Category: opinion
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NFC Playoff Predictions
Now that the regular season has ended, the best seven teams in the NFC can finally show who is the best. With the Eagles clinching the conference, they will start their first game in…
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AFC Playoff Predictions
As the 2023 National Football League regular season ended, the playoffs began. Starting on January 9, each team will compete in head-to-head matchups, and the winner of each game will advance to the next.…
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Movies I’m Excited for this Year
As we enter a new year, that means many new movies. Franchises like DC, Marvel, and John Wick will release new films this year. I am very excited about the new movies this year.…
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What’s Wrong with UNC Basketball?
UNC Men’s basketball is one of the most successful athletic programs of all time, and there are plenty of great players and hardware to show for it. Over the years, the Heels have racked…
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Should we Stand for the Pledge?
In West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette, the verdict was that being forced without choice to stand for the flag for the pledge violated our First Amendment, freedom of speech. Even though we…
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My Favorite Christmas Movie
My favorite Christmas movie is The Holiday. Including aspects of romance, drama, comedy, and a little bit of mystery, The Holiday is the best Christmas movie. The Holiday shows two storylines; Amanda Woods’ and…
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Gaming Systems
Gaming systems have existed since 1972, and each company branches out to create the next advancement. In today’s world, the most popular gaming systems include: Xbox (Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S,…
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Hey, Hanukkah Exists, Too!
The Christmas season is difficult for Jews. With TV shows, radio stations, stores, and even teacher’s classroom decorations turning their attention towards Christmas, it is easy to feel forgotten. For years, this feeling has…
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Winter is the Worst Season
We all have our favorite season, for some of us it is spring or summer, but if yours is winter you are just plain wrong. I mean what does winter even have: daylight savings,…
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College Football Playoff Predictions
The college football playoffs take place on December 30, at 4 and 8 PM EST. The four playoff teams include Georgia (1), Michigan (2), TCU (3), and OSU (4). OSU will take on Georgia…
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Open Letter: Teachers, Not Everything Needs to be an Art Project.
As of late, many teachers from different subjects have assigned art projects or crafts in order to make their classes more interesting or interactive. While I appreciate the effort, I personally do not believe…
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Second Quarter Burnout
As the second quarter begins, many students now face the task of the looming end-of-semester tests and grades. As grades are being finalized and teachers are handing out report cards, students are scrambling to…
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Recreational Marijuana Legalization
Recreational marijuana is currently legal in twenty-one states out of the fifty states in the USA. The debate about whether or not it should be legalized has been ongoing since the Colonial Era. The…
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Safe Sex
Safe sex is not being taught well enough to help teens avoid unwanted pregnancies. Parents and schools do not properly educate teens on the dangers of sex, and also how to stay protected. If…
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Should Exams Be Before Winter Break?
Students at high schools with block scheduling, who have exams for the first semester must take them after winter break. Students have to take exams after winter break because of the 2012 senate bill…
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Taking the PISA Test
Have you ever seen those little graphs on the news that compares the United States’ education to other countries’ education? Well, that’s what the PISA test is for: it’s to gauge how well the…
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Motivational Posters at Leesville
Georgia Weaver, senior, explained she never has an opportunity to read the posters; therefore, she often overlooks them. “The hallways are too crowded to stop and read them,” Weaver said. She only gets glances…
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Converse are the Best Shoes for Students
Converse are the perfect shoes for day-to-day student life. High school students have school, jobs, and other extracurricular activities in their daily schedule. Comfortable and stylish shoes are necessary to be able to successfully…
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Students Hate Squishy Grapes
Grapes are a very popular fruit and are found at any local grocery store. They are affordable, tasty, and versatile. Coming in a variety of colors, flavors, and sizes, grapes provide the perfect fruit…
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The Best Halloween Costumes
In the autumn, everywhere I look on social media I see people showing off their Halloween costumes. This year Stranger Things, Witches, House of the Dragon, and Minion costumes are the most popular. Student’s…
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Challenges of Sports Outside of School
It can be extremely difficult to be a part of a sport that isn’t associated with your school. Students who participate in extracurricular sports outside of school are often forced to drive long distances…
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Colleen Hoover’s Books are Alarming
Colleen Hoover is an awarding-winning author whose books blew up on TikTok. She writes a variety of genres, but her most successful books are romance. Even though her books are very well-loved, there has…
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Fall Is The Best Season
Out of our four seasons, there’s a clear winner as to which one is the best. As leaves turn bright orange and red, temperatures drop, and pumpkin is added to the menu, it’s time…
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Being Queer at Leesville
Being Queer at Leesville means that the boys in the back of your classroom make f-slur jokes because they know you’re gay. It means that people are constantly talking behind your back about who…
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VOTE!
I don’t know if you’ve ever heard former President Obama’s famous saying: “Don’t boo, vote.” There is so much whining and booing and complaining about Biden or the Republicans. But the attacks and complaints…
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The Twilight Saga is the Best Fall Movies
Starting September 22 of every year, Twilight movies are the best movies to sit down and enjoy for fall. Consisting of Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn Parts 1 and 2, the Twilight…
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Nannying in High School: Pros & Cons
Nannying can provide a steady income and experience for high school students without the added pressure of an establishment job. Nannying or babysitting provides an easily accessible way to make money without the responsibility…
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Kanye West Controversy
Since Kanye West’s breakup with Kim Kardashian, he has made bold claims towards people and/or individuals. He’s targeted people such as Kim Kardashian and the Kardashian family, Kamala Harris, and other rappers. He also…
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Panic Point
In 2011, two business partners, Brian Garff and Geoff Huguely, decided the Raleigh area could use a Haunted Attraction. Looking to find a location to build on, a landowner in Youngsville, NC agreed to…
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Mad Ethel: My experience with a tattoo
I had been interested in tattoos and had wanted one since before I could remember. I spent hours researching tattoo designs, tattoo shops, and even the places I could get it that would hurt…
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My experience doing a 7-day dopamine detox
This week I challenged myself with a dopamine detox. During a dopamine detox, you stay away from stimulating activities that cause an excess of dopamine. This floods the receptors making you desensitized to normally…
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October Surprises
We all knew it would come, but we couldn’t have known what it would’ve been. After months of relative stability in the race for Congress, multiple candidates on both sides have been hit with…
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Senoritis
The term “senioritis” is characterized by a lack of motivation felt by students who are reaching the end of their courses. Although this usually will occur during a seniors second semester, the laziness may…
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Album Review: Midnights
Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated new album, Midnights, came out at midnight today, October 21. The 13-track and 44-minute album received a 100/100 score from The Independent the day before its release, so I have…
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Leesville’s Favorite Halloween Movies
Boo! It’s fall again, which means apple cider, voting, haunted houses, and of course scary movies. Horror is a classic genre of film. Most point to the 1930’s Frankenstein movie as the birth of…
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My Experience at a Democratic Fundraiser
This past summer, I started working at an E-commerce company called Murphy’s Naturals. They are located near the Loading Dock coworking space, where I met some amazing people. Patrick Buffkin – a lawyer, city…
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Rex Orange County Charged with Sexual Assault
On October 9, Rex Orange County, a famous English alternative singer, announced that a London court charged him with six counts of sexual assault (SA) in June. Rex, whose real name is Alexander O’Connor,…
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Is the PSAT Worth Taking?
The Pre SAT is widely regarded as the first step into the world of college standardized testing. Many students take the exam as preparation for the SAT, but in recent years, the test’s importance…
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Bring Back Asynchronous Days
It is no secret that the pandemic COVID-19 disrupted learning in school systems across America. During the 2020 and 2021 school years, during asynchronous learning days, Wake County gives them the opportunity to go…
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What it Means to be Hispanic
Being Hispanic is hard to define, each Hispanic defines who they are different. Being Hispanic means a shared similarity between people, and who they are. We share food, music, clothing, and traditions, and we…
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Pep Rally 2022
Leesville Road High School held its first pep rally since my freshman year. As a 14-year-old, fresh out of middle school, the homecoming week’s hype was unmatched. Between the pep rally, spirit week, the…
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Siblings: The pros and cons
Since I was born, there have been many people in my life, but few have had an impact on me as much as my sister. She truly understands my school, home, personal, and many…
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Best Lunch Destinations For A Lunchers
Controversy arises of whether or not 10:30 is an appropriate lunch time for students. Either kids are not hungry at this time, or it seems like there is nowhere close enough nor open to…
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Test Taking
Like skills are needed to make the most out of your life. The most critical life skills to have are communication and interpersonal skills, decision-making and problem solving, creative thinking and critical thinking, self-awareness…
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Star Wars Disney+ Content is Back!
Disney isn’t controversial, but their recent treatment of Star Wars certinately is. Destroying the character of Luke Skywalker, killing the legacy heroes of the Original Trilogy, and creating an Anakin Skywalker wannabe who is…
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The Brutal Summer Campaign
What a summer. This one was a treasure trove of political news and developments that culminated in the unofficial kickoff on Labor Day. But the campaign got way darker before then. Roe v. Wade…
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Fix your strategy, Democrats!
Everyone that knows me, knows I’m a Democrat. I have one thing to say to my party: get your act back together Democrats! For over 60 years, the Democratic party dominated in manufacturing and…
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The Simpsons: My Octopus and a Teacher
After the death of Marcia Wallace on October 25, 2013, The Simpsons retired her character of Edna Krabappel. She played a cynical, chain smoking fourth grade teacher from America’s longest running comedy. Bart Simpson…
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Prom Night
Junior Class Council traditionally plans for prom night festivities. The Marriott also usually provides a venue for prom. Planning the theme was one of the easier parts of the process. “We dedicated a council…
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An Ode to Dolly Parton
If you were to ask the average 18 year old who their idol is, they would probably say something along the lines of Harry Styles or Emma Chamberlain. However, I believe that everyone in…