Superb Super Bowl Commercials

Super Bowl 50 was played on Sunday, February 7, 2016, ending with a 24-10 win of the Denver Broncos against the Carolina Panthers. With superstar Lady Gaga acing the National Anthem, and Coldplay, Bruno Mars, and Beyoncé rocking halftime, over 114.4 million people watched this historic game. While many watched the football game for the game itself, many others watched solely for headline-making, exclusive Super Bowl commercials. With many companies devoting millions of dollars for a thirty second ad, they are always sure to please.

Although this year there weren’t any heartwarming ads about lost puppies or puppy/clydesdale love, there was an ad featuring lots and lots of puppies. Heinz Ketchup’s Super Bowl commercial featured many Dachshunds, adults and puppies alike, dressed as hot dogs. These dogs proceeded to run towards a family of Heinz ketchup, mustard and other condiments, jumping on and licking them and having fun. Heinz celebrated this ad with the hashtag #MeettheKetchups.

#MeettheKetchups. Photo courtesy of Google Images. 

Another favorite commercial of mine was the NFL’s “Super Bowl Babies” music video. The NFL isn’t a regular sponsor of the Super Bowl commercial-wise, but in honor of Super Bowl 50, it created a cute music video. It starts with Super Bowl Babies born in 2008 wearing New York Giants hats, scarves and coats and the words “Data suggests 9 months after a Super Bowl victory, winning cities see a rise in births. They’re called Super Bowl Babies.” The video proceeds to show Super Bowl Babies of an assortment of victory years and a few “Super Bowl Parents.” It was a cute little testament to past Super Bowls.

Super Bowl Babies 2008. Photo courtesy of Google Images.

In my third favorite commercial, by Hyundai, actor Kevin Hart acted as a father whose teenage daughter was going on a date. He let her date take his car and tracked them all around town while they were on their date. He followed them to the movies and to the fair, even spying on them from a helicopter. The commercial made me and the entirety of my Super Bowl party attendants, a large portion of whom are parents, laugh very hard.

Kevin Hart, acting as a concerned father, spies on his daughter while she’s on a date. Photo courtesy of Google Images.

Coming in at a very close second, the Doritos “Ultrasound” commercial also made it on the list. In this commercial, a woman is going in for an ultrasound. Her husband stands by her side eating a bag of nacho cheese Doritos. On the monitor, we see the baby reaching for the husband’s Dorito. The husband moves the Dorito around, making the baby chase after it. The mother eventually takes the Dorito from her husband and throws it across the room. The baby proceeds to follow and everyone, the mother, father, and doctor begin to freak out.

My number one favorite commercial was the Mtn. Dew Kickstart commercial entitled “Puppy Monkey Baby.” It featured a hybrid puppy, monkey, and baby that crashes an apartment. All the hybrid says throughout the commercial is “Puppy Monkey Baby” and, at one point, licks the face of one of the men in the apartment between words. It’s a mix of terrifying, strange and cute; and in my opinion, is absolute perfection.

I adored the Super Bowl commercials this year, as I always have. They were a joy to watch and the game would not have been as fun or entertaining without them. From touching, to funny, to creepy, there was certainly a commercial for everyone.

Love Is/Isn’t in the Air

Every year, a holiday both hated and admired rolls around to spice up the level of affection in our day-to-day lives. Some fall under the spell of Cupid’s love arrow, while others mock the idea of the holiday.

If you haven’t guessed, I’m talking about Valentine’s Day. So whether you’re a lover or a fighter, you can still make Valentine’s Day fun no matter what!

For those who are in love with love, Valentine’s Day is a sweet treat. It’s the perfect opportunity to spend time with people you deeply care for and perhaps show your love through gifts, words, or food. You don’t have to buy a whole store to show someone that you love them. It’s all in the little things.

However, if you do have some cash to burn, you can get fancy with the person you wish to spend the day with. “You can dress up, make reservations and go on a nice date. Just remember to treat yourselves,” says Leah Arisman, a SHG junior.

If you don’t want to go on the classic dinner date, you can be creative and do something different. Get together and go ice skating, take a walk around downtown or cruise around the city.

You can also have a comfy/movie day, go hiking (if you’re into that), go bowling or even make dinner for each other. The choice is yours!

The day doesn’t have to be too elaborate to be romantic. If you’ve been dating your significant other for a while, perhaps go back to the same place you had your very first date and recreate it.

Make sure you take pictures with your significant other as well. When you look at the picture, it will just be another reminder of how much you adore them.

Presents are, of course, very sweet to give, but hard to find. I personally don’t believe that the price of a gift matters. I think what matters most is the thought put into it. Make the present yourself, or get your significant other a goofy present that possibly represents one of your inside jokes.

The key to having a great Valentine’s Day, whether elaborate or simple, is to make sure you have fun and show your appreciation for one another. This is the day to celebrate your love. Make sure you seize it!

Bree Derhake, an SHG senior loves when Valentine’s Day rolls around. “My favorite part of Valentine’s Day is the chocolate. My boyfriend and I go to Olive Garden and then a movie just to spend some quality time with each other,” Derhake says with a smile.

While there are people like Bree who celebrate Valentine’s Day, for others it’s just another day. To many, Valentine’s Day is overrated and overhyped. However, you can still have a good day even if you reject the holiday.

When Valentine’s Day presents itself, you don’t have to conform. You can have a day to yourself. You can buy candy (not any kind that is heart shaped or pink), take a bath and have a little spa day. Absolutely do not wear any red or pink on Valentine’s Day.

Of course, listening to sad music about how love is only a myth is a definite must. The ultimate goal is to avoid love at all costs. Just stay strong and you will make it through this horrific day.

One of the best things you can do is bum around and watch movies all day. Of course, these movies can not be in the same category as “Love Actually” or “The Notebook.” Watch an action or horror movie instead and invite your friends over who reject Valentine’s Day as well.

SHG freshman Matt VonBehren says, “I don’t make it a big deal, but I hang out with my friends and eat candy. It’s just fun to hang out with people you care about the most. It doesn’t have to be a big deal.” So just gather your girls or your guys and simply have a day of fun just like any other.

Whether you love or hate the day, Valentine’s Day is about spending time with the people that matter most to you in this world and showing them just how thankful you are that they are part of your life. XOXO. 

Celebrate and spread the love in every way possible this year. Photo courtesy of Google Images. 

Ain’t No Party Like a Cyclone Party

My friend, Zoe Nelson, and I at this year’s City, celebrating our final year together. 

As a Cyclone throughout my entire high school career, my favorite part of all four years was City Tournament. With my love for basketball and student sections, I had always looked forward to the excitement that enchants each game.

From learning the poms dance to buying all three of the designed shirts, everything about it made my level of happiness soar to the sky. However, that’s all over now.

I will never be able to look forward to those riveting three days. All I can do now is look back. As I think about my past few city tournaments, I recall many details that made each year so memorable.

My freshman year, I had not a clue about what was so fascinating about city tournament. I remember awkwardly standing up with the poms during study hall, practicing strange choreographed hand motions and rethinking my buying of city tickets.

During freshman year, we used towels as our props and danced to the song “And We Danced” by Macklemore. I was so determined to learn the dance and I thought I would be shamed if I didn’t know it on the spot.

At the beginning of my first city game, I felt super uncomfortable. I was nervous about knowing the dance and remembering all of the cheers. Fortunately, everything worked out perfectly. I swung that towel around like my life depended on it.

I instantly began to fall in love with City Tournament. Sophomore year, I was ready and still nervous about remembering the dance routine. Since I was a sophomore, my class had better seats. Teachers quickly handed out our designated prop for the year which was a white pom pom.

However, I pulled a classic Kate move and wore five inch wedges to city, which made jumping around and standing very uncomfortable. My best piece of advice I can give is: do not wear heeled shoes to city.

My junior year at city was one of my favorites. This was the year our dance routine was choreographed to the song “Everytime we Touch” by Cascada. That year our prop was the flashlight sequence on our iPhones. It looked like an electric light show from afar.

The night of our dance, one of our rival teams learned that we were using our flashlights as part of our dance. So what did they do? They all turned on their flashlights and waved them around right before our dance. This enraged me. But who did it better, am I right? I think our spirit award from last year shows it.

Now we reach the end. This year I barely knew the dance and I blame that on senioritis. During City this year, I would look back on the freshman and just smile. I smile because I know that this is only the beginning for them.

This four year tradition imprints itself in your memory. It will be something I’ll always remember when I look back on my high school days. Cyclone Nation lives on in my favorite memories.  

My buddy, Emily Osowski, and I took this picture together at 2015 City when we were Juniors.

Valentine’s Day Origins

From ancient Roman ritual to Catholic feast day to extremely commercialized holiday, Valentine’s Day, February 14, has centuries old roots. How did this romantic holiday become what it is today?

The Catholic Church recognizes a Saint Valentine, or Saint Valentinus. Legends surrounding “the original” St. Valentine are still shrouded in mystery. One legend is that St. Valentine was a priest in third century Rome. Emperor Claudius II ruled that Roman soldiers fought better if they were single, so he outlawed the marriage of soldiers. Valentine secretly married young soldiers. When Claudius discovered this, he put Valentine to death.

Another legend says that Valentine helped prisoners escape Roman prisons. According to history.com, “an imprisoned Valentine actually sent the first ‘valentine’ greeting himself after he fell in love with a young girl…Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter signed ‘From your Valentine,’ an expression that is still in use today.” No matter what the legend is, St. Valentine is normally associated with love.

There are two stories surrounding why Valentine’s Day is celebrated in February. Some people believe that it is celebrated on the day of Valentine’s death or burial sometime around 270 AD. Others believe that it was created in an attempt to “Christianize” the Roman festival of Lupercalia.

“Celebrated at the ides of February, or February 15, Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus,” says history.com. Roman woman who were gently hit with the sacrificial goat skin on that day believed that they would become more fertile. This pagan celebration later became Valentine’s Day. Photo courtesy of Google Images.

Lupercalia was a Roman fertility celebration in mid-February on which “priests would sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification. They would then strip the goat’s hide into strips, dip them into the sacrificial blood and take to the streets, gently slapping both women and crop fields with the goat hide,” says history.com. This would promote fertility in women and good fortune for crops that year.

At the end of the fifth century, Pope Gelasius outlawed the “un-Christian” celebration, and declared February 14 Valentine’s Day.

The Valentine’s Day as we know it today did not come about until much later. Today, we think of February 14 as a day of gift giving and Valentine’s Day cards. The oldest known Valentine’s Day greeting cards appeared in 1415. Now, these cards are essential for the day to be celebrated.

Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the United States, Canada, France, Mexico, Australia and the United Kingdom. Among Americans, the popularity of exchanging gifts and cards started in the early 1800s. By the 1900s, printed cards started to replace handwritten ones due to printing technology. Today, Valentine’s Day is the second largest card-exchanging holiday (Christmas being the first).

Next time you by a card or ask someone to “Be your Valentine,” remember that this day has a lot more history than you might think.

Teacher Appreciation Day

Catholic Schools Week, the first week of February, ends with Teacher Appreciation Day. When we all leave high school, we will have that one teacher we will never forget. Since we are still in high school, we can use this day to remember some of the best moments SHG students share with their favorite teachers.

“A favorite memory of mine was with my theology teacher, Mr. Blum. He’s a hockey fanatic and a lot of the girls in my class wanted to make a girls hockey team. We made a deal with him that if we got 25 girls to agree to play, he would coach us. We got a roster of 27 girls and decided on the team name The Blumblebees.” –Freshman Julia Curry

Rihab Habibi, an SHG chemistry and algebra teacher, helps junior Kate Janes with a question. Photo courtesy of SHG yearbook.

“Mrs. Habibi once sprayed a naughty kid with a suspicious liquid. It turned out just to be water.” –Sophomore Chandler Hady

“Well, freshman year, Mr. Zanger was teaching us about gravity and he spread his legs out and told someone to push him over, because when you have a wide base you generally won’t fall. Then he completely wiped out and he hit his head on the bottom of the desk. It was probably the funniest thing I’ve ever seen.” –Junior Alin Cetindag

“The best memory I had at SHG is being around Mrs. Cavanaugh. After having her around in grade school, it is nice to see her again in high school. She always has something nice to say and always wrote funny and encouraging notes on my drawings.” –Junior Andy Johnson

“I’d have to say that a favorite memory with a teacher would be Mr. Martin’s Sporcle competitions. I’d look forward to his class everyday because no matter what kind of day I was having, his class just made it 1,000 percent better.” –Senior Paige Ulrich

I dump ice water on my old English teacher, Linda Smith, for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Photo courtesy of Sabrina Johnston.

My favorite memory was sophomore year. I was chosen to dump ice water on my freshman English teacher, Mrs. Smith–we call her Smithl–for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. It was great because I looked up to Smithl freshman year and it was for a good cause. Also, everyone wants to dump a bucket of freezing water on a teacher’s head, no matter who it is.

These stories along with our own experiences will stay in our minds for years after we leave SHG. We leave this school not only with knowledge, but also memories of our teachers and the relationships we had with them. For that, I believe all of the SHG students are thankful.

All Good Things Must Come to an End

2015 was a year full of odd weather trends: from a suspiciously warm winter to having a pile of snow in Boston, Massachusetts that didn’t fully melt until June. Although being able to not have to lug around a heavy winter coat this year was nice, these comfortable winter temperatures do not come without future consequence.

“It has been an unusually warm winter,” said Jake Crouch, a climate scientist at the National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. “The Northeast region had their fifth warmest December on record, and January has been warmer than average,” he told the website, OurAmazingPlanet.

One of the possible effects of this very comfortable winter could be an itchy summer. Freezing weather kills off bugs, but they were able to multiply during the winter, leaving the US with more bugs than previous years. “The mosquitoes and fleas will also most likely be out and pestering everyone much earlier in the year” said Crouch.

Many animals have also been rather confused by this weather. According to Fox News, “Officials said the spring-like weather is throwing off the animals and they are getting a jump on things they shouldn’t be doing for another month.”

Animals that come out of hibernation too soon will have an incredibly hard time trying to find food for themselves. They won’t be able to find food because although the weather is warm, it is not warm enough for plants to bloom leaving the animals without berries, nuts, or any other foliage they typically eat.

Due to the shortage of food for the animals that come out of hibernation early, there has been an increased rate of animals found in residential areas. This doesn’t sound like a big problem but the animals such as bears, are not used to seeing humans so they are unpredictable as to how they will act.

              Although these weather changes have been much more comfortable and warmer, they may make for uncomfortable summers. If these temperature trends continue, they will change the typical summer/winter most Americans know forever.

An Unforgettable Adventure

The weekend of January 15-17 was filled with magic. Harry Potter was the theme for Sacred Heart-Griffin’s 2016 Snowball, and the school was transformed into Hogwarts. I, a major fan of both friend-making and the world of Harry Potter, found the experience enchanting.

Having never gone to Snowball before, I was nervous, but I soon became very comfortable with the people around me. I was surrounded by so many people, people who were and were not fans of Harry Potter.

The Snowball decorators spared no detail for the theme of Snowball: Harry Potter. Photo courtesy of Sabrina Johnston.

“I was ecstatic to learn that the theme was Harry Potter,” said senior Snowball leader Lauren Briney. “I’m a big fan of it and the way the co-directors mixed the theme in with normal Snowball made it all the more exciting.”

After a few fun games and a brief assembly, the students were sorted into one of the four Hogwarts Houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. I was sorted into Slytherin, which was awesome.

The classrooms were decorated to look like many of the rooms in the wizarding world, including: Defense Against the Dark Arts, Flying 101, Herbology, Potions, Astronomy and many others.

Aside from the fact that the four “houses” were competing to win, I made many new friends and got to know old friends even better. By participating in the activities we did, I learned so much about others and myself.

Motivational speaker Yahya Bakkar shares his story with the Snowball participants. Bakker has been speaking at events like these since 2011, at places such as Harvard University, TedX and Georgia Institute of Technology. Photo courtesy of Sabrina Johnston.

Over the weekend, along with enlightening speeches from the Snowball co-directors, there were two guest speakers. The first, a motivational speaker named Yahya Bakkar, told us about his rollercoaster life and how he made himself the best person he could possibly be.

The other speaker, singer Jessie Funk, explained how to keep “toxic” people out of our lives and how to surround ourselves with “breathers,” or people who “breathe” life, happiness and encouragement at us.

Although Snowball gets very personal, the leaders and participants were extremely understanding and comforting. The experience was uplifting to me. “I’m glad that they are comfortable with telling me about themselves and I’m happy I experienced it. It’s definitely one of the saddest parts,” said Briney.

Snowball was filled with many games, including Honey, I Love You and Quidditch. Briney’s favorite moment was “when we were playing a game called Tackle Tag. Everyone was clearly having tons of fun, and after a few hours we decided to switch games. Everyone was a little reluctant at first, but when they realized it had been two hours their reactions changed because it only seemed like thirty minutes.”

Boys play Harry Potter Quidditch in the gym at SHG’s Snowball. Photo courtesy of Sabrina Johnston.

When it was time to leave, many hugs were exchanged and memories retold. This year’s Snowball was filled with skits, singing, laughter and tears. This is one experience I will not forget.

I am going to go to Snowball next year and I encourage everyone to go. “I am totally going to Snowball next year,” said freshman Grace Conlon, after experiencing her first Snowball. “It was so much fun and I loved meeting so many new people.”

Panic! for this Amazing Album

Filled with songs spanning many genres, “Death of a Bachelor,” the fifth studio album by American band Panic! at the Disco, definitely made an impression. P!ATD fans have waited three years for this album to release on January 15, 2016. “Death of a Bachelor” songs range from catchy melodies like “Victorious” to spooky tunes like “Emperor’s New Clothes.”

Panic! at the Disco’s previous album, “Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!,” was released in October 2013. This album was clearly defined as party music, inspired by dance and hip-hop music. The songs of “Death of a Bachelor” however, cannot be defined as one specific genre.

P!ATD’s latest album, “Death of a Bachelor,” was released on January 15, 2016. Photo courtesy of Google Images.

Brendon Urie, the lead vocalist and sole member of Panic! at the Disco, said that the “Death of a Bachelor” album was made “in honor of those times I spent alone as a kid. Allowing music to consume me.” This album is a compilation of all the music that Urie wanted to write and listen to.

“Emperor’s New Clothes” has an obvious Halloween vibe. This song was released in October 2015. The song speaks of “taking back the crown” and rising above your enemies to power. Once I listen to this song, along with almost every other song of the album, it gets stuck in my head. With such a unique, repetitive sound, and a solid rhythm, I catch myself singing this song all the time.

The fast-paced song, “LA Devotee,” always makes me want to dance. Living in a fast-paced city (Los Angeles) and trying to keep up and thrive in it is the theme of the song. In the ever-moving world we live in, this song is one I can relate to.

“Don’t Threaten Me with a Good Time” is an alternative-rock song in the album. The cool and catchy tune keeps me singing this song all day, with its easy-to-remember lyrics and a guitar melody that is similar to Fall Out Boy’s “Uma Thurman.”

The main and most important  song of the album is, obviously, “Death of a Bachelor.” Brendon Urie dedicated the song to his wife, Sarah Urie, and to Frank Sinatra, in memory of his 100th birthday. Urie described the song as “very Sinatra-esque…with this beat that sounds like Beyoncé’s ‘Drunk In Love.’” I could not agree more. The unique, jazzy feel of the song along with the modern beat makes it memorable and stand out from the rest of the album.

With so many genres to choose from, “Death of a Bachelor” is an album that is always exciting and entertaining.. Filled with so many different and exciting sounds, “Death of a Bachelor” has a song for every mood you are in.

New Year, New Me?

Every January 1, people around the world celebrate the start of the new year. Some promise themselves to change for the next year, so they can be happier or so they start their year on a good note. But are these resolutions really necessary? Do they make a difference?

A young onlooker watches the festivities of the 2016 New Year celebration in New York Times Square. Photo courtesy of Google Images.

Many people believe that New Year’s resolutions are an essential part of the New Year tradition and for the beginning of the year. According to a recent poll on statisticbrain.com, roughly 45 percent of Americans make New Year’s resolutions and 17 percent infrequently make resolutions. Senior Jake Melton described resolutions as “fundamental to the improvement of the individual, be it physical or mental.”

Melton made a resolution to attempt to stay close to his best friends at SHG after he graduates. Resolutions do not have to be difficult or stressful. As long as a goal is set, it can be accomplished.

However, many people do not make New Year’s resolutions. Whether for personal reasons or the belief that resolutions do not change people, 38 percent of Americans never make goals for the new year.

I personally know many people who did not make resolutions. In my friend group, over half of them did not make a resolution. “Usually when I make them, I don’t follow them,” said junior Calyn Reardon. Of all the Americans who make resolutions, eight percent will succeed and 49 percent of them will infrequently accomplish their goals. Although Reardon did not make a resolutions this year, she still thinks that they are important “because they motivate people to set goals for themselves.”

So why make a resolution? People who make New Year’s resolutions are 10 times more likely to accomplish their goals than those who do not make resolutions.

New Year’s resolutions are good for everyone. It is fun to set goals and it is satisfying to achieve them. Not all goals have to be set at the beginning of the year, so enjoy 2016 and set some goals for yourself.

Triple Overtime Triumph

Pictured: KU’s official 2015-2016 team poses for a group photo inside of KU’s home court, Allen Fieldhouse. Photo courtesy of Google Images.

An intense night full of anticipation and team spirit occurred during the Kansas vs. Oklahoma college basketball game on January 4 2016. This basketball game was not like any other.
Both teams were competing to be number one in the nation. The competitive attitudes obtained that night led the game into triple overtime. The final score was 109-106 with Kansas for the win.
The epic basketball game occurred at Allen Fieldhouse, the official home court for the Jayhawks. In fact, the Oklahoma Sooners haven’t won a game at Allen Fieldhouse since 1993.
In the first half, Oklahoma pulled ahead thanks to shooting guard Buddy Hield who lead the Sooners 22 points ahead with three assists. The Sooners were looking at a victory until KU guard Wayne Selden obtained a steal, following with a dunk and three-pointer. Selden began to lead the Jayhawks to victory with the score now at 65-51.
“Sports Illustrated” writer Brian Hamilton tweeted, “I could be good with clearing the floor and just letting Buddy Hield and Wayne Selden just play to 21, win by two.”
Oklahoma then began to pull ahead; however, this did not stop Kansas, who gained eight points pushing the game into a tie with only six minutes left.
KU player Devonte Graham obtained a great defensive play that lead the game in another tie with 72 points each, following a timeout. The night was only getting started.
The Sooners tried to break their losing streak at Allen Fieldhouse, but by the end of the game KU and Oklahoma were tied once again due to Hield shooting two free throws, leaving the score at 86 points, entering the first round of overtime.
The first round of overtime was in the Sooners favor, leading the game by five points. Sam Vecenie of CBSSports.com tweeted, “Buddy is unstoppable. He is not human. He has become a machine.”
KU redeemed themselves when Graham scored and KU senior player Perry Ellis shot a three-pointer, leading the game into another tie. This called for a second overtime.
At the start of the second overtime, both teams defensive players traded out due to extreme exhaustion. Selden and another KU player Frank Mason III missed a shot running into another tie, and another overtime.
The Jayhawks began triple overtime leading 102-98, until Hield shot a three-pointer, then Selden shot to obtain a winning score of 106-104.
The Kansas Jayhawks won 109-106, thanks to three overtimes, moving the game 55 minutes longer than planned and Mason shooting two winning free throws. The Oklahoma losing streak at Allen Fieldhouse has yet to be broken.