The Chomp
The Online Student News Magazine of GRHS
New Year, New Chomp
Christmas Cookies All Year Long // By: Sydney Abele
I love cookies. All different kinds with all varieties of fun decorations on them. That makes the holiday season a lot more exciting to me as I navigate what kinds of cookies I’ll be making. I like to get really creative with the flavors. This year I made a bunch. I made 4 dozen Lemon drop cookies, 5 dozen Raspberry thumbprint cookies, 7 dozen maple snickerdoodles, 8 dozen funfetti sugar cookies, 5 dozen Kentucky butter cookies, 5 dozen Cranberry Orange shortbread cookies, and 3 dozen oatmeal raisin cookies. I know that’s A LOT. The amount of cookies I make shows my love and appreciation of all cookies and shows why I think Christmas Cookies should be made all year long.
Every month but September all fun and festive cookie flavors are pushed aside just for chocolate chip, and don't get me wrong I love some chocolate chip cookies, but they just aren't the best, or the only cookie you should be making all year. You need to switch it up with some other cookie flavors. Go on pinterest and search until you find something interesting that you could make. You'll never know that it's better if you don't try it and you're limiting yourself if you only eat chocolate chips. I suggest starting small with either an oreo stuffed cookie (if you’re into heavier chocolate cookies) or thumbprints (if you’re into more fruity light cookies) I’ve attached pictures of both of these and links to the recipes.
Happy Baking!
Raspberry Thumbprint: https://pin.it/3zPgfJm
Holiday Coffee Review // By: Kayla Ripley
Guess who’s back? It’s me, telling you about coffee AGAIN. This time however I’m focusing on the amazing seasonal drinks that came out in winter 2020, and rating them!
Starbucks caramel brûlée latte: 9/10
This drink is my all time favorite, it’s sweet, but ~smokier~ than the normal caramel latte, and the brûlée toppings that come with it are the best. Only reason it isn’t a 10/10 is because it is really sweet, and sometimes that isn’t the best.
Dunkin sugarplum macchiato: 7/10
I’ll be honest when I ordered this drink I kind of had a panic attack in the drive thru that I was going to hate it and regret it. However I was pleasantly surprised! It’s really sweet (which is why it’s a 7), but overall it tastes really good.
Starbucks Chestnut Praline latte: 6/10
This one honestly disappointed me for a starbucks drink. It wasn’t that coffee-y or that sweet and kind of just tasted like I took a bite out of a stale snickerdoodle cookie. The only part of this drink that I really enjoyed was the toppings you got on your whipped cream.
That’s everything guys! If you loved hearing my coffee reviews (and want to hear more about these seasonal drinks) you’re in luck! I write something like this just about every issue, so feel free to look back at our old issues of The Chomp to see more, or stay tuned for my next one!
The Music That Shaped 2020 // By: Cat Cimino
As a result of COVID-19, America stayed home for a majority of 2020. While some turned to bread baking and acquiring niche hobbies, many people turned to music as an escape from the world around them. Without concerts and large music festivals, most people were confined to only listening to music via streaming apps such as Spotify and Apple Music. What songs ended up being the most popular this year on these streaming platforms? How did apps like TikTok influence what songs were listened to?
The Most Popular Song of the Year: The Box by Roddy Ricch
On both Spotify and Apple Music, “The Box” was the most streamed song of the year and spent w 11 weeks at number 1 on Billboard Hot 100. The song was released on January 10th which gave it all year to gain streams. On Spotify alone it has been streamed over 1.1 billion times. The song begins with “Eeh-Uur'' sounds followed by explicit rap lyrics. Though the subject matter of the song is not very complex, it caught on because of its catchy lyrics and Ricch’s ability to change his voice throughout the song. “The Box” gained popularity on TikTok as well with dances made using the song and other videos just using the “Eeh-Uur” sound.
The Runner Up of 2020: Blinding Lights by The Weeknd
On both Spotify and Apple Music, “Blinding Lights” was the second most streamed song of 2020. The Song was released near the end of 2019, but grew to its fame throughout 2020. It is drastically different from “The Box” because it sounds like a classic 80’s upbeat song. This helped the song gain popularity because it was something that felt new to Gen Z, but they could also enjoy it with their parents. Like most music in 2020, TikTok helped grow the song’s platform with people creating 80’s inspired dances to it.
A Song That Came Back in 2020: Dreams by Fleetwood Mac
I would go as far to say that you are living under a rock if you haven’t seen the video of the man skateboarding, drinking cranberry juice, and listening to “Dreams”. This TikTok video brought a 43 year old song to younger generations and landed “Dreams” the number 2 spot on Rolling Stones top 100 list. Even Stevie Nicks made a TikTok account because of the video.
Songs That Became Famous on TikTok
I feel as though I sound like a broken record because I keep bringing up how Tiktok impacted music in 2020. It’s true though, it introduced many teens across the world to new music because of dance and other videos. Here are just a few songs that were popular on TikTok in 2020.
Dirty Laundry by: blackbear
Body by: Megan Thee Stallion
Space Girl by: Frances Forever
Potential Breakup Song by: Aly & AJ
Just the Two of Us by: Grover Washington and Bill Withers
Memories by: David Guetta
Say So by: Doja Cat
Benefits of Being Engaged In Online School // By: Natalea Zorio.
Being in class online is definitely not what we are used to, so certain everyday things we would usually do inside the classroom are different. One thing that should not be any different however is being engaged in class or participating when the teacher asks a question. Not only will it help you get a better understanding of what you are supposed to be doing or what you are learning, but it will also help the teacher know that you are paying attention, while you are at home.
I have heard all of my teachers say at least once that students who are engaged in class and have their cameras on are getting better grades, and they are getting a better understanding of what is going on in the class. I have also heard my teachers say that it makes teaching easier on them when they can see you and they know you are participating because otherwise to them it feels like they are just teaching to no one.
Class, for most people, is not their favorite part of the day. I guarantee that most people’s favorite part of the day is actually leaving class. Most students just don’t like learning, but learning would be a lot more fun if you had a full understanding of what you were learning in the first place. That is where being engaged comes in. When you are engaged in class it can become more fun because you know what you are learning and you don’t have to be stressed out about not understanding something. Also when you are online all the time being engaged in class can give you the social interaction with other people outside of your family that you probably aren’t getting since we are in this global pandemic.
All in all, it appears to me that being engaged in class can benefit you in more ways than you thought. Even asking one question in class or answering a question in class can give you a better learning experience than sitting in class unresponsive and just listening to what the teacher has to say. You could be zoning out and not even realize it if you don’t participate and that can affect your learning experience more than you think. Even if you don’t want to speak out loud you can use that chat feature even if that can make a huge difference. Just remember, being engaged in class is one of the best learning tips there is.
Ava's Advice Corner// By: Ava Hojnowski
Going into a new year, many feel the pressure to have a new year’s resolution. For some, it’s easy to come up with one, whether it be exercise more or eat healthier or even procrastinate less. However, where most people feel stuck is actually keeping those resolutions. Did you know that January 17 is the day most resolutions fail? 17 days into a new year people give up on resolutions they thought would change their lives. So, what should you do if you are worried about the pressure of creating resolutions?
The moment you feel anxious about creating resolutions should give you the hint that you shouldn’t even be making one. I’ve found through my experience that creating resolutions for those who don’t even want to be making them in the first place creates a negative impact. Think about it: if you take away the holiday of New Years, the only thing happening on December 31st to January 1st is a change in the month. That happens 12 times a year. Who’s forcing you to only make a resolution on only one of those monthly transitions? Why can’t you promise to eat better on June 1st or May 14th? Go at your own pace with changes in your life. Don’t be pressured into making a decision that you will feel stressed about for a few days and then feel guilty when you have to give it up. Make your resolutions work for you when YOU want to make them happen. Make changes when it’s convenient for you, not because a holiday tells you to. New Year’s is about peer pressuring some into making changes, but it doesn’t have to be.
Making resolutions isn’t always such a positive thing for everyone. But, when you release yourself from the mindset that you have to do something because everyone else is, you will be living a much healthier lifestyle!
Kayla's Take on 2020 // By: Kayla Ripley
2020 was definitely a year to remember. With so much time spent at home so many people refined their interests and personalities. This newfound free time found many individuals searching for ways to keep busy, and thus led to a ton of new trends throughout the year.
Less about what specifically became popular, I think it’s most important to see that what people turned to this year was expressing themselves. No matter what they decided to do, they did it with confidence; fewer people feared the judgment of others (well, because they were home alone) and really tested their limits.
Whether they started doing something new with their hair; tried out new makeup looks; or started a new hobby, this year people were way more inclined to step outside of the box than others.
2020 may have been a less than average experience, but as far as individuality, it was the best one yet.