Paw PrintThe

JSerra Catholic High School Volume 39 • April 2016

JSerra Catholic High School • 26351 Junipero Serra Road San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 • (949) 493-9307 • JSerra.org

#1 In the Nation,#1 In Our Hearts

by Ivan Altimirano and Ryan Sánchez

continued on page 2 continued on page 3

Students Are the Key to Spirit and Fun by Julia Sanchez

America’s favorite past time now returns to our day-to-day routine. With the professional teams already staring their Spring Training in Florida and Arizona (go Yankees!), JSerra Boys Baseball is not far behind. The boys have started off the season with success after being named #1 team in the nation, surpassing both Orange Lutheran (#25) and Mater Dei (#6).

Their pre-season play began with a big win over Tesoro High School with a final score of 8-1 in the Frank Lerner division Newport Elks Tournament championship game. During the game, seniors Andrew Swanson and Davis

Chase Strumph

Over the years JSerra has been evolving and growing into a larger, more ingrained school. As our school has become more established, so have our traditions and events, such as Fat Tuesday, Snow Day, the Senior Catalina

Trip, the Peru Trip, multiple Spirit Weeks, the Lion Report, and our sport Pep rallies. Yet despite this, there is a perception by some students that our school lacks the “fun” that other schools apparently seem to have. Of course, this

is a matter of opinion, but it does bring up a point: what can students do to make JSerra even greater? “Mrs. Vandenberg and I, as the ultimate ‘approvers’ of school activities,” said Mr. Stroupe, “are far more likely to say ‘yes’ to student ideas than ‘no!’ That being said, the ideas for fun activities need to come from the students, not us middle-aged administrators. I recall meeting with ASG back in the fall where they wanted to talk to us about doing more ‘cool’ things on campus. My mantra to them was, ‘give us ideas to work with.’ “Mrs. V and I are eager to approve fun stuff, but we have to have proposals brought to us, not vice versa, and students have to follow through on

Page Two

Staff

Paw PrintThe

Ivan AltamiranoEmily Gloyne

Molly HarmonHanna McCutcheon

Julia SanchezRyan SánchezJadyn Zielinski

Mr. Jeff Kahl, Advisor

Students Are the Key to Spiritcontinued from page 1

JSerra’s Summer Abroad program is an opportunity of a lifetime. Our school offers students the opportunity to travel the world with their peers and experience a different way of life

that others live in other parts of this world. In the past four years alone, JSerra students (including administration and teachers) have traveled to China, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Peru (a part of the missionary trip), Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. When in a specific country, the students learn about that country’s art, history, architecture, local religion, and literature. In addition to this great learning experience, JSerra offers this program for academic credit. This summer, there are two different countries that students have the opportunity to travel to: China or Italy. The Italy trip is from June 5 to the 18. Students will stay in cities such as Naples, Rome, Florence, and Venice, all in a two-week span. They will be able to see monumental sights and places such as Pompeii, the Coliseum, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, and so much more. The dates for the China trip are from June 6 through the 19. Students will explore China’s greatest sights and cities during the two-week stay. Cities will include Beijing, Xian, Hangzhou, Xitang, Suzhou, and Shanghai. Students will be able to see the Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square, Tiger Hill, and the Qing Dynasty Guo Zhuang Garden.

JSerra’s 2016 Summer Abroad Program

by Hanna McCutcheon

their end of the bargain. School spirit, to be meaningful and sustainable, must be student generated.” It becomes clear that, perhaps, it’s not the amount of events that JSerra has, but more the failure of current students to live up to “the JSerra spirit.” “I have been at JSerra for all thirteen years,” Mr. Stroupe said, “and I remember years when all basketball games were standing room only and ‘Lion Nation’ was in full effect, similar to our home football games the past two years. Perhaps the team leaders of the various sports need to twist arms to get their fellow Lions to the game. Or, perhaps, we just need that seminal student leader, like Will Teah of a few years ago, who can stir up Lion Nation. The point is, no one was saying JSerra wasn’t fun a few years ago when basketball games were packed with rowdy students having a blast.” So what can be done to restore this sense of spirit? One suggestion is to have new events that could become JSerra traditions. Examples might be food-truck Fridays, music lunches, or Sport vs. Sport day, where all sports teams get together and compete against each other in various activities on the field. The main way to reach our full potential as an already

fascinating school is through student participation. As students, we are the actual people who experience the school; it’s up to us how we influence our spirit and enjoyment at JSerra. If we can spark and maintain this excitement at games and events, we can restore the glory of Lion Nation.

Last year the swim program won the CIF state championship. What will this year hold? With the season

just starting and new athletes on the team joining the r e t u r n i n g athletes we are looking

forward to winning again this year. I recently asked Coach Kevin Clements some questions about how the swim program here at JSerra is doing: 1. How is the varsity doing so far this season? The team is doing very well and swimming above expectations. Thus far we have either matched or swam faster than some of our best times from last season. Our numbers are looking good and the culture of the swim program is coming into its own, creating a positive and supportive environment. 2. What is the main focus for the team this season? Our focus is always on improvement. We will have representation at CIF from both the boys and girls teams, but the success of our program is measured by how much everyone can improve individually. This will help build our depth and create a winning environment for all. 3. What are the goals that you have for the team in the next four years? Increase our numbers by providing a positive, supportive, and competitive environment. Doing this will aid us in creating a formidable program within the Trinity League and CIF. Ultimately, be in a position to win Trinity League and CIF on both the boys and girls teams. This season looks like it’s going to be great, so come out and support the team!

SportsJSerra Swimming

by Jadyn Zielinski Wendzel led the team in hits, with Wendzel contributing two RBIs, and Swanson with two base hits. On March 16 the team had the opportunity to begin league play against St. John Bosco at Angel Stadium. They came out victorious with a 7-0 win. With third baseman Royce Lewis, Brady Shockey in center field, Chase Strumpf at shortstop, and Collin Quinn on the mound, JSerra looks stacked against the competition. All the potential and promise displayed during pre-season looks like this season isn’t one to miss. Senior Andrew Swanson has played for the JSerra baseball program all four years of his high school career and said, “Our biggest competitor this season is going to be Orange Lutheran, but all league teams are going to be a threat. We were ranked #1 in the nation for several weeks

last season, too. It took us a long time this season to get the same ranking. Our reputation is high because of Coach K’s tenure and the influx of Division-1 athletes.” Andrew laughed as we spoke about the seniors this year, remembering a moment when, “Brady couldn’t hang out because he had a meeting with the Red Sox. This is a

special team that has many different pieces that makes it dangerous. Each player can play past high school in some way, if they choose to. Also, look out for Collin Quinn to get the call (from college) because I believe it’s coming.” When asked what to look for this season, Andrew said, “Spectators should expect some of the most exciting high school baseball available. There are players of a certain caliber here that you would be hard-pressed to find anywhere else. It is a fun team and we enjoy the support.”

#1 In the Nationcontinued from page 1

Collin Quinn

Campus MinistryStubenville Youth Conference

by Emily Gloyne

Over the summer students from our school travel to San Diego, for three days, to a Stubenville Youth Conference. High school students come from across the country to have their faith awakened and their hearts enlightened through a personal encounter with Jesus. There are a total of 23 conferences across the nation and over 54,000 teens gather to grow deeper in their faith. Each year Stubenville provides a different theme for their conferences. This year’s focus is “Thirsting for God.” Just before Jesus died on the cross, he said “I thirst.” Jesus wasn’t speaking about being thirsty for something to drink, but thirsting for souls. Stubenville wishes to help teens recognize that Jesus yearns for our souls and wants teens to quench his longing at their conference. JSerra students stay in dorms at one of the colleges in San Diego. They pray, worship, listen to seminars, and create lasting relationships. The summer before my sophomore year, two of my friends and I went to Stubenville on a whim. My friend’s sister had been before and really encouraged us to attend. We went with an attitude of wanting to grow closer to God and also wishing to have fun. At times, the conference was overwhelming, but it was also a very powerful experience. Some moments that struck me the most were the speakers’ messages and the time of worship. It was

really profound to see how God made an impact on all 5,000 students, all in one colosseum. 5,000 teens seems like a lot, but in the scheme of life, that’s very miniscule. I never truly began to understand Christ’s impact until this experience. I also really enjoyed the different talks each day. The presenters were personable and compelling. Their stories were very impactful. Even though the weekend is “jam-packed with Jesus,” everyone also has a lot of fun. I roomed with five girls and every night we ordered Domino’s to the dorm room; eventually everyone else caught on and did the same. I created a lot of great

memories while developing a relationship with God. It was a really memorable weekend and I encourage other students to go out of their comfort zone and go this summer.

When speaking with Miss Riley about why students should go to this summer’s conference, she remarked, “It’s a week of just fun! It’s a very upbeat gathering of a bunch of young people from all over the place, that will never meet again. It’s very unique to see the universal church come alive. It’s not just sitting and

praying all the time. There’s tons of talks and breaks. It encourages you to make a lot of new friends with new people and grow in relationships you already have. It makes you ‘step out of your boat’ and get a little bit uncomfortable and take your faith to the next level.”

Opinions

The Paw Print welcomes reader feedback. Letters must contain your full name and grade level, or if a non-student, your full name and city of residence. Please e-mail Mr. Kahl at jkahl@jserra.org with a subject heading of “Letters to the Editor.”

Letters to the Editor

The opinions expressed here are those of the student journalist. They do not reflect the views of the JSerra faculty, staff or administration.

Watches Obsolete?

by Ivan Altamirano

Marriage

by Ryan Sánchez

When thinking about their future, most teenagers probably envision themselves settled down with a future spouse. However, the sad truth is that while most of us will find a partner, 60% of California marriages end in divorce. The institution of marriage, which is the cornerstone of society, has been under constant attack by modern culture.

The liberal zeitgeist of the 1960s and the push to break down tradition has had profound effects on American morality. The Sexual Revolution corrupted human relationships and contributed to the glorification of degeneracy in mass media. People are now marrying later, and more people than ever are simply never marrying at all. Not only has marriage itself been corrupted by divorce and media, the very definition of marriage has been changed. The long-held belief that marriage is between a man and a woman is now being challenged. This is a symptom of society’s refusal to believe in absolutes. Morality, instead of being based on religious truth and tradition, is now based on whether or not a given action makes people happy or not. By letting such an important thing like marriage lose its meaning and biblical basis, we shake the very foundations of our Western society and slide down that slippery slope towards total moral decay. It is imperative that we defend marriage and everything it stands for. Although it is tempting to give up the fight against what seems like an unstoppable societal

force, we need to keep standing up for what we believe in. The more concessions we give and the more we allow our religious traditions to be trampled on, the more problems we are going to have in the future.

Today, everyone has a phone that, along with so many uses, also acts as tiny clock that always rests in our pocket. Due to this, some wonder, are watches still relevant in this day in age? Well, yes, watches can beat your phone in many different aspects. Aside from looking great, it is much more convenient to just look at your wrist instead of reaching for

your pocket. Also, it is useful for knowing the time during situations where using your phone would be unacceptable, such as in class, during a mass, or in a meeting. During a conversation, it is extremely rude to look at your phone, yet a simple glance at your watch is no problem. Watches can also go into more intense environments than phone ever could; this why they are used during diving where the pressure would probably be too great for a phone. Along with this, watches are much more reliable. After a long day, your phone may die due to the usage, yet a watch will always have your back as they last for years. Checking the time on your phone can also lead to distractions, such as seeing the notifications on your lock screen or missed calls. This, of course, leads to a waste of time that could have been avoided if you just looked at a watch. The watch is something so practical and useful that it would be absolutely shameful if its use became obsolete by this generation.

OpinionsFinding the

Perfect Balance

by Hanna McCutcheon

A school’s sports and preforming arts program should be just as important as academics. Some think that academics are more important or the other way around. But a perfect balance of the two programs can make a school strong and have its students dedicated in all aspects. Sports are not just for “jocks” and academics are not only

for the “nerds.” A well-rounded student has both a high GPA and preforms well in his/her specific or multiple sport(s) or arts program(s). I believe if a school values both programs on an equal level the school can only benefit. Sports, for example, unite a school. When a team is doing well the entire school joins together to cheer on their team. By bringing everyone together it creates a stronger sense of community and pride. When a school has those things, students feel more dedicated to their school and want the school to prosper because they care. Sports bring a competitiveness that is good for the school; a school’s student body all works together to help the school win. Everyone wants to be a part of the winning school and, with sports, a school can achieve that. Many sports, if not all, require athletes to maintain a certain GPA. This only encourages students to do better in school to be able to play sports. It’s a win, win. Now, I also respect all the performing arts programs because they also contribute to a school’s pride and accomplishments, just as sports do. Academics are vital to a high school career, but without extra-curricular activities, a high school wouldn’t be as memorable or fun, in my opinion. All extra-curricular activities should be just as valued as academics to make a school a better place.

When I came to JSerra six years ago I could not have imagined how much my faith would be deepened. I began to attend daily mass in the chapel, although, I must confess there are times when I would love to hit that snooze button. Attending daily mass helps to center me and give me a sense of peace to begin my day. I’ve had the opportunity to experience many retreats, including Kairos. These are always highlights in the school year. On Kairos, I have give the “Life Graph” talk; it’s an opportunity for me to tell my story, including my faith walk. This is very cathartic for me as I’m able to talk about times that my faith was “tested,” and how trust in our Lord brought me to a place (JSerra) and a profession (teaching) that I could not have imagined earlier in my life. Kairos has allowed me to share with students the idea that God does have a plan for each of us, even though, at times, we wonder why. I know the good Lord had other plans for my family and me when he brought my husband home to him 18 years ago. While I would give anything to have him back, the change of direction in my life brought me to JSerra and has allowed me to work with so many amazing students, parents, and colleagues. Another faith-filled experience JSerra has afforded me is the opportunity to visit Peru. I just completed my second missionary trip there and I can honestly say these trips have changed my life. I am so grateful to serve and look forward to many more years of building homes, schools, delivering clothes and food, and so much more! I want to encourage all students to attend retreats; you will be amazed by how much your faith will be deepened. I also highly recommend going to Peru. It is truly inspiring to work with people who have so little, yet are so happy. You will receive so much more from this trip than you can give. There are so many opportunities for faith formation at JSerra, all of which are good for feeding the soul. Attend retreats, XLT, and TNL! Get involved in a discipleship group! Go to daily Mass! Become a missionary! Feed your soul!

Feed Your Soul!by Donna Vandenberg

Head of Student Affairs

OpinionsUnreasonability Behind

Standardized TestingSenioritis:

Fact or Fiction

by Julia Sanchez

Senioritis: The ‘fictional’ disease that effects seniors in high school’s second semester. Seniors are approaching their final three months on campus. The new uniform for most seniors is a college sweatshirt and some slippers. Teachers have simply dubbed it as an excuse for seniors to be lazy once they enter those final

months. In my mind, senioritis is the culmination of four years of testing, quizzes and research papers bringing us to a breaking point. Graduation is just around the corner and it is the only cure. Last week my mom and I talked about my final grades and how they still matter, which they do. The word, ‘senioritis’ was uttered more then once and it got me thinking. Is there really such a thing? Do seniors really start asking themselves if it is all really worth it? Quite honestly, I sit in my car on my drive to school and think about all the lectures, tests and notes waiting for me once I get there. On every Thursday block day, the senior lot is empty at the beginning of second and empty again after lunch for those who have a free seventh period. Wait until the end of May because that lot will be empty. By now, we all basically know where we’re going to college. I find myself thinking about freshmen orientation, meeting my roommate, and going to packed football games. I’m not trying to defend our laziness as a grade, but really, how would you feel knowing you’re so close to graduation but are still inundated with work every night? I’m not necessarily supporting not doing your homework or not studying anymore, but I am trying to give the not-so-fictional senioritis an explanation. Just think about it. What would you do if you were us?

by Emily Gloyne

Throughout my years as a high school underclassman, I was always warned about the “dreaded” junior year. All the upperclassmen would talk about how difficult and time consuming their junior years were. Now that I am two months away from completing my junior year and entering my last year at JSerra, I can attest that all the caution I received

proved to be very accurate. In my opinion, one of the most overwhelming aspects of junior year is preparing for and taking the ACT and or SAT test. Not only does the test appear as a great task to bear, but the preparation for standardized testing is unreasonable. It has come to the point that it is more about “figuring out the test,” rather than being a bright student, in order to receive a fair score. Parents spend outrageous amounts of money on classes and tutors. Students also devote too much time and effort into tutoring and completing work in order to “drill” the material into their brains. One of the most frustrating aspects of standardized testing is if you are not a great test taker, but you have a strong GPA, you’re at a crossroad. Colleges look thoroughly at your class load, GPA, and test scores. However, a lot of the time, a student’s GPA does not match up with his or her test scores. I know students who have scored well on either the ACT or SAT, but they devoted a tremendous amount of time to studying and preparing. That seems fair for their efforts, but it should not be that difficult to succeed on the test. I think standardized tests require too much time from the students, and parents spend way too much money in order for the student to get into the college of his or her dreams based on one test score.

OpinionsIs TV Stronger

Than Ever?Social Media Identity

by Jadyn Zielinski

by Molly Harmon

I think the TV set is not at its highest point. Now that we have phones, I pads, computers, etc., we are able to stream and watch our favorite TV shows on the go. This makes it easier for us to access. Now that we have Netflix we are able to catch up on your favorite seasons without having to record them. TV is falling apart and I assume that in the

years to come there will be no TV sets. Some channels are losing money because no one is watching TV anymore but are, instead, streaming it on there phones. Even sports are being watched on phones, too. TV is still being watched but only the shows that Netflix and other streaming websites don’t have. I rarely watch TV anymore; the only time I watch TV is when award shows come on or I’m bored. Also, another thing people use instead of TV is Apple TV, which is a TV but with apps. With these, you can watch Netflix, Hulu, etc. You can also purchase TV shows or movies. This is more convenient for people who are busy and only get to watch TV sometimes. In order for TV to be able to be watched more television manufacturers need to listen to the customers and focus on what they do different than what Netflix currently does. TV needs to be better and mobile because, with TV, you can only watch at home while all these other devices you are able to watch on the go. I personally wouldn’t see the difference if TV went away. I feel like if they work on some improvements I would probably watch it more than I do now. We will see because maybe in the next four or five years there will be no more TV sets.

Today’s youth is the first generation able to become completely different people. Social media sites have enabled people to orchestrate how others perceive their lives. Whether it be how many followers one has, if their photos are cohesive, or even if he or she has an acceptable “follower ratio,” social media standards are becoming too

much to handle. I am not immune to this shortcoming, but I have definitely made an effort to stop giving my phone screen power over my life. I think that the current millennials need a reality check. Up until this year, I’ll admit that I dedicated way too much energy into how I edited pictures and tried to create the most clever captions possible. This, however, made me miss out on the experiences of which I took these pictures.Memories are meant to be cherished with the people we care about, not flaunted to people who have no role in our lives. I understand that social media has made it extremely easy to network and make business connections, but it shouldn’t be a way to determine self-worth. The fear of missing out, also known as FOMO, is a real issue as a result of these pressures to have a presence on social media. People feel excluded from a picture of an event they didn’t even know about, and soon compare their complex lives to those of others’ profiles. I don’t think that everyone should delete every online account they have. In all honesty, it’s nice to see what friends are up to once in a while, especially ones I won’t see next year in college. I’m just trying to say that social media profiles should be on the bottom of anyone’s priority list. Let’s focus more on the world in front of us, without the barrier of an iPhone.

Our World“Honor Killings” and the Power of Film

Very rarely do legal loopholes exist that allow thousands of murderers to entirely escape punishment. Yet, since ancient times, hundreds of thousands of self-proclaimed “honor killers” have enjoyed impunity for what they call “honor killings”: culturally or religiously-motivated acts of violence against females accused of bringing shame upon their families or community. In 2014 alone, over 900 Pakistani women and girls fell victim to such killings. Globally, about 5,000 women are killed in the name of honor each year. Shockingly, many human rights groups agree that many more killings actually take place yet go unreported because most attackers are family members. Even the murders that do get reported often result in no more than a small fine. How is this possible? In Pakistan, due to a legal loophole, there exists only one stipulation for the release of a convicted honor killer: the victim’s family need only formally express forgiveness of the perpetrator. Until recent years, the issue of honor killings, typical of many cultures within the Middle East but particularly prevalent in Pakistan and India, remained largely avoided and unaddressed. Family and community members often find it easy to turn a blind eye to the flagrant injustices because they are often the perpetrators. Moreover, survivors are rare and often remain silent to escape further violence. Yet recently, news of the horrors and realities of modern honor killings has surfaced due to the courage of survivor Saba Qaiser. Featured in Pakistani filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Oscar-winning documentary, Saba is a young Pakistani woman whose father and uncle attempted to kill her after she eloped with an “unsuitable” man. Pressured by male elders, Saba formally forgave her culpable relatives in court and they escaped punishment; along with thousands of other men guilty of killing or attacking “dishonorable” female family members, they went free. This incident serves as merely one example of a twofold issue in the developing world: the execrable treatment of women and the subsequent impunity enjoyed by male perpetrators.

Researchers for a nonprofit American think-tank recently conducted a study on the specific reasons behind modern honor killings. They found that worldwide, 58% of honor killers exacted violence upon their victims solely because the latter were “too Western”; among other possibilities, the targets may have displayed too much independence or expressed desires to obtain a higher education. Honor killers also commonly cite incidents of female “sexual impropriety,” including rape, as justification for their crime. In other words, a sexually-assaulted woman may come under fire by her family for a coercive act entirely beyond her control. Moreover, any woman “on whom suspicion has fallen” can fall victim to an honor crime; even if she’s innocent, the family possesses the legal right to exact punishment for their tarnished reputation. Already, Obaid-Chinoy’s documentary on Saba’s story has had palpable effects on Pakistani society and politics. Upon watching the Oscar-winning film, Pakistani Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, expressed a commitment to “rid Pakistan of this evil” by “bringing in appropriate legislation.” This is the first and most essential step that must be taken to combat the rising rate of honor killings; the current legal loophole merely serves as a catalyst for perpetuated maltreatment of Pakistani women. Furthermore, societal attitudes toward honor killings must be drastically altered. In an age rightly valuing respect for and tolerance of diverse customs, cultures, and religious practices, it is important to differentiate the practice of honor killing from other unique, nonviolent cultural and religious acts. The spirit of tolerance must not be confused with turning a blind eye to barbaric acts that violate morality. Filmmaker Obaid-Chinoy exemplifies this necessity. Without her courage and initiative to capture the harrowing and very real effect of honor killings in Pakistan, the issue would not currently be at the forefront of human rights activism. Although she risked her reputation and even life by returning to Pakistan to document Saba’s story, Obaid-Chinoy’s powerful film has inspired thousands to take a stand against honor killings and demand punitive legislation worldwide.

by Kerry AshkenazeContributing Writer

MagnetsThe Business Magnet Program

Heads to the State Competitionby Sarah Abdeshahian

Contributing Writer

The JSerra Business Magnet Program attended the FBLA Southern Section Leadership Conference on February 6th, 2016 at Biola University. The entire program sat through the informative opening session before taking their respective tests. The students also had the chance to vote for the Section officers as well as taking part in the Shark Tank competition in the afternoon. We also came home with an abundance of winners and several State Qualifiers, who will be competing at the competition in April. Congratulations to the following students for qualifying for the upcoming State Competition:

• Sydney Reinart: 5th place in Accounting

• Logan Caroll: 1st place in Personal Finance

• Ian Yu: 1st place in Public Speaking II

• Nico Abusaid: 3rd place in Entrepreneurship

• Max Rist: 3rd place in Entrepreneurship

• Yifei Yan: 3rd place in Entrepreneurship

• Maclain Engels: 5th place in Management Decisions

• Josh Tackaberry: 5th place in Management Decisions

• Anthony Dejardin: 5th place in Global Business

• William Sandberg: 5th place in Global Business

• Terry Jan: 5th place in Global Business

• Sarah Abdeshahian: 3rd place in Sports and Entertainment Management

• Alden Hagopian: 3rd place in Sports and Entertainment Management

• Evan Nassar: 3rd place in Sports and Entertainment Management

State qualifiers will be competing at the State Leadership Conference in April. Some may even have the opportunity to compete at the June National Competition in Atlanta. Good luck to all of the Business Magnet competitors!

College PrepDorm Room Decor

by Julia Sanchez

by Molly Harmon After sending in your letter of acceptance seniors begin the fun part of heading off to college, finding a roommate and decorating their dorm room. It’s safe to say you’ve

called the same room ‘home’ for a long time, only to leave it behind as we move on to the real world of living alone. You won’t have your mom telling you to clean up or to

put away your clothes. It’s all up to you! But let’s not get too crazy here. I have to not only factor in the relatively small size dorms tend to be, but also that I will be sharing the space with someone else. Below I’ve put some tips on how to maximize your space so you and your roommate can live together in harmony. Good luck! 1. The Container Store is your new favorite place to shop. You can buy all the closet organizers, under-the-bed storage, and other bins to stay organized. 2. Investing in a dry-erase board or a chalkboard would help you and your roommate know each other’s classes and what you need to buy more of. 3. If you don’t have room for a bedside table, or want to leave that space open, use a mattress caddy instead. 4. Two words: shoe caddy. Since shoes take up a lot of space, you could buy a shoe caddy that hangs on your door, under your bed, or in your closet. 5. Learn to fold your clothes a new way. Rolling them up saves you a lot of time and a lot more space.

As seniors inch towards graduation, finding a college roommate is become more of a priority than it was at the beginning of the year. Searching for a potential college roommate can feel like a mix of speed dating and interviewing, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes exciting to meet people from across the country going to the same college as you. So, without further ado, here’s a cheat sheet of questions to ask a potential roomie: 1. What time do you go to sleep? This question might seem intrusive and even creepy at first, but it’s actually a really important thing to know. If you plan to go to bed at midnight,

and your roommate falls asleep at eight, there could be some problems. 2. What’s your major? Some people prefer to room with someone with the same major as them. This could make

studying easier and has potential for similarities off the bat. 3. How clean is your room? You’re going to be living in basically a shoebox for a year, so you want someone with the same level of organization as you. 4. What do you like to do for fun? This question is more about finding similarities between you two. If you like running or playing guitar, it could be nice to find someone with similar interests! 5. What are your study habits? You don’t need to always study with your roommate, but it’s good to know if they plan to study in the dorm or the library and if they study in complete silence or with music on.

College Roommate Questionaire

JSerra Catholic High School26351 Junipero Serra RoadSan Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDMission Viejo, CAPermit No. 5724

TNL.............................................................................................April 19 West Center Room and Chapel

Pops Concert.........................................................................April 22-23 Mariner’s Ocean Hills Church

XLT.............................................April 26 West Center Room and Chapel

Concert on the Quad - Instrumental Music Final Concert & BBQ....................................................April 30 JSerra Quad/Center Room

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