2021-2022 OHCEGRADE 9'SCH O Experience real nostalgia A rid e into thepast Art Exhibitions Poems Quotes & more Tears, laughter and suspense all in one sitting! STRANDED On an Island?What if it was YOU?
MEET THE TEAM DESIGN AND LAYOUT Raabiya Sharma Anushka Regmi Anushree Kansakar EDITORS Giovanna Parajuli Chetana Bhandari Ajitesh Karki Ojashwi Sharma ART AND ILLUSTRATIONS Aayam Acharya
CONT 1. An Eye Witness Report 2. Stranded on an Island 3. Stranded! 4. 5. Poems 6. Information Composition 7. Book Review 8. Describing A Place 9. Describing An Event 10. 11. Describing A Person 12. Describing an Object 13. Storyboard
ENTS 14. Letter Writing 15. Zoom Reports 16. Word Search 17. 18. News Report 19 Jokes & Riddles 20. Artist's Point 21. Send-off Quotes 22. नेपाली भाग
An Eye Inside the pit Husker Pit, a coal mine in the community of Silkstone Common near Barnsley, had a horrible accident on July 4, 1838. The day began hot, bright, and beautiful but by 2 p.m., a tremendous storm had erupted. As result of the heavy rain, surrounding waterways began to flood. Because the rain put out the boiler fire of the steam-powered winding engine, My underground buddies and I were unable to be hauled out of the pit. This meant that, in addition to myself and my pals, there were approximately 40 children from 7 to 17 years old stuck underneath! We received a message instructing us to proceed to the pit bottom and wait for the boiler to be re-lit so that we could be pulled out. We had no idea what was going on, and some of us assumed there was a fire below or on the pit top. We had spent nine hours in darkness and we were desperate to leave. We began to fear for our lives after a while, and the children (who were only 7 years old at the time) became anxious since they were missing their parents. They disobeyed instructions to stay there and attempted to reach the surface by trekking out along the drift. We tried to stop them, but they wouldn't listen to any of us. A torrent swelled by the heavy rain overflowed into the drift as the terrified children sought to make their way to safety. The children were washed off their feet and down to the ventilation door through which they had just escaped. The other workers and I rushed towards them in an attempt to save them, but we were too late; the water rose and two children drowned. -Bibhor Yadav 1
Witness Report Don't leave the floors wet or should we? It was supposed to rs be a simple afternoon, laying on my couch binging weird movies from the 90’s. Some may call it lame but I sprained my arm, so it's justifiable. I was on my second, no, wait third bag of fries, and my doctor said my cholesterol is already dangerously high, but does that even mean anything? I had covered my windows with newspapers, fearing that a government drone would spy on me. A little hole on the paper let a little sunlight into my eyes, and nothing irritated more. All of a sudden I heard a banging in the next apartment. I thought to myself, “The police finally got that rat, maybe the government is good for something”. Sadly, it’s not true, the government is still useless. All of a sudden the alarm went off, and that’s when I realized that this was a robbery. Without hesitation, my drama king self rushed outside, opening my door to get a good view of what was going on. There they were, the security guards rushed in, and the burglar started to run. Long story short, the burglar didn’t see the ‘wet floor’ sign. He slipped and fell, and the guards arrested the thief. I have no idea what came over this guy's head because he then started screaming and crying, pleading to let him go, because it was his first robbery.. By this point all of us who came to watch the commotion had lost it, we were laughing. It reminded me of the value of spending time with real people and not staying at home jobless, without any goal in life. Moral of the story: Leave the floors wet, because they seem to effectively stop burglaries. -Aabhash Thapa 2
STRANDED ON AN ISLAND You know the feeling you get when you sleep in a bed that’s not -Anushka Sharma yours. In the morning you expect to open your eyes to the same place you always see- your room, the usual. But once you realize you’re not in your room, there’s a slight sense of panic that immediately gets overtaken by logic, because you remember why and how you’re here in this new place. Imagine that same feeling, but the panic doesn’t go away. I woke up in the midst of pebbles and itchy grass. There was sand everywhere. I was sweaty and cold at the same time, and the sand stuck to my body. Once I gathered up the will to sit up straight and look around, I almost wished I had just gone back to sleep. I was hit by mental flashbacks of the events that led up to my situation. There had been a plane crash. I’d survived, but now I was stuck in an island in the middle of nowhere, seemingly a lone survivor. I got up and looked around. There was a lagoon, not far off into the sea. Beyond that, endless blue water that stretched all the way to the horizon. The island itself didn’t seem too shabby. There was a forest, grass, and mountains far off into the distance. It wasn’t a very large island. I found fruit lying around on the ground as I walked, so I figured food wouldn’t be that much of an issue. The forest looked dark and gloomy, like something you shouldn’t mess around with. I had a feeling I’d get around to it eventually. I can’t stop myself from setting foot in sticky situations, I’ve found. I ended up on the issue of getting fresh water, but it didn’t take long to solve. The water between the lagoon and the great big sea wasn’t salty. In fact, after that many hours of thirst, it was almost sweet. Gradually a lot of things started coming to mind like shelter, family, entertainment, and Rescue? I’ve sorted one of those things out. And I’m sure my father, a Royal Navy Officer, isn’t slap happy about his young girl being lost at sea. Although the most important aspects of my survival as one would think are sorted out, the matter of being all alone without any company, and the prospect of an isolated existence are things that are intimidating me. I only hope not to lose my senses during the time I have to wait for help to arrive. Although, if I do end up getting rescued in a fairly good state (can’t be too sure of that, any amount of getting stranded on an island is bound to knock a few screws in the head loose), what a great story this will be for the geezers back home. All I can wish for now, is luck. 3
- ARYAJIBI GHIMIRE STRANDED The sun shone from the horizon and its effulgent rays woke me up. I felt the warm sweat passing through my body and the compression on my joints. “Ouch! My arms and knees are sore”, I gasped. Shouldn’t I be cuddled up under the blanket, surrounded by the comfort of my bedroom? It was at that moment I decided to open my eyes and realized I wasn’t in my bedroom in Florida. I WAS ON AN ISLAND IN SOUTHWEST HAWAII!!! I tried to recall what had happened yesterday but my mind was still hazy as exhaustion took over me. After deep contemplation, I remembered the moment when my best friend Calvin and I flew over to Hawaii to see dolphins. One of the many things Calvin and I have in common is our obsession with Dolphins. We found a perfect opportunity to take a break from our busy work schedule and come out here to swim with the Dolphins. We had a professional coach, Akela, with us. It was just the three of us and we had our life jackets to keep us afloat. Our coach was there in the boat looking after us. Calvin and I jumped out of our boats to go swim with the dolphins, and had the time of our lives until I lost track of him and the boat. I started freaking out. I waved my hands over my head in big semi-circles like the wiper of a car, and cried, “HELP! I’M OVER HERE. CALVIN? AKELA? WHERE ARE YOU GUYS?!” At that moment, I felt a sense of betrayal. How could they leave me in the middle of the Pacific ocean? But, there was no response. Instead, I could hear the somber yet leisurely music made by the waves. I looked around and saw the eternal cerulean blue ocean all around me. I kept looking at the dolphins for comfort but my whole body ached. I longed to stand on the ground and hear a human voice. The ocean was its own master. It pushed out the quivering waves, harnessing its mighty power. I must’ve fallen asleep while doing the backstroke ‘cause I didn’t realize how far I'd drifted. When I woke up I saw an island, approximately 10 feet away from me. I had high hopes. Finally, I could be safe here on the island, people will rescue me. 4
STRA So I swam as fast as I could and reached the bay. Stepping onto the ground made me relieved. The evening Sun had already cast long shadows on the ground, and the dark grey clouds were painted across the sky. There were no humans, no sound disturbing the lapping waves on the beach, and no one to help me out. My whole body ached and I couldn’t walk any further. Exhausted. I fell asleep on the beach. Today, I woke up feeling hazy. My body was still sore from yesterday. “Calvin? Akela? What happened to them? Where are they? Are they alright? Are they looking for me?” I couldn’t stop the train of thoughts that were spiraling inside my head.My tongue was dry and my lips were cracked, I felt parched. I needed to find a source of water to quench my thirst. Whilst searching for water, I decided to explore the island. As I looked around, I saw a meadow connected to the beach. A tall, mountain apple tree was near me. So I climbed it to get an overview of the island. And, boy it was HUGE! I couldn’t see any houses or buildings. Seemed like there were no traces of humans. Just an open meadow that trailed up to the woods. Was I on an uninhabited island? Gosh, it was so silent. In the absolute uncertainty of the island, it was the silence that almost killed me, made me terrified! But, I told myself not to overthink. Fortunately, I could see the sparkling water of the lagoon beneath me. I lowered myself down from the tree and picked my way toward the lagoon. Cupping my hands, I took a huge dip in the lagoon and quenched my thirst. It felt invigorating! I plunged into the lagoon to wash off the saltwater and sweat from my body. And, just as I was about to get up, I heard a growl coming from the woods. My heart skipped a beat- what type of creature was that?! Holding my breath, I stood still in the lagoon. The creature came forward and glared at me with its deep brown eyes. It was a wild boar that didn’t seem bothered by my presence and just walked away. THANK THE LORD! \"Are there wild animals besides the wild boar? Are they dangerous? It'll be better if I don't go to the other side of the island. Who knows what's in there? I'll have to cut my enterprise here\", I mumbled, trying to avoid any possibilities of danger.I could feel my stomach rumbling up, begging for food. Anxiety and hunger crept through my body, I felt too weak to even move. But, I had to pull myself together and prepare a meal. For some time, I let the warmth of the Sun soak in my body and dry me up. As the waves crawled gently toward the shore, its palpitating pulse made a comforting sound. I had an unwavering stare fixed onto the gushing waves. I saw several oval, purplish-black shells floating in the waves that looked pretty familiar. What are those? I gathered the courage to go forward and get a clear look. “Oh my gosh! Those are mussels. They taste scrumptious when roasted!” I exclaimed. Hurriedly, I made a big leap and collected those mussels. There were about 6 of them. Now, how am I going to light a fire?! After a few minutes of pondering, I reached back into my memory to the camping days of my early childhood. I reminisced about the time when my dad and I went camping near a forest. He made a fire so quickly by rubbing two large rocks. I was mesmerized by it. He told me that rubbing two rocks causes friction and therefore it helps to light a fire. 5
NDED I tried to do the same. Collecting dry grass and small pebbles from the meadow, I made a small fire pit on the beach. After a few attempts of rubbing two dark rocks, I found by the shore, I lit a small fire. Then, I roasted the mussels and gulped them. It was finger-licking good! I kept the fire lit for signal, in the hopes of being rescued. Then, I picked four apples off of the mountain apple tree, which I had climbed earlier that day. Surprisingly, the apples here are much bigger than the ones you get in Florida. They're red and polished. As I took a huge bite off of the apple, the sweet juice of the apple cascaded down my throat. It was full of flavor. After about an hour of walking on the meadow, passing by, and collecting some apricots, apples, blueberries, and cherries from the trees and bushes, I realized that to be rescued soon, I had better start making an SOS sign somehow… a fire itself isn't enough.I broke one of the branches off of the apricot tree and drew a large \"S\" in the beach sand. Following that, I drew an \"O\" right by it, and an \"S\". Dog-tired, I rested by the beach. Wandering about on the beach made me think of home. My lovely family. When will I get to meet them again? What if no one comes to rescue me, and I never get to meet them again?! Thinking of the warm hugs of my parents and the sweet licking of the adorable little Timmy, my golden retriever puppy, I felt a stab of uneasiness. As my lower lip trembled, my tears threatened to spill over. \"I must not lose hope. There's always an angel out there.\" Taking deep breaths, I constantly reminded myself. Just as I was about to lose my battle with the tears, a strange thing happened. From the vast ocean before me, I saw a huge ship with a group of men carrying fishing rods, approximately 100 feet far. They must be from a fishing company, I thought.As my hopes began to rise again, I sprinted off to collect more tree branches to add in the signal fire and make the smoke prominent. By then the ship had come closer, and I sprinted off to the end of the beach, waving my hands shouting, \"HELP! HELP! RESCUE!\" But there was no response. Again, after taking a deep breath of fresh air, I yelled, \"HELP! HELP! Over here on the island!\" I assumed that the men heard me. But I continued to shout. Slowly, the ship came in my direction. One of the fishermen eyed me with confusion. Twenty minutes had passed by, and the ship finally reached the shore. The fishermen eyed me with confusion. One of the men came toward me and asked me, \"What's your name, lad?\" in a Hawaiian accent. I gulped and took a breath of relief. I answered \"Paul. Paul Fremen. I’ve been stranded on this island since yesterday\", I said in a shaking voice. \"Paul, don't worry. We will take you to the city. We will get you out of here. Come on\", a fisherman said in a deep voice. I nodded and said, \"Oh okay. Thank you\". Then all of us boarded onto the ship and I waved goodbye to the lonely planet. I couldn’t wait to meet Calvin and Akela. I hoped they were alright. Anusha Rajbhandari 6
POE THE ISLAND OF RESURRECTED TREES AND THE ISLAND OF RESURRECTED TREES AND ONYX INK ONYX INK THE SWORD THAT KILLED CAESAR 7 When the sky is weeping And the sun remains no longer, My hand fell over my heart, Here come the waves of fatigue My breathing became short, Oh the greedy waves of fatigue Pain shot throughout my body, Not neglecting a single square meter of my I refused to give up. mind, my body But even when my entire soul is blanketed with I was not surprised, gust of agony, I expected this from those I find the tip of my fingers long to Towards the portal to another world vultures, Not him, however, A better one Not my friend whom I regarded Just between islands made of resurrected trees with such love. And the ocean of onyx ink The feelings of sadness and anger I dive into the ocean of the same 26 letters Rearranged in different ways proceeding to outweighed my pain, Betrayal was what made me let create a world of its own Just like the waves of the ocean go, When I saw the hand attached to It's still same water I come across the wonders and horrors of this the last sword, I gave up. world A world that my mind is so eager to explore “Et tu, Brute?” I thought, He who I thought of as a friend, Pages after pages Waves after waves He who I trusted with many And then I reach the last full stop secrets, I reach the shore. I find my fingers close this portal Brutus had betrayed me, and so, I Even when every cell of my body was gave up. -Chetana Bhandari undesirous of it And just then I apperceive the sun gleaming against my face Forming a perpetually runny smile I am not conscious of I with love, place this portal on a shelf perpendicular to my bed The same portal that has managed to yet again save me, From the greedy waves of fatigue, and the gusty winds of agony The portal that goes by the name, Book. -Raabiya Sharma
MS RAIN. Anxiety A BEAUTIFUL FEELING She's afraid When I looked out the window of my gloomy classroom, the sky and the great white mass of clouds began to Afraid she might darken, it felt as if they were moving towards me. be betrayed I could hear a light tapping on the window which soon Afraid there won't became a pitter-patter of raindrops falling from the sky. It be anyone for aid was around the time we were supposed to leave. Everyone Afraid all the started getting up and taking out their umbrellas and good times will raincoats. soon end Puddles began to form as the rainfall got heavier. I fastened my pace as the grey, gloomy clouds Afraid she might gathered in the sky. Up until now, the sky had been not be able to perfect, yet it was changing drastically. The beautiful make it blue shade had morphed into grey. Large groups of Afraid she might clouds were forming, blotting out the bright yellow have to break through it colour of the sun. I felt the first splatter of rain when I was heading Afraid she is but won't admit it outside to get into my bus. I took shelter under another person's umbrella, they didn't seem to mind. Afraid that she might just lose Droplets of rain dripped from the umbrella. They sprinkled onto the ground so beautifully. Then, the Afraid she won't rainfall became more intense. As I got into my bus, I be the one they felt a bit of relief from escaping the aggressive chose rainfall occurring outside. I took a second to breathe Afraid all that’s and admire the droplets of water falling from the sky. left will be a It reminded me of the rotor blades on a helicopter. bruise Eventually, the noise lessened and everything around me felt tranquil. She wishes to be I wish I could feel like that all the time. saved The feeling of little droplets falling on my face is something that I will never forget. It gave me a sense Aarya of comfort, one that I’ve never felt before. jyoti Chhatkuli -Zesay Suitsang -Zesay Suitsang 8
INFORMATIVE What life was like in the A future - Soviet Union during Guess, what’s in store for us! Stalin’s rule? By 2050, the world can either develop vastly turning it into a futuristic utopia or become “The death of one man is a tragedy. The death of millions is a ruined, wrecked, and turn into a dystopian statistic.” Under Joseph Stalin’s rule, over 6 million Soviets were nightmare. By 2050, the world would have recorded dead, and he simply didn’t care. The Soviet Union was been occupied abundantly, far outstripping established in 1922, after the Bolshevik Revolution that started in 1917. population growth. Reproduction would cause Stalin came into absolute power in 1927 and ruled until his death in rapid population growth which would further 1953. During that time, the Soviets experienced a totalitarian rule which divide resources. was like never seen before. The world saw a madman gain power and In 2050, the world would have greatly Stalin saw victory. Under his rule, communism was feared and nobody improved its technology and would have expanded its scientific knowledge. Scientists dared to challenge him. would carry out various researches to discover “Death is the solution to all problems. No man, no problem.” Stalin’s and invent. Robots would have been words didn’t stir well in the heart of the soviets but they were incapable introduced. Slowly but surely, workers would be of doing anything. Stalin stripped people off of freedom or any rights. replaced by robots responsible for multitasking. The Soviets had to read what the state allowed and listen to what the Robots would have been focused upon and state allowed. The media was fully under the state's rule. Foreigners would've ultimately been improved and were gas lit into thinking Stalin was doing wonders for the world. But it modified to handle difficult tasks. was couldn’t be the furthest thing from the truth. Education was strictly Traveling t-oPasrepsahcKehawdeoluld become a business. propaganda for Stalin. They were taught the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, People would be able to visit and travel the but just the parts where Stalin was present. Books were censored and space. The world would've also developed a the only book allowed to be read was “The History of the USSR”. new way to travel as their previous methods Despite the forceful studies, literacy rates actually grew in the USSR were very harmful to the environment. from a mere 28.9% to 75%. Alongside school, kids were pushed to join Electric cars would probably be a must for youth organizations such as Octobrist and Komsomol. They would be everyone and some would also own private electric planes to fly off to their destinies. taught about communism and its specialty and why it should be Some, of course would be designed to navigate promoted. and steer on its own. Petrol and diesel-based vehicles would've been Religion was viewed as a challenge to Stalin’s rule. Churches were eradicated from the world and the use of such attacked on a daily basis and church leaders were arrested in masses. vehicles would be abolished. By then the whole The country became a major industrial nation by the year of 1939. The human race would have been developed and would be in a better state than before. progress in the USSR in USSR was unmatched by any western economies or the era of the Great Depression in the US. Intellectuals -Paresh Khandel were murdered in cold blood out of fear. Stalin wanted to remain dictator for as long as possible. The government remained stable as nobody could match Stalin’s power or they were all in the same mental space as Stalin. He had no public speaking skills; meaning people didn’t get swayed with his words but his tactics remained unmatched. Stalin would prove to establish the Soviet Union as the leading nation during World War 2 and showed that without the involvement of the USSR, the allies would’ve lost. “Mankind is divided into rich and poor, into property owners and exploited; and to abstract oneself from this fundamental division; and from the antagonism between poor and rich means abstracting one from fundamental facts.” The USSR saw development but only after the death of millions. Stalin failed to create a peaceful nation, but he was at peace with himself and that’s all that mattered. The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Despite his madness, Stalin did in fact implement communist ideologies and establish the Soviet Union as a superpower, hence completing his ultimate life goal. -Kashvi Dhital 9
COMPOSITION A video game is digital entertainment that is played through a computer, console, phone, etc. Video games are a sport that takes place digitally. There may be some controversy with the notion that videogames are a sport. However, gamers have to train hard and perform at a high level, both mentally and physically, which is why eSports is now also considered a recognized sport. Even the “International Olympic Committee” decided to include this sport in the program of the Summer Olympics from July 23 to August 08, 2021. There are mainly 2 types of video games; multiplayer and single player. Multiplayer games are online games that are played with more than one person. Single player games are mostly offline games. There are various genres in video games. Sand box, Real- time strategy (RTS), Shooters (FPS and TPS), Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), Role- playing (RPG, ARPG, and More), Simulation and sports, Puzzlers and party games, Action-adventure are some of the popular types of games. Video games also have competitive matches. Competitive gaming is known as E-sports. Gaming used to be considered a waste of time. But many teenagers and young adults nowadays make an earning from gaming. They either do this by streaming on YouTube or playing games competitively. Many E-sport teams sign people regularly if the person is good at a specific game which is increasing employment opportunities. Although gaming gives people job opportunities, only the best of the best can earn a sustainable earning from gaming. Most people game for stress relief but if they develop an addiction to it, it may cause sleep deprivation, lack of social interaction in real life, low self-esteem, anger issues, etc. Hence, gaming has both pros and cons. But the rapid change of the world which is mostly going to the electronic, digital side will definitely lead to a society where gaming isn’t considered a complete waste of time. Of ‘course, ’How much?’ is the big question. -Satyam Shakya, 10
NOVEMBER 9 BOOK Colleen Hoover, the New York Times bestselling Drama, chaos but most importantly love author did it once again with her book unfolds as Ben and Fallon discover the effort and dedication needed for love. NOVEMBER 9. This is the story of Fallon, an up- This book took me on a roller coaster of and-coming television actress who was on her emotions; it made me cry and laugh all at once. I loved the originality of this novel. way to fame at the age of 16, right before she was The premise is so unique. I love how caught on a fire caused by her father. The fire left every little detail throughout the book tied up at the end and it all made sense. her with scars on her face, wrecking her acting However, I believe that because we only career, also putting a strain on her relationship saw the characters on November 9th, we with her dad. She had been insecure about her didn't really know much about them as appearance ever since the incident, and being we only glimpse one day in a year of their lives. A line from the book that I can’t scarred had affected her confidence. seem to forget is, “She’s not the kind of The story begins on the 9th of November. Fallon girl you choose your battles for. She’s the is in a restaurant with her father when she tells kind of girl you fight to death for.” This him she's traveling to New York the next day to explains how highly Ben thought of try her hand at acting on Broadway, but her Fallon. Despite only seeing her once a father is unsupportive and discourages her, year, he was captivated by her and didn't telling her she should give up. As the want to lose her. conversation unfolds, her father remarks on how - Sarahana Thapa she is always alone and hasn't had a boyfriend since the accident. Ben, a guy seated at the table next to theirs, overhears the conversation and slides into their booth, pretending to be Fallon's boyfriend, in front of her dad and she plays along. Fallon and Ben end up having a really intense connection and it gives Ben the inspiration he needs to finally start a novel he's been wanting to write for a very long time. Both of them get close, but neither of them are willing to be in a relationship at the time because she’s moving to New York the next day. Even though they are enamoured with each other, in order to follow their own dreams, and find themselves first, they make a pact that they would meet up on November 9, every year for the next five years, until they reach the age of 23. They decide to have zero contact with each other throughout the year, yet still meet on each November 9th. 11
REVIEW This story is about love, friendship, 5-FEET-APART and the cruelty of life threatening disease such that of Will’s. The author’s purpose is Five feet apart is a romantic young adult fiction to also create awareness about the written by Rachael Lippincott, Mikki Daughtry, and inherited disease called cystic fibrosis that damages not only the lungs but also the Tobias Iaconis. This book was inspired and is digestive system and other organs. In this dedicated to Claire Wineland who suffered from a book, death and life are the primary themes. The lives of the characters are disease called cystic fibrosis. constantly in danger throughout this book. This is a book about two teenagers dealing Having cystic fibrosis, Stella and Will are with a disease, cystic fibrosis, Stella Grant and Will likely to die if they become infected by the Newman, who spent most of their lives in hospitals. bacteria they both carry. Throughout the It is mandatory for them to keep a distance of at novel, Stella views the deaths of a number least 6 feet between each other for medical safety of her friends and family members, purposes. As Stella waits for new lungs, she follows including her older sister (Abby) and her all the medications prescribed to remain alive. In good friend Poe, who was also a cystic the meantime, Will waits for the day when he turns fibrosis patient. Will's illness is so severe 18. Stella and Will have completely different that even a lung transplant won't be personalities and characteristics. Because Stella is enough to keep him alive, and he believes always worried about Will, she makes him take he will die. With limited time remaining, medications together through video chat. As Stella Will is focused on living his life to the and Will meet to complete their treatments fullest instead of focusing on his together over video chat, the bond between them treatments. Whether he ends up dying or becomes stronger. Over time, both Stella and Will not, is something to find out. This book is a begin to love one another. Due to the disease they perfect combination of love, friendship, have, they cannot even touch the person they love, struggles, and a lesson on how to live life to which makes it quite difficult for them to love each the fullest. When reading this book we can other. The two make a rule of staying five feet apart feel every emotion and every feeling as if from each other. Meanwhile, Stella gets a new set it’s our own. The authors have delivered a of lungs for herself but sadly, Will’s medications worthy, emotional, intriguing, and well- and treatments don’t work for him. written story with lots of likable characters. The main characters Will and Stella each have With the key theme about struggles in life, I different ways of dealing with their illnesses. Stella would recommend this book to readers who is organized and ambitious so she does everything enjoy suspense and teenage romance. just right so as to be able to enjoy her new set of lungs but, since Will knows that he is going to die, - Sarwani Udas he tries to enjoy the time left. Will is a little reckless and counts his days until he turns 18 and can finally get out of the hospital and travel the world. The characters’ journey is filled with complications, excitement, happiness, sadness, anger, fear, friendship, and a lot of other beautiful emotions. 12
BOOK The lord of the rings However, as the book progresses, (especially as the third volume is AUTHOR: J.R.R. Tolkien reached), it gets very interesting. This book is probably the best piece of storytelling I have ever had the honor of The Lord of The Rings is a high fantasy novel reading. The way Tolkien builds a world first published in 1968.The book begins in a as the story goes is truly remarkable. community of small, human-like creatures From the small green hills of the shire called hobbits. It is the 111th birthday of a hobbit to the barren wastelands and tall called Bilbo Baggins. The whole community has mountains of Mordor, you really want to been invited to this birthday and Bilbo Baggins steps up a pedestal to give a speech. Bilbo experience the world of mentions that he is honored to have lived to Middle-Earth as you turn the book’s such an old age, and he plans to become the pages; and because of the extensive lore oldest hobbit to have ever lived. Suddenly, in the provided by the book’s appendix, you middle of the speech, Bilbo vanishes into thin can. The storyline of the book itself is air. His adopted son, Frodo, panics and enters his house. There, he is surprised to see Gandalf also incredible. The story of the wizard (who is human-sized). Gandalf Frodo and his friends is a story of power, points to ring on the floor, which happens to be ‘Bilbo’s old ring’. Gandalf tells Frodo that this is war and temptation. It is truly a story no ordinary ring, and that it happens to be the that is best experienced by carefully most dangerous object in the world. Gandalf reading every single word. tells Frodo a prophecy: Overall, The Lord of The Rings is a book Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky. Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, that not only provides entertainment, but various important messages to the Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, reader. I really think this book is a must One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne In the land of Mordor where the shadows lie. read. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find -Yuganshu Bhurtel them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the land of Mordor where the shadows lie The ‘One Ring’ mentioned in the prophecy is Bilbo’s ring. Gandalf tells Frodo that the ring must immediately be destroyed, and the only place that the ring can be destroyed is a volcano at the heart of Mordor, Kingdom of the Dark Lord. Frodo then embarks on a seemingly impossible journey. The book is extremely long. It is also very slow in its pace. There are some scenes at the beginning of the book where almost nothing is achieved. This early part of the book can really take the interest of the reader away. . 13
REVIEW Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way their downfall. Although our habits may seem like meagre factors at a to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones given time or day, they always deliver huge impacts over spans of years. - James Clear Thus, as per the author, we must break free from our bad habits and James Clear’s 306 pages long Atomic adopt and master good ones for our own long term benefit. Lastly, the Habits is a self-improvement book quote from this book that struck a written to help people learn to make chord with me the most was “Every small changes that will transform their action you take is a vote for the type habits and deliver remarkable results in the long run. The author being one of the of person you wish to become”- James Clear world's leading experts on habit formation reveals valuable strategies that -Mohit Shrestha will teach individuals exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the minuscule ways to conduct themselves to achieve phenomenal results. Atomic Habits is an impactful non-fiction book that uses the simple English language and is an easy read for anyone. This book which details the belief of “tiny changes, big results” is a highly effective and recommended book for all ages above ten years. My best takeaway from this book is that planning and strategizing about things isn’t enough, one must put their plans and strategies to action to gain results. I also realized that everything takes time to pay off, working hard for a day won’t yield results, but if we work with dedication for a certain time, it can take some time, possibly even years but one day our actions will certainly bear the intended fruit. I also learnt that people’s habits play a huge role in their development or 14
Bhaisepati LUKLA Bhaisepati is a free We have all been to different place and the air that places in our lives, some may be you breathe in makes you feel welcome. It is more chaotic than the others, pretty old and has some may be quieter, some may been there for years. be dull and some, vibrant and Bhaisepati is a very huge place colorful. filled with shops, colonies, houses and many community housings. The first rocky road leads to the There are probably 15 or more cold hilltops. Then multiple tree- grocery stores, more than 25 covered roads lead to the snowy restaurants and whatnot. yet rocky mountain base. Behind, With smiles on the lips, the kindhearted shopkeepers provide you with services that make and on the roads are long and you return to Bhaisepati for all your needs. dark-leaved trees. Then the land This is where I belong…. and The Vinayak Colony is slowly rises but comes to a flat where I live; it stands tall and beautiful. stop in a valley. From the base of You will find everyone roaming around and disappearing the valley, the land continues to inside the dozen alleys that lead to somewhere. Basically, steepen and this is taken up by you are bound to get lost if you are not too familiar with the place. Down the alley to the main road, are plenty of the beautiful place called houses that trail you to the main wholesale market. The Solukhumbu. smell of fresh vegetables, the flavor of the spices takes you to an aromatic world that lures crowds of people to A small, yet breathtaking town the place. To the opposite side of the market is a police called Lukla located in the station. This makes the community a safe place to live. Northeastern part of the first A huge hospital called “Medicity” is one of the major landmarks here. province of Nepal is surrounded Many famous doctors work round the clock to make sure the community and its people are safe and well protected. by trees, hills, and mountains. The east of Bhaisepati is a home to doctors, lawyers, rich merchants, etc. There is an airstrip which is very This is the rich part of town. The houses here are brick build and have very steep and dangerous. Going by less damage; living here is luxurious. plane or a helicopter is the only option to access Lukla. Traditional houses and farms occupy most of the streets and land there. The town itself is quiet and very rocky. Beyond this town, steep mountains tower over it. Just outside this place are couple of narrow roads and many houses alongside these roads are in poor conditions and this is basically where the poor live. Well it is not so bad considering that the houses here are also brick build but it has a lot of structural damage altogether. The houses cramped together makes it all the more congested. Despite standing high, Bhaisepati is not that developed yet. The roads here are extremely bumpy with slopes that make it hard for a single car to pass. The sewer system here is terrible. Along the road you can see streams of it and without any doubt the smell gets worse. however, with all its pros and cons, I love this place very much. This is my hometown and I can only hope that it will get better in the future. -Shivam Kafle 15
AN Everywhere you go around this IMAGINARY town, you are surrounded by true beauty. This place is PLACE: MY picturesque. Lukla sure is a place to die for. The busy and HOMETOWN noisy market, the panoramic The valley of 7 tails is view, the hikes are just the very widely known for its few activities that can be done beautiful structures and here. The aromatic flowers and unique natural landmarks. the quiet morning put you at The valley that is situated peace. The cold feeling of the crisp air blowing around really right beside the Mediterranean Sea, on the shores of beautiful Venetian beaches, the Sarden valley is a location makes you fresh. The pretty and full of wonders. Sarden valley is known panoramic view gives off a to be the best trading center for the different vibe, almost like whole Italy, thus is filled with many ship heaven. The people there really Known for its resoudorccekfsu, ltrnaadteucraenl tsetrrsucatnudrepsoartnsd. make you feel at home. The geographical layout, the valley is a monopoly center for culture and caste that mostly both gold and silver trade. The flourishing Sarden valley occupy Lukla is the Sherpa is the dream location for many and living in such a place people. The people love to hike brings nothing but happiness in one's life. and climb mountains. Most of Really! the food and different day-to- day items come through cargo Living in Sarden valley, my hometown was a dream come true; less planes. The domestic trading traffic, less stress, less pollution and less crime. Although the inside the town is done by roads are dusty and underdeveloped, there are rarely any cars or bikes passing by. All homes are similar, same old Chinese bricks, traders who usually carry those dusty chimneys and maroon triangular roofs. things using donkeys, horses, or It is most often snowing during winter in the village, but living cattle. The traditional meals are inside such aesthetically cozy and calming homes besides the very tasty, most of them are On the other hand, sguomtomtehrediracwhysiomarkrneeoyrnafrtierheleysirhysbottiectmyocoliesisnaaownuhdrowvleiollmdaigfefene.rKgeonidtfsaegrxmopeipnriigceknaicnnedg. western. blueberries, men This town is almost a world of gardening in the seven beautiful hills known as the 7 tails that surround our village. its own. No matter what the weather, the villagers are always up to something. -Utkrist B Singh Despite all of these positive aspects, there is an eminent social gap between rich and poor . The poor are the happiest ones in our village. All the villagers are treated equally besides the rich mayor, Sir Kritang Shrestha. The poor villagers are often the farmers or the shoppers; hence they try to keep themselves busy 24/7. No matter what they do, they earn enough to keep themselves happy and content. The poor villagers live in older houses with older chimney systems and flooring systems. Although the pieces of paper called money have a lot of value, the poor villagers try to live life more meaningfully and struggle without complains. The rich here are known to have lavish lives. They live in bigger homes with proper systems and luxurious lifestyle. Yet the fact that they are ever ready to help the poor makes our village a friendly place to live. Despite all the social differences, we respect all. This makes Sarden a place full of wonders. -Arya Jibi Ghimire pn 16
DESCRIBING The 2015 terror Saturday. The delightful and relaxed day of the week. Still confused and anxious, I was steered away by my For Nepal however, 25th April 2015 Saturday would mother to the big green field outside my home. “We will prove to be anything, but delightful. be safe here” she said. Safe? From what? Was this some It started off as a normal Saturday morning. I sort of apocalypse? An alien invasion? 8 year old me was at the table having my morning cereal. “ We need wondered. It never once occurred to me that I was living to restock on groceries today.” my mom said. “Sure” I through one of the greatest tragedies to ever come about replied. I loved to go grocery shopping with my mom. in Nepal’s history. Dust blew from collapsing buildings, Checking my watch, I realized it was already 11:55 AM. I burning my eyes so I shut them tight. This can't be sighed and got up from the table, thinking of all the happening. This can't be happening. Paramedics arrived unfinished homework I had to get done. Little did I shortly and tried to resuscitate the unresponsive victims know, my life was about to change the very next on the floor. I saw them carry out 5 dead bodies that day. Obviously witnessing an event as brutal as this was bound minute. to leave a mark on an 8-year old’s brain. I was never the Just as I reached the stairs to get to my room, same. That day, I learned my lesson on gratitude. I was alive. So was my family. But many families weren't as the ground started to rock back and forth. I found lucky as mine. They lost their loved ones. Almost 6000 myself thrown towards the wall. The screams let out by people died and 22,000 were left injured. I tried to stop my mom echoed through the house. I mustered enough thinking about it but my mind kept replaying the bloody strength to get up and ran towards the door, the ground scene over and over again. The aftermath of the still trembling beneath my feet. My sister, mother, and earthquake was terrible. More than half the country lost father followed. I was confused, to say the least. In fact, it took me quite a while to understand the gravity of the their homes. Luckily, ours was still standing but we didn't situation. We ran out to the street, and what I saw know for how long it would bear the after shakes that absolutely tore me apart. Everything around me seemed kept occurring over the next few weeks. We slept outside to be crumbling into debris. Little children were crying in tents for months. out to their parents who were stuck under loads of It has been over six years since 25th April 2015. rubbish, unable to get out, and possibly dead. People The horrors, the screams, and the sight of the bloody were jumping from three, four, even six-story windows. bodies still haunt me to this day. Slowly, but surely Nepal The chaos made me feel numb and in disbelief. On the is rising again. The physical damage has been repaired. other side of the road, a woman collapsed to the But the mental damage will forever be irreversible. ground. Is this even real? I asked myself. - Giovanna Parajuli 17
AN EVENT The processi on of Caesar The Lupercal festival was a sight to see even though the rites were restricted to the forum, Lupercal cave and the Palatine hills. At the Lupercal altar, a male goat or goats and a dog was generally sacrificed by the Luperci making the place reek of blood. The vestigial virgins offered salted meal cakes, their faces hidden by their hooded robes. After the blood sacrifice, two Luperci approached the altar. Their foreheads spread with the blood of sacrifices, their foreheads are wiped and they are then expected to laugh. They force out a laugh. There was a sacrificial feast. The most iconic part arrives. The two Luperci cut thongs from the sacrifice known as Febura.They ran anticlockwise wearing them, practically naked around the hill. It was believed that women hit with these could overcome any childbirth issues . There were throngs of plebeians coming towards the forum. There was much shouting and noise. The procession for Caesar had arrived.After defeating Pompeii, Caesar had returned victorious. Plebeians celebrated him. Snatches of conversations could be heard here and there. 'He defeated Pompeii”. \"Rome's hero\", a little kid in the crowd cried. Suddenly the grand procession appeared to form the corner of the street. Soldiers marched, their iron armor glinting in the sun. The praetorian prefect on horseback carried the insignia of the Roman Empire, the gold eagle with SPQR (Senatus Populusque Romanus). The army marched. Their pilum (spear) held high, gladius gleaming and their shield raised. Then came Caesar himself in a chariot, hand raised high with a dainty smile. Romans were gathered around the street for the Lupercal and Caesar's procession. As the horde of plebeians moved forward to greet Caesar, he waved my ands from his chariot. \"Caesar, our great liberator!” “Caesar, the general Rome needs.” Praises were showered at him from all directions. The Luperci's footsteps still resonated on the cobble stones. Young women and ladies lined the streets being hit by the raw leather. Caesar bade his wife Calpurnia to stand. Luperci went and hit her knowing who she was. A crown was offered to Caesar. He refused. There was a lot of shouting and cheer. Flowers were showered. Caesar was surrounded by Romans who thought he was a hero but unknown to him, in the crowd were people who planned of his death. -Ajitesh Karki UNDERNEATH THE CRIMSON MOON The night felt drunk. Perhaps it was the consequence of the intense smell of the fiery spirits, the burning timber, or the united melody of laughter and music that floated adrift, intoxicating each one with the escaped gaiety in the atmosphere. This was the splendor of the Ember feast. The Ember feast is celebrated by the Zaharians on the night of a total lunar eclipse when the moon turns red. According to the legends and folklore, the red colour of the moon symbolises the night of bloodshed when all evils were annihilated, and the triumph of the virtuous remained. The people were attired in their best clothes, with flowers woven into their locks or worn in the wrist of their hands as their prized jewels, to accentuate and appreciate the beauty of nature and an individual. Amidst them when the livid fire ignited with its vigorous flames aiming towards the night sky, the scene looked divine, it almost felt mythical. The fire is interpreted as rebirth and new beginnings to which they all drank a local drink, which had a sweet taste to it that contradicted the bitter but it all came together as a surprisingly pleasant taste. The varieties of the food on the table continued to pleasantly surprise me, with their glorified delicacy being the roasted duck stuffed with food items made from their clandestine recipes and “piqouquoa” which was a sweet dish made from crushed almonds, walnuts submerged in a thick layer of cream which consisted a small percentage of rum and cocoa. The food was savoured as they laughed and talked amongst themselves, chanting local ballads together. The tune of the flute played as the part of the ritual, which captured the feeling of hope into its euphony filled the air, along with the warmth of the passionate flames. The people were singing and dancing unhesitantly, as they rejoiced in the feeling of victory and unity underneath the bleak canvas as the blood of evil gradually drained from the crimson moon. -Aarya Thapa 18
Describing AN ENIGMATIC HERO... ELVIRA BLACK Sailing in the fierce winds of the Atlantic, a stormy Elvira Black, a name I’ll never forget, mostly fate had befallen us all. But as the tides growled because she bullies me. She seems exactly like her name sounds, evil. Black is an undeniably and swayed our vessel, Harry Jones took over. With gorgeous girl, something you’ll never catch me meticulous scrutiny, he steered 'The Atlantis’ saying in real life. Her deep black hair is long and silky, though I really want to pull on it through the tides, determined to triumph over the sometimes. She has these perfectly shaped grey sea. It was that very afternoon in 1657 that Jones eyes that I want to poke with a pencil. I’m not a had reprised his role as a fearless leader, saving us psychopath, I just really hate her. all from what could have been our final ride. Today, 10 years later, Jones still continues his voyage as It all started out in the seventh grade, when I that impeccable captain, while he explores the had just joined the school. All the attention was on me. Elvira Black didn’t like that. She and her Atlantic and maps the wonders of the seas. pesky group of friends that she probably bought, since I refuse to believe she can actually make friends, needed Elvira to always be the main On the contrary, Jones has a pretty enigmatic focus. ALWAYS! persona. His ‘infamous’ goatee is....well ‘infamous’ Strange thing about Black was that she didn’t among us all. From a very young age, he was driven care if the attention was good or bad, she just by adventurous tales of pirates. His attire reflects needed it. It’s probably trauma if you ask me. Her family is rich, meaning they’re always busy. this pretty well. ‘A tricorn on his head, a pair of gold teeth and an eye patches to resemble a She got everything she wanted, except the stereotypical ‘Pirate Lord’. attention of her own parents. I remember finding her crying in the bathroom during the eight grade recital because her parents couldn’t 19Even so, Jones never fails to maintain composure make it. Now that I think of it, I’ve never seen her parents. Not even till this day. and act earnestly when trouble follows his way… While we often find ourselves flustered by the sea, I mean I feel bad for her, but she has made my Harry seems to tame it. When we embrace defeat, life into a living hell. Did that situation humanize her for me? Yes. However, am I going Jones finds a way to use his defeat as a path to to forgive her because I walked into the victory. So within his enigma, courage is what bathroom at the worst timing ever? No. It defines him as an extraordinary captain. ‘Master of doesn’t give her the right to treat me like she the Seas’, ’Lord of the Tides’, ‘Captain of The does and I'm not going to forgive her until she Atlantis’ and ‘The Brave One’. These are merely properly apologizes. I have troubles too, but you some of the titles Jones has gathered throughout don’t see me taking it out on her, do you? the years on his countless voyages sailing around I do genuinely hope that she grows into a more the globe, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. respectable person in the future. It would be shameful not to. Maybe she and I could even be friends someday. I really doubt that, even though And here we are at the exact moment, nearly a it would be the biggest plot twist of my life. If decade later. Sailing through the Atlantic, a stormy that ever happens, I'm making a movie out of it. For now, I’ll just push her off a cliff in my fate has once again befallen us. As the tides roar imagination. and sway our vessel, we quiver behind the shadow Prakriti Shrestha of Harry Jones. As our captain manifests his perseverance and bravery one more time, we cling on to our last hope to triumph over the sea. A sense of déjà vu strikes us and we try to ignite the Harry Jones within us all, while Jones steers us away from a terrible destiny... -Himalaya Satyal 19
A Person The man with glasses My Professor This person is a very hardworking and humble “No true crime stories draw more attention than those about man. He is dependable and highly intellectual too. murderers, especially the ones about serial killers. And no serial Despite all physical odds, he never gave up on killer stories are more sought after than those of the rarest kind of sports until he grew up to be an adult. Soon, with murder: the female serial killer.” The documentary abruptly ends. time and family responsibilities, doing table work “Now students, it is a fact that women commit murder, especially serial for years slowly made him lose his athleticism. murder, much less frequently than men. To this day, there have only been Known for his honesty and will power, big a handful of female serial killers throughout history,” conveyed Professor obstacles have failed to break his hard working Francine. The bell then rings indicating that the class is over. attitude and spirit. Even as time changed him Professor Francine Hughes is one of the most well-known criminologists through thick and thin, for me he is still the same in Nepal. After working with the law enforcement for 28 years, she quit in and out. He is none other than my father, my her job as a criminologist and was hired to work as a professor here in dad. Tribhuvan University. Not much is known about her private life. But At 5’3”, he weighs about 63 kg which is not much everyone knows that she was the wife of the late congressman, Adam for his age yet he has been striving towards losing Sapkota, who suddenly died from a stroke. some more weight. It seems to have worked Professor Francine is undeniably a stunning woman who radiated pure effectively and quite immediately. Well, I think the elegance. Her exquisite beauty never failed to leave people in awe. She is results look quite extraordinary. If ever you a slim, tall woman with soft feminine curves. With her tall stature, sharp encounter him, you will find him to be extremely facial features and ruby red hair, some might even mistake her for a soft spoken and lenient yet he can be a great supermodel. However, the most intriguing thing about her is her scarf. influencer with his good oratory skills and No matter how hot it is, she wears a scarf around her neck all the time. confidence that reflect no pride. As the chief Professor Francine is a mysterious woman. She is very reserved and it is executive, you might see him mostly in formals impossible to tell what she is thinking about. She manages to keep a heading in the most dignified manner to his poker face throughout the day. Maybe she is just highly insensitive or is it destination… The Nabil Bank! the result of working as a criminologist for so long? Nobody knows. Apart Besides being dedicated towards his goal he is also from teaching, she spends a lot of time in the lab. She enjoys a family man who manages to give time to his experimenting and working with chemicals. She even mentioned family. Normally, a busy guy yet during free time developing her own brand of poison. “It’s a slow acting poison with no or holidays, makes it a point to take us on discernible taste, and its effects can be mistaken for a stroke.” I recalled vacations and also enjoys to the fullest. Well, he what she had said. has been wearing glasses since the 7th grade as he Right after the class ended, I hurried to the lab to clear some doubts on used to study a lot and even to this day, the glasses my assignment. As I slid open the door, I got the whiff of a lovely, dewy look pretty cool on him. I still remember his and somewhat familiar scent. I turn around to find our gorgeous narration of his school days when he was in grade Professor Francine sitting right across from me, with a test tube in her 7.Always a bright and brilliant child, he used to sit hand. She greeted me with a warm smile, which I happily returned. But at the back of the class and get correct answers to my smile faltered as my eyes fixed onto her neck. At that moment, I all the math problems put on the board. The understood why she wore a scarf all the time. Underneath the scarf, lies a interesting part was that he had blurry vision and huge bruise. It looked like someone had attempted to strangle her. could hardly see what was on the board. Still, Professor Francine caught me looking at her bruise and laughed. “What? guessing and carefully copying all the wrong You’ve never seen a bruise before?” she exclaimed. “Who could possibly equations from the blackboard, he would write his do this to you?” I asked deadpan. That is when it hit me. “Professor answers. To everyone’s surprise, his answers Francine! Bruise! Her husband! Her poison! Stroke! ” The same words would all be correct despite copying the wrong started ringing in my head as I tried to piece the puzzle together.“You equations. How did he do it? This is something I killed hi-him” I stuttered. “He was an abusive piece of crap. Of course I couldn’t figure out even to this day. would kill him. There is a limit to how much I can handle.” she scoffed as Only after his Math teacher suggested he go for an she rolled her eyes. “But now that you know...I must make sure you never eye-check, did his parents know of his poor tell it to anyone.” she said as she forced me to open my mouth and drink vision.Turns out he needed powerful pair of the liquid in her test tube. I heard a faint shouting before I blacked out. It glasses that made him look amazing back in said “Call the ambulance! She’s having a stroke! She’s passing out!” school, now and ever. -Anushree Kansakar Shuvam Bajra Shakya 20
Describing An Object Small but Significant It is small but of great significance. This dented, flawed circle fits loosely and comfortably, allowing it to be used and handled frequently. It has a distinct, indeterminate shape that compliments the circle in the middle. The jewel, perfectly round, reflects the depths of the oceans and is framed with carved petal-like structures. The shank is about an inch thick and simple at first glance. However, if looked into carefully, the dents from several incidents can be seen. Engraved inside the shank are the words \"Who, being loved, is poor?\" Memories flush into my mind as I remember her. She, who gave me this ring when I was 16, on a windy but beautiful Saturday evening at the backyard of her house was someone of a kind herself. I was watering the plants when she came up to me, pulled it out from the pocket of her coat and put it into my hand. \"For you,\" she whispered. Questions flooded my mind as I was drowned in the color of the gem - a passionate, ethereal blue. “Is this a family heirloom?” I asked her, still staring at the blue. She just chuckled. Finally, tearing my eyes from the color, I saw her staring into the abyss and as I caressed my fingers through the shank, I felt the dents on it… and something engraved inside of the shank. \"Who, being loved, is poor?\" My sixteen year old self stood there staring at those words, wondering, before I whispered back \"What do those words mean?\" She looked at me with a smile on her face and a look she always had whenever I asked her about rainbows and fairies and love. “You’ll know.” But I didn't know, for the longest time - 12 years to be exact. But, tomorrow, at twenty eight, I'm getting married to the love of my life, and as I lay here on the sweet grass beneath the purple gradient sky, once again staring at those words like I did all those years back, they feel so real, so true. Those words, they're alive, swirling inside my head as I await memories that will forever be a part of me. This simple, dented and flawed but beautiful ring is a gift from my grandmother. Small but of great significance. Duchu C Pradhan 21
Jokes & Riddles Student: How long is our winter vacation? Teacher: It is a year long Why do seagulls fly over the sea? Student: Really? Let’s go Because if they flew over a bay, they would be bagels. How do you know when the moon has had enough to eat? Teacher: Mmm! It starts on 2021 and ends on 2022 When it’s full. Why do bees have sticky hair? Student: Really? Wohooo Because they use honeycombs. Teacher: Yea! 25th December 2021 to 25th Why does Humpty Dumpty love autumn? Because Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. January 2022 What is the tallest building in the entire world? The library, because it has so many stories. How do trees access the internet? What is better than a talking dog? A spelling bee They log in. Why did the painting go to jail? What are the strongest days of the week? Saturday and Sunday. All the other days It was framed. Why did Cinderella get kicked off the soccer team? are week-days How do you call out a bar of gold? Because she ran away from the ball. Why should you knock on the refrigerator before By screaming out AU! What concert costs 45 cents? opening the door? 50 cents featuring Nickelback In case there is a salad dressing. Which side of the chicken has more feathers? Did you hear the rumor about the butter? The outside Never mind, I shouldn’t spread it! I’m really good at sleeping. I can do it with my eyes closed. -Atharva Poudyal Knock knock. Who's there? Says. Says who? Says me, that's who! Knock knock. Who's there? Honeydew. Honeydew who? Honeydew you wanna dance? Knock knock. Who's there? Roach. Roach who? Roach you an email last week and I'm still waiting for a response. Knock knock. Who's there? I am. I am who? I am who is knocking. Who are you? -Aahana Pande 22
STORY -Anavi Banskota 23
BOARD - Subhangi Bazgain 24
Date: 09/13/2021 Letter Dear Amy, Yesterday I went downtown to treat myself after a long Zoom Tales! week of work. Many shops and cafes have opened there since you left. It looks like a whole It seemed as if he wanted some of the food that was new place. The ancient shoe shop has been replaced by an surrounding him and as the waiter came out of the antique shop, it’s one of my favorite places now. I always kitchen carrying what I assumed was my food, the wish you were here in Brooklyn with me so that we can golden lab launched itself towards the large tray of visit that shop, there are so many adorable antique food. The whole cafe stopped for a moment as the pieces there. tray fell onto the marbled floor. Thankfully, no one Anyways I am going way off track, I was downtown and was hurt. As the waiter panicked alongside the after a long few hours of shopping, I realized that I was owner, I couldn’t help but giggle a bit because the extremely hungry so I loaded all my goods into the boot dog seemed to enjoy the food without caring about of my car and headed towards this Parisian cafe that’s the damage it may have caused. From what I know the opened next to Mr Honeydew’s bookstore. That cafe owner of the Labrador helped clean up as well as allows pets into their premises if they are well trained and groomed, which is my favorite aspect of it. As I sat apologized to the waiter and the manager. down at a table I noticed an adorable chubby Labrador, you know how much I love labradors so of course, I was interested. So as I ordered some food for myself I It could have surely been more disastrous but it is noticed the owner silently trying to keep the Labrador exactly something that I will look back on and in order. giggle at remembering the expression of the dog as he gobbled up the mess caused by him. Have you had any experiences like these, Amy? I can’t wait to hear from you. I hope you are doing well -Praatika Singh 25
Writing D9/26/2021 During this time many people decided to turn their New Baneshwor, Kathmandu videos off because they are in the comfort of their own Dear Amber, home and also because they are not told to turn it on. It has been a while since we spoke hasn’t it? It’s This other friend of mine got up from her seat and just been so long since your last visit, so I thought I should left, I was confused. Why not turn the video and go write to you to see how everything is going. How when you are allowed to do that, are you and your parents? I was just skimming through the old pictures of us together and right? Then her brother enters the room. Our whole remembered how much fun we used to have before class witnessed them fight, and the fight was probably you moved out funnier than the joke that was shared. It doesn’t stop of the city.I heard that you switched schools too, how is that going? While we are on the subject of there, she enters with a toothbrush in her mouth schools. I have to share an incident that happened vigorously brushing her teeth as we all stare at her, on zoom the other day. So, this happened in the enjoying and not uttering a word. A minute later the earlier stages of us using zoom when all of us were silence got her to recognize that there was something not used to the zoom fundamentals and how things going on which made her realize that she was the center operate. One day, we decided to take a break from of attention and was watched by our whole class. Now, studying and just share jokes, stories and have fun that’s that. How about you write back some incident for a while before going back to studying. This that happened to you or you witnessed. Anyway, I will girl from our class volunteered to share some jokes just end the letter here and let me know if anything new for the class. happens and also if you can come visit or something. Hope to hear from you soon. -Eva Sharma 26
Letter Dear Tawa, The teacher tried to take control and told the How’s it going? It’s fine on my side and if you're man to leave but he was adamant. He hurled a wondering, no I still haven't improved my baking couple more questions before our teacher managed skills since the last time you saw me at baking. I to send the man out of the class. The class id was know, I told you I would but I haven't really got the immediately reset and the password changed. time as of now. Anyways, you know what happened in class today? I You've probably even seen the Sunday was left speechless at what had happened. Best zoom announcement on digital safety right? Whatever class hands down. No cap. Really unfortunate that you were sick and missed the experience. Well moving said and done, it was pretty funny. We kept forward, we were just having our normal Compulsory wondering who he was and why would he do such a Math class and we heard a guy who was around the age of 30 talking loudly with one of our classmates. thing. All is well that ends well and such small He saw the teacher’s screen share and started asking incidents are something worth talking about in questions to the rest. Some who answered were mollified while forcing those who were quiet. We the future. didn't know what was happening and were laughing Well, I can send today’s notes if you want them and our heads off. I’ve also managed to get the voice recording of the call so just hit me up if you want them. Best regards, Arnav Maharjan Zoom Tales! Tuesday afternoon at around 2:00, minutes before physics class ended, Miss Nilima's lights went off. Students stayed back as there were just 15 minutes for the next class. Around 10 people had left and the rest were casually talking and joking around. One of our friends then changed his name to 'Grade 9A' and instantly 2-4 people left the meeting thinking the teacher had joined. The child in us jumped for some excitement and so everyone in the meeting renamed themselves to 'Grade 9A'. It was hilarious to see everyone silent not knowing who the real teacher was. Exactly at that very moment, we found out the class was going to be held in the SEL meeting. The rest of us in the meet decided to tell the others who were yet to join that teachers meeting was on and to go to the SEL meeting. It was fun to see our confused friends joining in and immediately leaving. This prank went on for a while and we had a hearty laugh. At 2: 15, immediately after this, everyone joined the SEL meet. Although we should have informed the teachers about it, this prank was kind of harmless and fun. Like they say, \"Laughter is the best medicine,\" we felt rejuvenated and ready for our next -Athah Malla 27
Writing Dear Leo About thirty minutes of the class was delayed due How are you? I'm certain you are aware of the to this. It was hilarious. There are incidents where situation Corona Virus has caused in schools our teachers prank us by informing us about fake around the world. ONLINE CLASSES! I know it’s surprise tests and this time, we had the last laugh. not at all amusing. Everyday gazing at the screen makes the day monotonous. Well, there is no it's delightful to see the teachers and students other option to attend school without physical trying to keep high morale in the class, especially interaction. However, there are some humorous incidents that happened in Zoom. Trust me, it is during this pandemic. If you have any incidents hysterical. you want to share, do write to me. It was our Nepali class around one o’clock and people were really exhausted after the online Math Your friend, test. Initially, our Nepali teacher, Sir Tika Ram Raghav Pandey was not very familiar with the app Zoom. The whole class took advantage of this situation and we all decided to play a small prank on him. As soon as the class started, all the students turned off their video, mike and renamed themselves “Reconnecting…” Nepali sir was so confused he thought his internet was not working. 28
CROSS (OLELDL) (RIFEUTV) (DLSNEIOG) (AECPR) (TARP) (OITMF) (CLFFEEEUGN) (ITNGLAI) (DURNE) (EERJ) -Luniva Shakya 29
WORD -Vaibhav Sarawagi 30
WORD SEARCH -Abhigya Shrestha 31
News Report Evening Standard Sunday, September 11, 1966 Art By Urgen Dorji All eyes and ears this weekend have turned towards today's shocking headlines: “Several Young Boys Rescued by British Navy after Year Long Desertion on An Island”. The six boys crashed on the unidentified island 15 months ago and had since survived on the island before being spotted and rescued by the British navy just four days ago. The boys were brought back yesterday and are currently alongside their families, kept away from media and public exposure. The Naval Officer in charge of the rescue stated that the find was ‘simply appalling’ and the desertion ‘shouldn’t have happened’. “They’re just schoolboys, they are!” he said. “Children should not have to suffer like this.” The terrific news has caused some livid demands for post-war adjustments and actions against the government. Concurrently, the swing of the sixties has briefly come to a halt as people gathered together at Westwood Village Memorial Park to honor and remember four lost lives of the boys, and a British pilot who unfortunately did not survive the tragedy. -Urgen Dorji 2932
ARTIST'S Nature in an hourglass -Raabiya Sharma 33
POINT -Aayam Acharya -Prakriti Shrestha -Abhigya Shrestha 34
ARTIST'S -Samman Poudel 33
POINT -Abhigya Shrestha 34
ARTIST'S \"RO -Urgen Dorji Lama 35
POINT ME\" 36
SEND OFF “Farki farki nahera malai” -Saarthak Pandey “Et tu, brute?” -Giovanna Parajuli “But the why part” - Abhigya Shrestha “I didn't want to turn my video on because once when I did, all of them caught me sleeping” - Satyam Shakya “So sleepy. All the time.” - Anushka Sharma \"Dear warm temperatured girls, shame on you, I'm gettin’ cold out here.\" -Athah Malla “Mom pressed control C 1 second early, best 1 second of my life” -Raghav Sarawagi “Physical classes merely mean you can no longer chillax while taking screenshots of your class notes.” - Ojashwi Sharma “In a relationship with studies, and it’s extremely complicated.” - Smriti Pant “Even if you let a few things go, it's fine, life goes on” -Manushi Dangol 37
QUOTES “To everyone I've ever been in a project with, You owe me” -Raabiya Sharma “My mic isn’t working…” -Aahana Pandey “Just because things could be different doesn't mean they would've been better” -Praatika Singh “I'll be back, I need to close the door” -Aabhash Thapa, “It’s pronounced ze-say not jessay :)” -Zesay Suitsang “Litchis > Mangoes \"Only people with taste will understand” -Prakriti Shrestha “Stop asking me if I'm in Biratnagar” -Duchu Pradhan “Good things take time, that's why I'm always late” -Anusha Bhandari “Sorry sir, I'll turn my video on in a bit” -Subhangi Bazgain \"You won't know the true value of something until you lose it\" -Bibhor Yadav 38
SEND OFF “Wait hold on, let me get my charger” -Subhav Baral “I'm still using my Ipad” -Paresh Singh Kandel “I don't even know why I'm here, god just put me so stop telling me I take up too much space” -Utkrist B Singh “Is this due at 11:59 too?” -Arnav Maharjan “Just because you’re trash doesn’t mean you can’t do great things. It’s called garbage can , not garbage cannot” -Aadya Shrestha “Mom pressed control V one second late ” -Vaibhav Sarawagi “I have cricket training” -Atharva Poudyal “Maybe, Maybe Tomorrow\" - Aayam Acharya “Yes I have an older brother.” - Mohit Shrestha \"The duster stood by me through it all\" -Sarahana Thapa 39
QUOTES “I love school” - Shuvam Bajra Shakya \"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken\" -Anushka Regmi “I don't know you can just put some quote in for me” -Urgen Dorje Lama “Saparya stole my quote” -Preissa Shrestha, 9'B “Language, please mind your language” -Ajitesh Karki I was told that everything happens for a reason but, sometimes I genuinely want to know what the reason was. -Eva Sharma. 40
नेपाली सामाग्री १) निबन्द र कविता २) कविता र व्यक्तिगत कथा ३) संवाद ४) कथा ५) कविता ६) समाचार रिपोर्ट ७) निबन्ध ८) चिठी ९) निबन्ध, हाईकु , र कविता १०) ठट्टा ११) वर्णनात्मक लेखन १२) वर्णनात्मक लेखन १३) बन्दीपुरको गाउँ 41
भाग तालिका 42
साथीहरूको दबाब र यसले जीवन किशोरकिशोरीहरूमा पार्ने असर दनदन बलेको आगो जस्तै ‘गुगल’ संसारको जानकारी उपलब्ध गराउने एउटा लोकप्रिय माध्यम हो । यसबाट छिनमै सकिई जाने जीवन हामीले आफू लाई चाहिएको सूचना आफू बसेकै ठाउँबाट खोज्न सक्छौँ । गुगलबाट अर्थमा साथीहरुको दबाब भनेको “सहकर्मी दबाव साथीहरु द्वारा प्रत्यक्ष वा अप्रत्यक्ष हिजो जन्मी हुर्की आज प्रभाव हो, वा एक व्यक्ति जो प्रभावित छ वा प्रभावित समुह वा व्यक्ति को अनुरुप गर्न भोलि माटामा मिसिने जीवन को लागी आफ्नो दृष्टिकोण, मूल्यहरु वा व्यवहार परिवर्तन गरेर आफ्ना साथीहरुको अनुसरण गर्न चाहन्छन्।”यो अर्थ चाहिँ हुन त हो तर, यसले साथीको दबाब सहकर्मी दबाबको साँचो अर्थ दिदैन। साथीहरूबाट प्रभावीत हुँदा के कस्तो अनुभूति कोबारेमा कहिले फु ल्छ रङ्गिन फू ल झैँ पनि भन्दैन। यो निबन्धमा अब म मेरो शब्दहरु र विचारमा साथीहरुको दबाब के हो र कहिले काँडाले झैँ घोच्छ यसको किशोरहरुलाई कसरी असर गर्दछ भन्नेबारे लेख्दै छु । साथी हुँदा यही उज्यालो हुन्छ एक्लो हुँदा यही अँध्यारो बन्छ मेरो विचारमा साथीहरुको दबाब अर्थ- “साथीहरुबाट प्रभावित भई सबै उनीहरुले गरे झै सबै कु रा गर्ने , आफ्नो निर्णय, चुनाव, राय के ही गर्न नसक्ने” हो। उनीहरुबाट प्रभावित भई अनाआवश्यक काम, नराम्रा व्यवहार, बानी, बदमासी आदी गर्ने आमाबुबाको काखमा खेलेको हो। यसको एउटा उदाहरण : साथीहरु लागिरहेको कु लतहरु नराम्रो छ, आफ्नो लाग्छ मलाई हिजै जस्तो स्वास्थलाई हानीकारक हुन्छ, आफ्नो भविष्यलाई हानिकारक हुन्छ आदि अरु भनेर आज तनाव र चिन्ता छायो थाहा हुँदा पनि साथीको प्रभावमा र दबाबमा आएर आफू नि त्यहि कु लतमा लाग्न कस्तो नरमाइलो भाव उदायो थाल्छन्। साथीभाइहरूसँग कु रा गर्दै पहिला पहिला समय हरायो अर्को प्रकारको दबाब- साथीहरुले थिचोमिचोएर, डर देखाएर, यो गर त्यो गर भनेर अहिले गृहकार्य गर्दगर्दै दबाब दिनु अनि गरेन भने धमकाउनु। यसको एउटा उदाहरण : साथीले नराम्रा गरिरहेको पत्तै नपाई कता बिलायो छ, जस्तै लागुऔषध, चुरोट, रक्सी गरिराको छ। त्यहि साथीले दबाब दिएर नराम्रा काम कति रमाइलो हुन्थ्यो होला गर्न लगाउने। नमानेमा शारीरिक आक्रामक, असभ्य हुने हुन्। सधैँ आनन्द भएदेखि दु:खकष्टले बलियो बन्दै साथीहरुको दबाबमा पर्ने जाल त जुनै पनि उमेरमा अनुभव सक्छौ। तर, यो जालमा अनुभव बटुल्छु म छु सानै धेरै जस्तै किशोरहरुमा हुन्छन्। किशोर जो गरीब आत्म-सम्मान को अनुभव, जो उनीहरुलाई के हि साथीहरु छन्, र कहिले काहिँ विशेष आवश्यकताहरु सँग साथीहरुको दबाबमा दिनेको लागी अधिक सम्भावना हुन्छन्। यी किशोरहरुलाई लाग्न सक्छ कि एक -अर्नव महर्जन, मात्र तरीका हो कि उनीहरु सामेल हुनेछन् र सामाजिक समूहमा स्वीकार गरीनेछ। व्यवहारले र एक समूह को रूपमा लिईरहेको छ। किशोरहरु को क्षेत्रमा अतिरिक्त असंबद्ध “सिन्यापसेस” छ जहाँ जोखिम मूल्यांकन हुन्छ, र यो निर्णयको बाटोमा हुन्छ। यसको अतिरिक्त, प्रिफ्रन्टल कोर्टेक्स अविकसित छ, जसले किशोरहरुलाई साथीहरुको दबाब र जोखिमपूर्ण, आवेगपूर्ण व्यवहारको लागी अधिक संवेदनशील बनाउँछ। यसैले किशोरहरुमा साथीको दबाब धेरै देखिन्छ। यो सबै भनेपछि साथीको दबाब सकारात्मक पनि हुन्छ। सकारात्मक सहकर्मी दबाब किशोरहरु वयस्कताको लागी आवश्यक प्रतिलिपि कौशल विकास गर्न मद्दत गर्न सक्छ। यसले किशोरहरुलाई एथलेटिक्समा अधिक सक्रिय बन्न वा जोखिमपूर्ण व्यवहार बाट बच्न को लागी प्रोत्साहित गर्न सक्छ, जो विशेष गरी कठिन समय को समयमा उपयोगी हुन सक्छ। किशोरहरुलाई अगाडि जान्छन् , असल काम गर्छन् । सकारात्मक दबाबले किशोरहरुलाई राम्रो हन्छ। यतिमा भन्दै म साथीको दबाब साथिको चरित्र अनुसार राम्रो वा नराम्रो हुन्छ भन्दै म आफ्नो निबन्ध यहि टुङ् ग्याउँछु । -आध्या श्रेष्ठ, 43
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