The Libertarian – August 2021

No.	Article	Section	Author
1	Team Leader Introduction	Introduction	eyeFad
2	First day of School!	Office Spotlight	chiari.cord
3	To cram or not to cram?!	Informative	,-Spell
4	Are you {L}ost and {W}orried?	Informative	claryboy2109
5	Make the leap and take the lead!	Program Spotlight / Interview	_StarLord_
6	One kick is all it takes!	Interview	Eliza4Forever
7	#20Questions with the DepSecDef	Interview	Jayceei
8	A High School Romance	Creative	Promptis
9	Those were the days!	Creative / Poem	pikasyu
10	The Reader’s Corner – Hunger Games: Catching Fire	Informative	Eliza4Forever
11	Back to School Bento Box Recipes	Recipe	chiari.cord
12	Back to School Rebus	Game	koleq

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Team Leader Introduction

by eyeFad

Welcome to the August edition of The Libertarian! August is the National Back to School month and we’re all eager to get back to studying after a long summer break. For this edition, we are going with a Back To School theme!

Who doesn’t love the smell of fresh notebooks, new bags, and meeting new friends? I’ve always enjoyed my first day at school. It’s the best time to make new friends and share your worst and funny experiences in school. We’ve covered a variety of topics from both real life and Habbo experiences!

This month has been a very challenging month for me. I have been involved with too many projects at once, not to mention that this is my first time being a Team Leader and being in The Libertarian. Throughout the project, I’ve learned a lot and my team has nothing but a gem; They have made this project possible and I’d like to thank them for all their work and patience with me as their team leader.

I hope that you enjoy this month’s The Libertarian: Back To School!

Regards, Usef (eyeFad) and The Libertarian team.

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First day of School!

by chiari.cord

First days of school can cause a lot of different emotions in students. Sadness, because the break is over. Nervousness, since you’re wondering what you’re going to do, or who you’re going to talk to. Excitement, due to seeing your friends again, or making new ones. It also creates expectations, as you think to yourself “how am I gonna get through this year???” All in all, there are loads of different ways to feel about the start of a new first school day.

Just like feelings, there are lots of memories and anecdotes which are different, and depend on who you’re talking to. For this interview, I took this idea and asked four different OPA members about their experiences with first days of school. Take a look at what they had to tell us!

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Are you currently studying or going through any course?

CWO5 Science99: I am currently trying to earn my associate’s degree in Science for college.

CW5 koleq: Yes, I am currently a junior high school student. I am approaching senior high school and will be taking Japanese language courses.

CWO2 Peaches.,: I start my master’s program on August 1st! It’s a Master of Education, Learning & Technology. I’m excited to start it; I’ve been wanting to continue my education for a long time.

MSgt Combined-Union: Yes, I’m enrolled at university but at this very moment I’m on summer break. Classes start back up in August.

Overall, how do the first days of school make you feel? Thinking back to them, are they generally positive or not so good?

CWO5 Science99: To be honest, I think the first day makes me think “this year is gonna suck” because it always sucks. But then I think “I’m gonna be stuck sometimes and then be on track sometimes”.

CW5 koleq: First days of school make me feel overwhelmed, mainly because I have no idea what will be ahead of me. We get introduced to new courses that we didn’t get to know of beforehand, and then there’s a chance that there also may be new students – there’s a lot of things you won’t expect; in a positive way. Because who knows? This year’s courses might just be the perfect fit for you, and maybe you can even find new friends. First days of school can be nerve wracking, but you can’t say that you don’t feel the least bit excited.

CWO2 Peaches.,: As a student, I’m always incredibly nervous. I think that’s just my nature, though. New places and new people are always kind of scary to me, but I always get so excited to buy new school supplies! I’m a sucker for organization, planners, and colorful pens, hehe. After the first few days, I always settle in and feel more comfortable.

As a teacher, it’s incredibly exciting! I love starting a brand new classroom with a clean slate and getting to know the kiddos, and what they’re excited to learn about. I make sure to tell my students right away that I’m here to make learning a fun, hands-on, engaging experience, not just lecture them from the white board for an hour. In the first days, I always give out assignments where the students write about themselves, their hobbies, and their interests and it’s so fun getting to know them!

MSgt Combined-Union: Hmmm, I’ve never been much of a school person so for me I would always dread the first day back just because that was the end of summer and freedom and the start of prison, but now that I’m in college I actually look forward to the first day of school which is weird to say.

Can you tell us one remarkable situation you went through on the first days of school?

CWO5 Science99: Well I once had a wrong schedule and had to get that checked out before I could go to my real classes. I did make it in time though, they cleared it out for me.

CW5 koleq: My favorite experience would have to be when I transferred schools a few years ago. I wasn’t treated very well in my previous school, so I was very nervous about what the next school had in store for me. We were able to choose where we wanted to sit once we entered the classroom. I wasn’t surprised when no one sat next to me. I had an entire row of seats all to myself, and I just accepted it. The atmosphere was very tense. Lunchtime came, and just as I thought that I would be sitting by myself again, a fellow classmate reached out to me and asked me if I wanted to sit with her and her friends. Of course, I accepted right away. I didn’t enjoy sitting alone at all. She and I are still friends up to this day, even if she already transferred to a different school. This small act of kindness has moved me so much, and now that I am no longer a new student, I do the same thing to transferees who come along to make sure that they feel included.

CWO2 Peaches.,: On the first day of school in 6th grade, I had P.E. as my first class. Classes are an hour-ish long. The uniform was a white T-Shirt and grey sweatpants. So, we do this activity for class, I don’t even remember what it was, and at the end the gym teacher called the girls to go get changed first and the boys stayed behind on the bleachers until we were all out of the locker room.

I get up and go with my friend to the locker room and all the boys start CRACKING UP and I was just like??? man that had to be a good joke or something.  I got to the locker room to change into regular pants and apparently I got my FIRST EVER PERIOD. I had a HUGE red stain all over my butt – the grey sweatpants didn’t hide it at all – and I accidentally also left a huge bloody spot on the floor where I was sitting.

So, if you ever think you did something embarrassing on the first day of school, at least it wasn’t as bad as mine.

MSgt Combined-Union: Honestly weirdly enough, the first memory of the first day of school I ever had was my first day of kindergarten all those years ago. Even at a young age, I have always been independent, and my mom makes sure to remind me of this all the time, but basically she was dropping me off for my first day, and all around us were a bunch of kids crying because that’s just what happens at that age, and moms were escorting them into class. Well my mom looked at me and asked me if she wanted her to walk me in, and I just looked at her and said a stern, “No” and waddled my way into class all alone. Basically even at four years old I had my badass attitude.

What do you enjoy the most about the first days of school?

CWO5 Science99: Nothing really, it was boring and very long. The only thing I enjoyed about it is walking out that door.

CW5 koleq: My favorite part about the first days of school has to be when me and my friends meet up again. It’s funny to see how little or big we changed throughout summer vacation. I love catching up with my friends and sharing what experiences we’ve encountered. Especially during lunch. It’s much more enjoyable to talk over food and tell jokes that make us snort chocolate milk out of our noses.

CWO2 Peaches.,: Seeing old friends again after summer, the fun new school supplies, and not starting my period!

MSgt Combined-Union: I think my favorite part, especially in college, is meeting my teachers, and seeing all my old teachers. Now that I’m older the teacher student bond has become more of a friendship, so it’s like seeing that friend that was gone on some wild vacation all summer again. I spend HOURS talking to my teachers just catching up about summer and everything. I even have some of their phone numbers because that’s just the bonds that I’ve created with them now. I don’t know if I’m allowed to admit this, but I have gone to bars outside of school hours with a couple teachers…

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After interviewing all the members, I definitely got some funny and some heartwarming anecdotes. It also made me see how it is actually different for everyone. If I’m being honest, I thought I was gonna get all the same answers, but I was impressed by how diverse these were. Personally, I do enjoy going back to school and going through the first day. As much as I don’t like the rest of the year, that one singular first day feels really special. Coming back, meeting everyone again after a long break, telling each other everything you did during the time you weren’t at school, it’s all really nice to me. I do tend to get really nervous, mostly about how it’s gonna go, and what professors I might have. However, being with my friends again makes up for it, and I always have a really fun time during the beginning of the year.

Now take some time and think about your own experiences! If you are or were in school, how did your first days of school go? What are the good things you can take from them?

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To cram or not to cram?!

by ,-Spell

To cram or not to cram, that is the question. Studying and revision are incredibly difficult skills to learn, let alone to master. Luckily I have a few hot tips for all of you students out there to study effectively and memorise information!

In scientific speak, we could repose the question of “to cram or not to cram” as spacing versus massed study. Spacing is when information is revised repeatedly over a few days or a longer span of time, and studies show that this increases the likelihood of retaining into the long term memory, as opposed to the short term memory. To do this “spaced” study, you could revise a poem and make connections with another poem, then looking at key aspects of the aforementioned poem in another session and at the end of the week revisiting all that you have learned. Massed study, or cramming, is great for short term memory recall, so if you are in the hours prior to an exam or test this is great for you!

Another great technique to use for effective study is using worked examples. What this means is that you use past pieces of exemplar work or even create your own and create a template of sorts for revision and your work, and eventually your work will blossom into the work that you are modelling from. This is especially useful for subjects such as English as there is no right or wrong answer, you simply have to purvey your point or opinion in the most effective manner.

Finally, a technique that I personally find very helpful is testing yourself regularly. Of course it’s great to read through pages and pages of content, however the best way to truly drill information into your head is by repeatedly testing your knowledge. I personally use flashcards and on one side have a question and on the back have an exemplar answer and get someone to read the questions off one by one. This works particularly well with small acts of memorisation, such as equations, however if you do it enough then over time you could quite easily memorise an entire paragraph!

So, those are my hot tips to help you be a top student when you go back to school! Hopefully you find them helpful, and if you would like to find more there are many other tried and tested methods, such as the Pomodoro Method, that you can read about on the internet.

Happy studying!

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Are you {L}ost and {W}orried?

by claryboy2109

Have you ever been scared to take or start FEATs {L} or {W}? Here is some advice from someone that once struggled, as well as an OOT&E member!

“What are FEATs {L} and {W}?” you might ask

FEAT {L}, also known as SNCOLC, is an exam that you will need to get from E6 to E7. You will need to be E5+ to request it. For more information about the requirements for FEAT {L} and how to request them, head here: https://habbousdf.boards.net/thread/33043/training-feat-exam-requirements-information

FEAT {W}, also known as WODC, is the exam you need to get to CWO ranks!  To request for FEAT {W}, you will need to be rank E8+, be in an office and have passed FEAT {L}. For more information about the requirements for FEAT {W} and how to request it, you can head here: https://habbousdf.boards.net/thread/33044/training-feat-exam-requirements-information

What are some tips and advice you would give someone taking FEATs {L} or {W}?

Ensure that you use all available sources on forums, and take your time. Always think twice or thrice before answering and be concise as much as possible. From personal experience, do not give up! If you struggle with any of them, I do recommend getting help from OOT&E either through the forum message they sent your exam in or by requesting OOT&E PE via #office-requests.

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Have you ever wondered who is in charge of FEATs {L} and {W}? I got together with a member of OOT&E to explain more about it. 

What is OOT&E and what do they do?

CW5 Sorraia: OOT&E is the Office of Operational Tests and Evaluations. Depending on what division you are in within the office depends on what you do. I am apart of PE with is Personnel Education so I am responsible for FEAT {L} and FEAT {W} exams. We grade these exams and host counselling sessions for those who are struggling.

Ah yes, speaking of FEAT {L} and {W}, do you have any tips and advice for someone taking them for the first time?

CW5 Sorraia: Take your time. Use all resources that are available to you, these are included in the enrolment letters sent to you by our team. Don’t rush through the exam, it’s not a race. Read questions carefully, and multiple times before answering them. Double and triple check answers before sending the exams in.

How about someone that is struggling? I know from personal experience that it is okay to ask for help.

CW5 Sorraia: Reach out, this is what we are here for. Send myself or my XO a DM and we will get you enrolled in a counselling session. We are here to see you PASS. We want to help make your journey a successful one.

What should someone do if they’re afraid to ask their XO or CO for help?

CW5 Sorraia: Don’t be. We rise together, we fall together. No one will ever be left behind. We also do reach out if we see someone struggling and will send you an invite to counselling. Counselling is not forced, but if you are struggling these sessions can really help you.

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Make the leap and take the lead!

by _StarLord_

In this article, I would like to briefly explain about OSP&C’s FOLP, also known as the Future Officer Leadership Program. FOLP is an improved and advanced version of the Officer Shadow Program. It has a total of 4 phases and each phase has an activity that will be completed with coordination of both the WO (mentee) and the Officer (mentor). These 4 phases include manning the Officer Command Position, a critical thinking exercise, a Q&A session with mentor, and a seminar hosted by one of the mentors. The phases in this program will let the Warrant Officer get the gist of the duties of an officer including handling HQ operations, how to work under pressure, and even building the relationship between our Officer and WO corps. The Future Officer Leadership Program is managed by the DASD SP&C, and overseen by the AD and Director of OSP&C.

The program works like the JNCO Mentorship Program; you will be assigned to a mentor and they will reach out to you as soon as you are assigned to them. You will go through the phases and after finishing the program you will receive a graduation letter. The FOLP will take 2 weeks to complete. Warrant Officers and Commissioned Officers are welcome and encouraged to apply to be mentees and mentors respectively.  

As you enter the program, a mentor that is close to your timezone will be assigned to you. If you are interested in joining this program, as a mentee or a mentor, follow the link attached below. The link will redirect you to the FOLP briefing thread where you can find more information about this program! Remember you must be at least W3 If you would like to join this.

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One kick is all it takes!

by Eliza4Forever

Before we begin, could you give us a brief introduction about USDF Titans to our readers?

CW5 domdomds (Titans coach): The main idea behind Titans is to bring together some of the more football enthusiastic people within USDF to have fun and learn new skills within the game. We have members of all different time zones and skill levels, so it’s just a fun way to bond and to gain valuable teamwork skills, whilst playing a game we all love.

To start off with, what made you want to join?

CW5 domdomds: I’m quite an avid football fan in real life, and since returning to USDF in 2019, I wanted to make it my goal to get on the team. I had applied in my first stint here but didn’t manage to make it to any sessions – so this time around I was determined. I knew a few people who already played for the team too, so I thought I might as well go for it. I hadn’t played Habbo football at all prior to joining so it was all a new experience for me, but definitely a fun one.

CWO5 Im__Batman: Back in 2016/2017, I was over in USM and was a part of their equivalent of Titans and I loved it, so of course eventually I had to join the Titans here.

Colonel idolyainerz: Branch Wars 2020 got me interested in joining Titans! I attended one of the Marines’ football practices for a BW Game before, and I enjoyed playing it so much. I got to join the Titans Academy and eventually Titans with my friends too so it was really fun to go play with them.

Gen -I-Bella: I joined more than 3 years ago for the first time. I think other people convinced me back then because I didn’t really know how to play Habbo football. This wasn’t a problem and they all helped me a lot. I returned to Titans after I was on R2 because I enjoy the team spirit and it’s a very fun environment!

Mr. IonDABeast: I am a huge fan of football IRL, so having the ability to play really got me interested.

CWO5 SuperMarioZ17: Honestly, I am interested in Habbo Football. I have seen people playing football, and they showed incredible skills especially in dribbling and teamwork! I was attracted to that. One day, I saw titans playing against the other agencies. The game was great, they performed amazingly which made me want to join the titans and learn from them.

Who did you play against in your first match, and what was it like for you?

CW5 domdomds: My first match was actually on the .nl server, although I’m struggling to think who against (it was so long ago). Back then we had quite a few members so we were in various leagues for different kind of skill levels. This .nl league was different to the way we would usually play, with different rules and such, but I hadn’t had much experience in any game anyway. I actually ended up getting Player of the Match in this match which was a huge surprise, but it was pretty cool seeing all these fans from both USDF and the team we were playing all saying congrats etc.

CWO5 Im__Batman: My first match in actual titans was SWAT, and very recently. I didn’t play, personally, but from watching, it was eye-opening. Dom’s a great GK and I learn from watching, but SWAT was on another level. It made me realize if I’m gonna start a game, I need to get better.

Colonel idolyainerz: I remember my first match was a friendly game with an agency, but I don’t recall who it was sadly. I remember I was teamed with PearIyn and CheesyRyan, which lessened my nervousness in my first match. It was thrilling and exciting because it was the time for me to show off what I have been learning throughout the practices, and I didn’t want to let the team down.

Gen -I-Bella: I honestly don’t remember much about that. I just know I was very nervous for matches against agencies before.

Mr. IonDABeast: I believe it was a match against the SS but I’m not sure. It was a very enjoyable, but intense experience. Especially as someone who was still relatively new to the game.

CWO5 SuperMarioZ17: First match was back in 2017 I believe. It was tough since it was my first time and I felt nervous when I was subbed on to play against Police Amsterdams (PA) from Habbo Netherland. From there, I have learnt to analyze and improve what to do to become a better player.

4. What is your favourite memory from being a member of the Titans?

CW5 domdomds: I would say getting that Player of the Match was a big memory, but also when we won the Flash Cup just before Habbo2020 was introduced. It was a big big tournament due to the changes that Habbo2020 was set to bring and so it brought together all the different teams for one “final” cup. We had some really good players and amazing team morale, and it all led to us moving through the competition. The final was tense but we managed to pull through, and it was a really great moment for us all as we all thought Habbo2020 would bring the end of Habbo Football. Thankfully it didn’t xD

CWO5 Im__Batman: Watching Sara frantically try to GK in practice.

Colonel idolyainerz: In all honesty, my favorite memory is having Titans Practices with all our Titans members, it brings out the best of everyone. As someone who doesn’t have a high caliber in football, I get the privilege to learn new skills and improve my performance from our pro players. Not only that, it builds team chemistry for the upcoming games.

Gen -I-Bella: I really enjoyed it when we had a match against MinDef on the Dutch Habbo server. They also had a radio broadcast and it was just a very fun match to play!

Mr. IonDABeast: There are way too many! A very memorable activity we had in the team was the “pre match rituals” where we’d gather at our field shortly before the game was scheduled and just went crazy & had fun.

CWO5 SuperMarioZ17: My favourite memory, when I was still inside of the academy. I have learnt a lot from there, the coaches were very sporting and always give tips or advice to ensure that we are performing well.  We do win a league as a champion, but I forgot what the league was. Pretty sure that’s the best memory I have from being a member of Titans. Also to add more, probably when myself and FeastBeast called as an unstoppable duo in the game where we had great timing on passing and scoring goals!

If you could describe your experience as a Titan within just 5 words, what would those words be?

CW5 domdomds: Uplifting, Enjoyable, Motivating, Entertaining, Fun.

CWO5 Im__Batman: Definitely a worthwhile experience.

Colonel idolyainerz: Hmm, that’s a tough one. I’d say: Determination will pay off success.

Gen -I-Bella: Team spirit, fun, sportsmanship, perseverance, entertainment.

Mr. IonDABeast: Enjoyable, Rewarding, Demanding, Intense, Memorable.

CWO5 SuperMarioZ17: I love titans, they’re amazing.

To conclude, what would you like to say to personnel who are interested in becoming members of the USDF Titans?

CW5 domdomds: To definitely go for it! Me and Sara are always looking for new members to teach and involve in what we do. It doesn’t matter about your skill set or how much you know about the sport, we’re here to help you! If you’re looking for some fun, team based activities to improve various valuable skills, Titans is the place for you – we’ll be waiting for your applications!

CWO5 Im__Batman: Go for it. You don’t need to be an amazing player. I’m on the main team yet I’m still learning to play better. Don’t be scared of the team, half of us are harmless.

Colonel idolyainerz: Go for it. Joining Titans is also a good way to destress from all the USDF workload, and at the same time you get to develop your skills and friendships. Don’t worry if you think you’re not good enough, nothing hurts to try and we will help you improve 🙂

Gen -I-Bella: Don’t let thoughts like ‘I don’t know how to play’ or ‘I’m not good enough’ hold you back! There is enough time to learn and it’s a great way to meet more people in USDF and relax!

Mr. IonDABeast: I encourage you to try. The key to success is dedication and hard work, practicing on your own and outside of the schedule will help you improve significantly. Best of luck and I can’t wait to see you on the field!

CWO5 SuperMarioZ17: Hello Team! If you are interested in becoming members of the USDF titans, you definitely should join! Even If you are not confident, there is no need to worry, since you will be trained well and learnt a lot there.  If you like Habbo football, join us! We will train together and most importantly we’re having fun here!

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#20Questions with the DepSecDef

by Jayceei

Today I have decided to sit down with one of our finest National Security Council members, Mr. TheRealMatrix. Gathered here today we got a 20-question interview to get to know our beloved DepSecDef better. Without further ado, let’s start!

1. How did you become the DepSecDef?

TheRealMatrix: I became DepSecDef after Icerz retired, after a long journey of 3 years and a half. As to how as in the specific process, I’m not sure other than the fact I was chosen by the SecDef.

2. If you weren’t the DepSecDef here, what would you be doing right now in terms of USDF?

TheRealMatrix: I’d probably still be National Security Advisor, mainly because I have a love-hate relationship with the role itself.

3. What surprised you the most about getting your current position?

TheRealMatrix: The amount of responsibilities that stack up along with the oversight and involvement across all portfolios. We have 476 channels on the main server alone, over 300 others on the command server.

4. Who’s the most important mentor you´ve had so far in your habbo career?

TheRealMatrix: I can’t narrow it down to any specific person, really. I know it’s meant to be the most impactful, but there’s genuinely no singular person that’s played a role in my growth here

5. What is your proudest accomplishment coming from an enlisted to 2ic?

TheRealMatrix: Draining the swamp… of Habbo. Illegal Warfare is the most ridiculous practise to exist on Habbo and people who exercise it tend to be inferior or even ignorant in the art of intelligence and warfare. Cutting corners always leads to failure, and that’s why we’ve constantly won various “cold” wars in the past 3 years without actually being in the state of war-time. In a nutshell, I’d say my proudest accomplishment is securing our repeated victories.

6. What’s the most unbelievable thing that’s ever happened to you in terms of Habbo?

TheRealMatrix: I’d say the rap battle fiasco in 2019, my raps went viral and I got invited to this public Habbo rap battle where I dropped some bars on people I didn’t even know and got called a Habbo Shakespeare. Whether that was an insult or compliment, I will never know.

Very interesting getting to know our DepSecDef better in terms of Habbo and USDF. Let’s expand this knowledge as we move on to some other questions getting to know him more as a person.

7. Moving on to something non-habbo related, if you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

TheRealMatrix: Either something off a BBQ or just plain cheese pizza (Pizza Margherita). Meat is good, has protein and you genuinely can’t develop a balanced and nutritious eating diet without it. Meat and vegetables are necessary for human beings. As for pizza, I just really love it.

8. If you could have superpowers, what would your ideal one be?

TheRealMatrix: Invincibility without weaknesses or crutches. Once they can’t kill or harm you, everything else is possible.

9. What is your biggest fear?

TheRealMatrix: Not doing enough in life.

10. What would you change about yourself if you could?

TheRealMatrix: Nothing. I have no regrets so far.

11. Do you have any hidden talents, or any surprising hobbies?

TheRealMatrix: I like to read, write and cook. I’m talented at all 3 – or so I believe.

12. What do you find the most funny?

TheRealMatrix: Dark humor, edgy memes and the sheer stupidity of online bullies.

13. Do you consider yourself a clean or messy person?

TheRealMatrix: Clean for sure, hygiene is important to me.

14. If you had a glass in front of you, would you say it’s half full or half empty?

TheRealMatrix: Half full. To have a cup that’s half empty means you filled it to the half, therefore incompletely filling it to the brim. But to have a cup that’s half full, it means it was complete at one point and you drank or lost half, so you refer to it as half-full because it did mature to fullness. – But that’s just philosophy.

15. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

TheRealMatrix: Introvert, most likely.

16. What’s the weirdest compliment you’ve ever gotten?

TheRealMatrix: Haha well that one is very easy but it’s also very inappropriate so I’ll pass on answering that.

17. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

TheRealMatrix: Never assume your predecessors have done their due diligence, always be pro-active.

18. If you had a warning label, what would yours say?

TheRealMatrix: WARNING: HIGHLY FLAMMABLE

19. If you were to describe yourself with one word, what would it be?

TheRealMatrix: Pragmatic.

20. Who is the best question asker?

TheRealMatrix: It’s me for sure.

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A High School Romance

by Promptis

It was the first day of University at Seoul in Korea and Mark was already in class, except it was the beginning class so they were not being taught. It was awkward; it is the time when everyone hangs out with mates and talks about boring stuff. Everyone had mates apart from Mark, he had always been a loner in class and mostly kept to himself and kept his head down and studied hard.

5 minutes later, a head teacher and a student came into the room, ‘Who’s he?’ Mark thought. Mark guesses he was new to this school; the head teacher started talking to the new boy and then left the room. Marks’s teacher said, “Silence class, I have an announcement to make.” At that moment, everyone was quiet. “This is our new student; would you like to introduce yourself?”

“Uh, hello I’m Donghyuck Lee. It’s nice to meet you all.” The boy said. Donghyuck had brown hair, it was not that short and was not that long, but it was not girly it was boyish a bit, but also girly at the same time if that makes sense, he wore glasses and wore a purple jumper and black pants, he smiled at the end of his sentence.

“I hope you will enjoy this class, Donghyuck. You can sit next to Mark.” The teacher said. Donghyuck came and sat over next to Mark, “Hi there. Welcome. I’m Mark, and if you need any help ask me.” Donghyuck nodded, he did not say anything, just nodded his head.

Mark felt happy for once in his life, like he had just made a new friend. And maybe this is how it is supposed to be.

“Mark Lee please come to the head teacher’s office.” The speaker said. I groaned, way to interrupt my conversation with Donghyuck. It had been two weeks since Donghyuck and I had met and now we are excellent friends, I was right about making a new friend. “See you later?” Donghyuck asked, I nodded “of course.” I waved off and walked away, heading towards the teachers’ office, I finally got there and knocked on the door, and heard shouting saying ‘Do come in.’ so I did. As soon as I got in there, I sat down on the chair, and we talked… the head teacher and me. Donghyuck also got summoned a few minutes after.

All he said was I need to improve my grades and then sooner or later Donghyuck came to the office, he looked shocked he did not even know why he was here. “Donghyuck and Mark, I hear you’re great friends, yes?” The head asked. We both nodded, “good because I see that Donghyuck has excellent grades – almost perfect – so Donghyuck I want you to tutor Mark.” Donghyuck gasped and then accepted the request. We were told to leave, so we did, and as soon as we got out the room we stood near our lockers – because our lockers were so close together – and basically, we talked, I gave Donghyuck my address so he could come over and help me study and I gave him my number and then we left.

The bell rang a few moments later.

As soon as I got home, all that I was thinking of was ‘Donghyuck.’ I wonder if I like him. I mean I do not even know my sexual orientation… I do not know if I am gay or bisexual or just straight. I have dated a girl before but that was ages ago.

A few weeks later, Donghyuck came over and help me studied a lot over the past weeks and I think I have developed a crush on him, I mean he is just too adorable, and I have to say he is fit as hell. It is random, but it feels right. You know? He comes over later today, so I guess I could try and make a move on him.

– 5 hours later –

Donghyuck came over with two pizzasc; heese pizza and a pepperoni pizza. “No garlic bread or chips?” Mark complained. Mark could not complain though, I mean he did not even say he was going to do this he just did, so yeah, I think it made Mark like him even more you know. They sat down and ate the pizza before getting out some paper and Donghyuck got out the textbooks. Luckily it was science night, so it was not that bad. “Mm, this pizza is lovely.” Mark spoke. Donghyuck nodded in agreement.

5 Minutes later, we finished the pizza and then got to work on studying, Mark tried to make that move and I put my hand on top of his hand, Donghyuck blushed but did not think about pulling anyway any time soon. The next thing I did was try and cuddle up to him. “Uh, Mark, are you okay?” he asked me, eyebrows furrowed.

“Yes, I am, why?”

“Because you’re being really weird…” Donghyuck said.

“How?” Mark asked.

“By all your weird flirty things.” He spoke.

“Oh, I see, sorry…”  Mark looked away trying to hide the sadness of my face. I did not think I was being weird.

“Uh… do you maybe like me?” Donghyuck asked.

“Yes, I do, and I can’t not admit it. As soon as you came into my class, I was gobsmacked because of how beautiful and adorable you was. I am sorry if I am being weird, but I like you in a love-romantic boyfriend way. And I know that you do not like me the same way, but I think I love you.” Mark said, blushing. His ears and face went bright pink. As soon as he said that Donghyuck picked up his stuff and left the house… he never said anything to me ever again.

Well actually, I never saw him again. It is like he moved school.

I think he may have gone… my first ever friend.

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Those were the days!

by pikasyu

Those Were The Days

And the future holds many more.

It’s time for your soul to rest – amidst the dust…

Along the edges of the wooden chairs

and over the xoxos on your favourite desk.

A tear grazed the cheek of your homeroom teacher

As he said, “I can’t wait for what the future holds.”

With every breath, he choked…

And with every smile, he cried.

The chalk stopped making screeching sounds

The pens stopped dropping on the floor

The rustling of books every Monday morning –

singing songs of forgotten homework and unorganised folders

The clocked ticked even louder

The hallway screamed in silence

And keys on the Principal’s belt as he walked down didn’t scare you anymore.

But then he choked again,

and you held your breath.

And the chorus of tears created a surround sound in your brightly lit classroom.

Yearbooks were passed down

And the pens dance a little swirl, an extravagant dash and a defining dot.

The defining time.

The defining moment.

Of the end of your journey.

But then the bell rang, your soul came to rest

In the favourite corners of your school

And the bell rang once again – you look up onto the ceiling

Yet – and yet again…

From the corner of your eyes you could see him leaning on the door

As if he wanted to block the cheers and the tears of the children leaving

As if he wanted to stay another year and go through the turmoil again

But he smiled.

Those were the days,

And the future holds many more. 

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The Reader’s Corner

by Eliza4Forever

“Remember who the real enemy is.”

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is the second book of the Hunger Games trilogy written by Suzanne Collins in 2009. This book serves as a sequel to the first book in the series ‘The Hunger Games’, and a prequel to the third and final book of the trilogy titled ‘Mockingjay’. Catching Fire tells the story of the protagonist Katniss Everdeen’s life shortly after she, along with her ‘star-crossed lover’ Peeta Mellark, were crowned victors of the 74th Hunger Games.

We are first introduced to the events that occurred before and during Katniss’ and Peeta’s Victory Tour, along with some indications of uprisings happening within each district. Believing that Katniss’ victory in the previous Hunger Games somehow inspired those uprisings, President Snow threatened the lives of the people she loved. 

Later, it is revealed that for the third Quarter Quell (also known as the 75th Hunger Games), tributes will be chosen from an existing pool of victors from each district – an act that is directly targeted at Katniss as she will be the only female victor alive in District 12. The book will go on to describe the 75th Hunger Games from Katniss’ point of view. Some of the scenes described were personally difficult for me to read, as I tend to avoid reading books that contain violent and gory material. Despite this, Catching Fire, along with the rest of the Hunger Games trilogy were one of the few books containing violence that I am willing to read, and this is all thanks to its eye-catching storyline and the character development that is involved. On a lighter note, my favourite tribute of the third Quarter Quell would have to be Finnick Odair from District 4, who was the victor of the 65th Hunger Games.

One thing I love about Catching Fire is how much Katniss’ relationship with Peeta developed throughout the story. Earlier in the series, Katniss truly believed that their relationship was nothing more than just an act. But as the story goes on, Katniss’ belief is challenged and both would eventually recognise the bond that has developed between the two. I also love how Haymitch’s role has developed from being a complete alcoholic to being a complete alcoholic who offers good advice and really cares about both his victors.

Overall, despite some gory descriptions that would sometimes make it hard for me to read,  it is inevitable especially for a book that is literally about sending young adults to an arena to fight to the death. Therefore, I would give this book a 10/10 for the amazing plots, character development and the many unexpected twists that will keep you hooked and second guessing what will happen next.

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Back to School Bento Box Recipes

by chiari.cord

Bento boxes are the go-to option when it comes to preparing a school meal. These are organized lunch boxes, filled with small sized food which you can open and eat anywhere you are. During the time between classes, you don’t want to be carrying a whole ten course menu for yourself, so these can be an extremely convenient option, they are easy to fit in backpacks, and include the right amount of food to keep you with energy for the whole day. I’m sure you don’t want to miss out, so today we brought some ideas to take on your way back to school!

Overall, there are some things you want to keep in mind when preparing a bento box. Firstly, keep it balanced, the idea of this is to keep you going for the rest of the day, so make sure to use ingredients and recipes which will give you enough energy. Use vegetables, fruits, and carbs in your meal! Then, you will also want to make it simple. After all, the idea is for it to be a quick meal. I recommend you to use recipes which are easy to eat (for example, a sandwich), and which can also be eaten cold, so you don’t waste time heating up the food.

So, now that we know these things, let’s get into making the box! The steps to follow are:

1 – Pick a box: This might seem like an easy step, but you have to stop and think about what you want to include in it. If you want to add a lot of food, try going with a bigger one. However, maybe you’re planning to eat less, then a smaller one would fit it. What you have to do is to plan ahead, and see which will fit your food the best.

2 – Prepare your food: As it was said before, try making dishes which can be eaten cold. For example, you have vegetables (both raw and cooked) which you can make into a salad or as snacks (like carrot sticks). You can also use other snacks, like nuts, seeds, or salt crackers. Another idea would be to use proteins, like chicken bites, or small meat pieces.

3 – Create your menu: Balance the proportions of your ingredients to have what you need from each of them, and keep it delicious. You can also guide yourself on how the box looks, using appetizing bright colors. This can be done with the use of lots of vegetables and fruits. Organize your food, and just have fun preparing it!

We also have some suggestions for you to prepare a full bento box. These are the following:

– As the star of your box, you can have a ham & cheese sandwich. You might want to add some fresh vegetables to this, like cucumber slices. Lastly, add some good fruit in there, such as watermelon or some apple!

– You can start off one with a salad. Add whatever you want here, I also recommend trying cold pasta, because when you mix it with vegetables, it tastes amazing. As a side food, maybe cut and include little cheese squares for you to have. Finish this box with some good yoghurt as a quick dessert!

– This one will require more preparation, but you can do chicken wraps with vegetables, slice them in half and put it in your box. These would go great with some cherry tomatoes, as well as some salt crackers. End this meal with some grapes, and you got yourself some lunch!

Evidently, bento boxes are really easy to make. They don’t require much, only creativity to come up with good food combinations. Going back to school can be stressful, so having a quick and easy to prepare lunch will definitely take some of the worries away. Try making these boxes, see what you can come up with, they are really nice and will take you out of a hurry!

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Back to School Rebus

by koleq

Guess the missing words in each line based on the image clues provided to you. When submitting your answers, submit them in complete sentences with the missing words included.

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Editors	,-Spell eyeFad Nichilismo
Writers	,-Spell _StarLord_ chiari.cord claryboy2109 Eliza4Forever eyeFad Jayceei koleq pikasyu Promptis
Designers	,-Spell (Layout) ExtremexX (Cover)
Artists	_StarLord_ cagliore chubbycheeks549 chiari.cord DaesungLover koleq pikasyu TageAQ