The Hethersett Press #3

Download Issue 3 of The Hethersett Press Read a text-only version of Issue 3:

Editor’s Letter

It's been approximately a year since the Hethersett Press kicked into full swing preparing its first issue. Back then, there were only a couple of students working hard to ensure a newspaper would be published. As I look back on that year, and everything that happened to the Press since then, I sometimes sit down and ask myself why the group has expanded so heavily? Fast forward to now, and you'll see exactly what I mean. An exceptional team of exceptional people of many exceptional talents, all coming together to produce something that can be described as, well, exceptional.

As I keep looking back, I think of how substantially the team has improved, and the difference it's made. However, not even two, three, or five exceptional people can produce something exceptional, we will need you and your exceptional talents to transform this paper into something truly special. Every single one of you has something to offer that will make our paper into something that you want to read.

So, check out this issue and see if this is something you want to support, add or change, and come along to GS on Fridays at around 2.50pm to join the team (and eat biscuits!)

Now, without further ado, lets skip the sales pitch and get right into it.

Roshan Deb, Editor

 

Meet the HP team

Editor: Roshan Deb

Illustrators: Sofia Everest and Hunar Kaur

Contributors: Ben R, Ben H, Lillie-Mae, Bella, Aisha M, Eva H, Alin F, Evie P, Isla H, Austin H, Eve G and Rosa M

 

To Grow Up – Year 9 Student

To grow up is a scary thought in life;

I’ll be dreaming about my youth for good

When I grow old, I’ll deal with strife

While thinking back to my childhood.

 

And so I will grow, I will reminisce

Of running and playing without a care

And remembering that life; it was bliss

Under the blankets with my teddy bear.

 

And so just as simple as life used to be

I know we all grow! It’s without a doubt

I’m looking at photos of younger me

Seeing different shapes; looking at the clouds

 

Younger self, excited for travelling.

Saying that the future is bright, dazzling.

 

The Big Issue: Banter or Bullying? – Ben R

Have you ever been with your friends and you are picked on constantly for something that you cannot change? Even though it might not bother you, this is bullying and we need to stamp it out, says Ben R in Year 11.

There is a fine line between banter and bullying. Banter will not result in mental health issues or a lack of motivation. Bullying is a form of discrimination and should not be tolerated anywhere or by anyone.

Discrimination amongst children. Is it really that serious? Won’t they just forget about it as they get older? Bullying is often put down to children lacking intelligence which leads to the wrong thing coming out of their mouth. Yet these discriminative remarks will almost definitely lead to setbacks in confidence and happiness for young victims. Consequently, more children might not want to come to school if it is an environment where they are bullied. And as I'm sure you are all aware, not attending school reduces the likelihood of success as you become an adult. Therefore, it is vital that no child should face any form of bullying inside or outside of school.

An easy fix to this issue would be for us to learn about discrimination from an early age. This will help raise awareness of the severity of bullying and help decrease the amount of children suffering at the hands of bullies.

Sadly, it is not just at school where bullying behaviour occurs; society is suffering from those who discriminate against others. While you might think that adults are intelligent, caring and mature, the sad truth is that just like children some adults let disgusting words escape from their mouths. This could be in the workplace, sporting events or in their family home. As a result, the dark and gloomy side of society begins to take victims. Suicide or drugs might be seen as a better option than facing "a bit of banter". No one should feel like this.

Due to these catastrophic consequences, more severe punishments should be put in place by governments to sure that using ugly language is addressed and stamped out before it can be detrimental to someone's mental health and cause further issues down the line.

 

Your Thoughts: How can you protect your mental health?

We can all struggle with our mental health from time to time so here are our thoughts on how you can protect your mental health and help others…

“Playing sports, going on walks, get a pet you can talk to, join a club, lift weights, do exercise, eat healthily and go out with your mates are all things you can do to improve your mental health.", Ben H, Y10

“Make sure you talk to someone you can trust if you are struggling with your mental health. If you protect your mental health you will feel a lot better about yourself.”, Lilly-Mae, Y10

“Screaming helps me channel any negative energy I have.” (Make sure you go somewhere where you are isolated and won’t get into trouble for the noise! LP), Bella, Y8

“Taking deep breaths and talking to people allows you to feel and acknowledge your feelings and get everything out of your head. Bottling up your feelings can lead to burn outs, even more stress, anxiety and depression.", Aiesha, Y10

Do you have anymore ideas about how we can all protect our mental health? Let us know your thoughts!

 

A letter to my Year 7 self

What is it like to start a new school? We have all experienced those first few weeks in Year 7. From the fear of getting lost or not making friends, to battling with the amount of homework, Year 9 students share the tips they would give their Year 7 selves as they start secondary school.

 

Dear Eva,

You started your first day almost two years ago. You're nervous, yet excited to start your first day of high school. After seven years at primary, you're now in a new place surrounded by new people and you're worried if you are not ready for high school. There are friend groups forming, you're drifting from your old friends and trying to at least keep a few friends you know. You think to yourself: 'what if I cannot make any new friends?'

A couple of years later you'll come to realise that you just have to push outside of your comfort zone to meet new people and make new friends. And you do that.

After your first year, you leave your old class for a new one, but your don't know anyone, so you make new friends and you finally understand making friends is the easiest part of high school.

While you are in Year 7, you'll meet one of your best friends simply because you sat with her a couple of times at lunch and on the bus. This was an example of pushing yourself out of your comfort zone - you should do this more often.

Best of luck,

Eva

 

Dear Alin,

It's been four years since you first started school in England and now you're in Year 7. I still remember you not being able to say anything in English and using an iPad to translate. Well, now you are in the big school and you've got a lot of work to do. Throughout these years you're going to work hard and understand the rewards of hard work.

You're going to learn a lot of things and you're going to learn how crazy life is. You're going to get through the hard times and easy times. However, you're never going to give up no matter what.

You need to make friends. Having no-one to be with you during high school is the worst. You will feel lonely and your self esteem will collapse. But you will eventually make friends to support you.

You're going to take life more seriously than before. You need to do your homework. Do your homework. Do it. You can't miss it like you did in primary school.

Just keep going and working hard. You will succeed without knowing it.

Good luck,

Alin

 

Your Voice Matters

From being a young carer to living with a skin condition, to questioning whether electric cars are worth it and highlighting how reading is so important - it's time to get it off your chest!

Have you heard of young carers? – Year 9 student

According to charity The Benjamin Foundation, 82% of young carers are not known. Being a young carer can lead to silent suffering - who can you talk to? As a collective society we must spread awareness about the plight of young carers and the struggles it brings.

I need you to take action. If you know a young person who is caring for someone ask them to speak up. Don't let them suffer in silence, let them know that there is someone there for them. If you are a young carer, I urge you not to suffer in silence.

As a young carer myself, I understand what it is like. For years I suffered in silence; I didn't talk to anyone about the struggles I was facing everyday and this not talking slowly built up and it became a habit not to talk about it. It is important that you talk to someone to get the help you deserve. Did you know that 30% of suicidal teens are young carers? So if you are a young carer or you know someone who is, speak up now. You can seek help from a teacher or from charities such as The Benjamin Foundation or Kooth. No young person should suffer in silence.

Need help and advice?

Contact: benjaminfoundation.co.uk or kooth.com

 

Have you ever suffered with a skin condition? – Year 9 student

I strongly believe that there should be more organic and unfragranced products for specific skin conditions.

I suffer from an extreme type of eczema which is red and itchy dry skin. For me and many others with this skin condition, I cannot use most beauty products as they contain fragrance and harsh chemicals that can irritate the skin. Why can't all beauty products be organic? Most are not, and so people with skin conditions cannot use makeup, skincare and creams. So what should we do to sooth and resolve this problem? We could spread the word so that more people are aware of this challenge, and maybe big beauty and cosmetic brands will sit up and take notice. Afterall, organic beauty can benefit any type of skin.

 

Are electric cars worth it? – Austin H, Year 10

I don't think electric cars are worth it -here's why:

First of all, the way AI can take over electric cars is very worrying. Sometimes the car thinks that there is an emergency and it brakes hard, which could cause injury.

Secondly, as electric cars are so quiet so pedestrians are unable to hear them. Again, this could cause more accidents on the road.

Thirdly, as you don't have to change gears or really drive an electric car, you can easily loose focus on the road, putting all your trust into something that could break down.

People say that electric cars are better for driving, but are they really? Electric cars do as much damage to the environment that petrol cars do when they are manufactured. As a car enthusiast, I believe it is important to keep petrol cars as I love the sound petrol cars make and the look and feel of the petrol car. So let's keep petrol cars.

 

Why reading is important – Eve G, Year 11

When was the last time you read a book? Most people believe that reading is a boring chore that you have to tick off. In my experience, many teenagers put off reading or don't enjoy it because of school. Yet reading has many benefits and it isn't dull and prolonging like reading in school.

Firstly, reading can have a big impact on your education. Whether you read fiction or non­fiction, reading teaches you new vocabulary which can improve how you speak and present yourself to others. Reading is also a great alternative to electronics as it gives you a break from the strain of the screen and is just as fun as spending all day everyday on your phone. Being attached to electronics is detrimental to your health, especially as research shows that by being on your phone right before bedtime can negatively impact your sleep. To prevent this sleep struggle, pick up a book as it is a great way to unwind after a long stressful day.

Not all reading has to be boring. If you find a book about something you are interested in it can change your viewpoint on reading. Once you find something interesting, it is easier to get stuck into it and lose yourself in another world. This can be very relaxing and is a way of forgetting all your worries as you will become focussed on something else.

Finally, reading is easily accessible. It's a nice hobby and doesn't have to cost much as you can find all types of books online, in charity shops and in the library.

Reading can help your mental health, develop your education and can lead you to discover other worlds. So when will be the next time you pick up a book?

 

Graffiti: art or vandalism? – Joseph C, Year 11

What is graffiti? Graffiti is a word to describe any writing or images that have been painted, sketched, or marked in any form on any type of property. In the eyes of the law, graffiti is vandalism and therefore it is illegal. However, should it be looked at for its artistic interpretation, its ability to make social comments about the day and be used as an expression of creativity or freedom of speech?

I believe that graffiti is modern art. It can be seen as helping communities engage with art in a more approachable way. This is because when artists relate to a community member in the creation of the street art, it can create a sense of pride in the community.

However, while graffiti can achieve this and have other benefits like increasing tourism, it could attract gangs who might use graffiti like tags which could give the gangs a sense of ownership and bring the view of the area into a negative light. This then negatively impacts neighbourhoods because it can make public spaces appear unsafe.

Yet, I believe that graffiti is art because for as long as the human race has been alive, we have enjoyed painting or writing on walls with or without permission. Examples of this include the runic inscriptions at Hajia Sophia mosque in Turkey, and the Maltrovieso cave in Spain where stencils have been dated to older then 64 thousand years old. These examples of graffiti tell future generations about the lives and culture of the people who lived in that area at that time. Because of these reasons I think graffiti should be legalised.

Perhaps what can be done to make graffiti legal is that the government could give certain artists licenses on where they can do the graffiti and what they can include. For example, they might not be able to include political comments or comments that could incite hatred. Another idea is giving homeowners the option to rent out the street facing walls of their houses so that artists could pay them for the use of the space. There would also need to be contracts to be put in place between the homeowner and the artist to cover points such as building insurance to cover any damage, to determine the length of any agreement and to provide clear instructions about the removal of the art.

I believe the biggest takeaway about graffiti is that through its beauty and creativity it should never be a reason to cause harm to someone or to property.

 

The Review List

Indian cinema is on the menu this issue as editor Roshan Deb reviews two of the latest releases from Asia.

Film: Kalki 2898 AD

Student rating: 3/10

You've probably seen the ending of Slumdog Millionaire and the interval block of RRR, yet other than that, Indian cinema has remained closed off from Western audiences. I have a few recommendations for films you can see to get into Indian cinema, but Kalki is definitely not one of them. Despite its incredible budget, great reputation and the astonishing ideas that formed this self-titled ‘Mahabharata sequel', Kalki is one of the worst, most tonally broken films with an utterly uncharismatic lead and a 8tory that goes nowhere. This is less of a review and more of a warning!

 

Film: Pathaan

Student rating: 9/10

On the other hand, enter Pathaan, one of the high points of modern Bollywood cinema. Whilst Kalki is mythological not so epic, Pathaan is an extremely over­the-top action thriller about an ex-secret agent on a mission to take down his lifelong enemy. This film gets everything right, from the action to the exaggerated performances, to the film's sheer ability to entertain. If you'd like to put it that way, it is a stupid movie, but it's so self-aware and understands that it is simply a film made to entertain its audience. Therefore, in its own unique way, Pathaan is the trailblazer of Indian cinema going forward, and it's the antithesis to everything Kalki stands for.