sores in peoples mouth making them an unpleasant experience. Also the gummy form of this candy feels like they have a film on it, and are not as good.

Sour Patch Kids are a very good gummy candy that come in several different flavors. The original Kids pack has lime, lemon, orange, cherry, and blue raspberry. They also added other flavors like watermelon and strawberry. With several different themes packages like red, white, and blue, Big Kids and more. These candies compared to Skittles tend to be easier on people’s teeth, and do not leave sores in people’s mouths. However the sweet part of this candy outways the sour part of this candy. Most people can only taste the sour part for a few seconds until the sweetness overpowers.

KitKat are wafers covered in chocolate which give it that sweet crunch that everyone enjoys. They are easily broken for easy sharing and eating. They also have a variety of flavors to choose from like: mint, strawberry, white chocolate, birthday cake, and so many other different flavors. The bars come in a variety of sizes for people to eat as well. However KitKats tend to be a very boring candy bar. Yes, they do come in different flavors, but it is just a favor covered in some sort of flavored chocolate.

Nerds Gummy Clusters are gummy balls covered in nerds candy. They have rainbow and wild berry flavors. They are a very addicting candy because of their taste and texture being crunchy and soft. They have also grown in popularity since they were released.

Reeses are the best candy on the market. They have a sweet and salty taste to them and are very addicting. They can come in a variety of flavors like white, milk, and dark chocolate. The brand also started filling the peanut butter with things like: potato chips, Reese’s pieces, pretzels, and even more items. They also come in a wide variety of sizes and the company even started expanding to other forms of this tasteful candy like, chocolate and peanut butter covered pretzels, popcorn, reece’s sticks, and so many other options. Due to the variety of flavors, sizes, and options, this candy is the best.

NFL Predictions for the Rest of the Season

By: Knox Buxton

It is currently Week 11 in the NFL, and we are a little over halfway through the 18 week regular season. With that being said, I am going to give some of my opinions for what I think will happen for the rest of this season. To start, I am already predicting an Eagles vs. Chiefs Super Bowl. The Eagles offense looks too good for them not to make a deep run in this postseason. With Jalen Hurts, Devonta Smith, AJ Brown, Dallas Goedert, and the addition of Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia has the best group of skill players in the league. The tush push with Jalen Hurts at Quarterback is one of the most unstoppable plays in football and with Barkley in the backfield with him there is so many possibilities of plays they can run.

On the other side, the Chiefs are still undefeated 10 Weeks through the season. They have the best Quarterback in the league in Patrick Mahomes and one of the best Tight Ends in Travis Kelce. They also have one of the top defenses which will make them hard to beat when the postseason comes. Another reason to believe Kansas City will make it to the Super Bowl is that Isiah Pacheco will be coming back from injury soon and they already have Kareem Hunt who is playing well right now too. With Pacheco coming back, it will give Kansas City two good running backs they can use. Another team I think will heat up towards the end of the season is the San Fransisco 49ers. They started their season a little rough, but with Christian McCaffrey coming back from injury, it will open up many more opprotunities for their offense. It is rough for them that they lost Brandon Aiyuk for the season so they will have to rely on receivers like Deebo Samuel, Brandon Jennings, and Ricky Pearsall to step up. They also have one of the best defenses in the league which will help them make a run towards the end of the season to get into the playoffs. Those three teams are teams to watch towards the end of the season and it will be fun to see how the rest of their season plays out.

Drawing in Colored Pencil

By: Lottie Bynum

Drawing in colored pencil is different from drawing on other mediums such as pastels, charcoal, or graphite. Unlike those, colored pencils cannot be blended with blending stumps, instead they are blended with other colored pencils. It’s perfect for vibrant or strong colors in a piece.

To draw in colored pencils you need:

Paper that works with colored pencils(most regular or sketch paper works)
Colored pencils (wax or oil based)
Sharpener or X-Acto knife (to sharpen)
Erasers (regular and electric eraser to get the color lifted from the paper)

To start a colored pencil drawing start in graphite pencil and sketch lightly, then add colored pencils.Have scratch paper on hand to try color combinations if you are unsure because colored pencil doesn’t erase as well as other mediums (it’s similar to 6B charcoal and leaves behind a tinted page). Another tip to consider is start lightly and build up the lightest parts before moving to the darker parts so the values in the piece can be fully recognised. Value can be added not only that way, but also when considering the color wheel and contrasting colors. Red and green, orange and blue, and purple and yellow can darken each other and add contrast instead of shading with black which can flatten instead of adding depth to the drawing.

Depending on which colored pencils you are drawing with can impact the care of the drawing afterwards. Regular or wax based colored pencils can leave a residue on the piece after it is finished that needs to be wiped off, but oil based colored pencils have less of a problem with the residual sheet it leaves on a finished piece.

Style is another factor of how someone can draw with them. Many people prefer to draw lightly without marking the paper fully which has the piece with some of the paper, showing through the colored pencil. That is not the only method though, colored pencils can deepen in color and coverage the harder someone presses when drawing with them like charcoal, pastels, or graphite. When pressing harder with the colored pencil it is helpful to blend with several other pencils, possibly complementary colors to add shades of color instead of the color being flat.

Overall colored pencils are fun to work with and can be drawn with in several styles.