The CougarThe Cougar Pride Embracing the Now By Rachel VanderVen The Cougar Pride May/June Living, or the ac- uncertainties and pres- that who I am today is tion of being alive, has sures, I am in no way an improvement of an infinite number of afraid of what is to who I was yesterday. definitions: to remain come. My friend Fio- The reality is that alive, to acquire an na said to me recently, my life is in no way Upcoming Events income sufficient to “I’m excited for worse than what it survive off, to live on what’s next, but I was a year ago. I’m  HFL Unplugged in memory of those don’t want to wish just focusing on the (6/13) you knew, etc. One these moments away.” wrong things. If you definition of the verb Clinging onto the past base your happiness  Last day of clas- ses grades 9-12 to live is to make is in no way the focus on the factors that (6/14) one’s home in a par- of this article, nor made you happy in the ticular place or with a should it be the focus past, you’ll miss out  High School Final Exams (6/17– particular person. For of your life. That be- on the good in your 6/25) me, that denotation ing said, the past life at the present. So I

rings true. Honeoye seems to be where have decided that it’s Falls is where my I’ve been spending the time to fully embrace home is. It’s where majority of my sub- this wonderful life that my friends and I play conscious time. I’m living. The trick is sports, learn, drive, Recently, I find to take note of all of make mistakes and myself romanticizing the little things. The plan for the rest of our memories from years first warm day of the lives. My class will past, worrying that year, the sun coming graduate in roughly a what I’m doing cur- out after a week of year. Some of my rently will never live rain, a hug from your Inside this issue: friends graduate in a up to what I have best friend, your mom

Embracing the Now 1- month. This makes me achieved in the past. calling you down for 2 wonder how my defi- These thoughts set an dinner, kind words nition of living will unattainable and un- from a stranger. These Top Ten 3 change when I leave, healthy bar. This trap- are all small occur- Films and what will make ping feeling of regres- rences, but they are Summer Is in Our 3 me feel alive. sion can be suffocat- significant. It’s the lit- Midst As my days as an ing at times. We tle things that set your The 2019 Fashion 4 HF-L junior dwindle, should never try to re- life apart from others. Year so Far I am becoming in- peat our past selves. Everyone has infinite creasingly aware of The girl I was a year amounts of goodness the ticking clock that ago would feel like a in their life, but it’s counts down my high complete alien to the how you respond to it school career. Before I person I am now. My that matters. Be so in continue, I would like thoughts, values and love with the moment to clarify that while habits are all different. that you are living in the future holds many I would like to believe right now. It is a fruit- The Cougar Pride Page 2

less pursuit to live for tick. Even if you don’t for granted. I have be- tomorrow. You cannot know what it is right come accustomed to put aside your happi- now, you will. We are seeing my friends every ness now in order to se- all living for something. day. Our lives are so cure a future that may In a way, everyone has intertwined, and it’s never arrive, or at least a different definition of odd to picture a day may not look like what what “to live” is. Alt- where they no longer you expect. hough what defines it is will be. Knowing that It is a popular idea subjective, the word re- my time with them is that our lives will begin mains the same. This limited motivates me to after we graduate. I do pursuit for meaning and fully grab onto our not agree. Although it purpose is a commonal- friendship and all of the can be monotonous, the ity for everyone. It is a small things that makes growth I have experi- toxic habit of our socie- it great. The looming enced while at this ty: waiting to be happy. deadline (graduation) is school is huge. We all Don’t wait. Be happy a somewhat tangible have learned how to be now. Embrace those motivator in this specif- a good friend and even around you. Instead of ic situation. In many further, how to be a dreading that one class, other relationships, the good person. Everyone find something that end is unknown. How- “Everyone has says that the person you makes you excited to be ever, everything is sus- are in high school will there. If you look for ceptible to change at infinite change. I don’t doubt negativity and bore- any given moment in amounts of this, but why does that dom, you will always time. Value every mo- goodness in make what we do in find it. Luckily, the re- ment with your loved high school any more verse is also true, and one as if they are num- their life, but trivial? Humans change those who proactively bered, because they are. it’s how you until they die. The peo- pursue happiness will ple we are now are a become successful. respond to it product of the parents, Before you know it, that matters. ” coaches, peers, team- we will all be off to our mates and community corners of the world. I that we were raised want to make sure that with. Exposure to the I’m not taking anything world and adulthood will change us, but our core will remain the same. Saying that life begins after these four years is the easy way out. It’s a cheat. Instead of wasting your time, why wouldn’t you begin living now? Everyone has some- thing that makes them Mixed Media/Photo Transfer Piece By Zoey G. The Cougar Pride Page 3

The Top Ten Best Superhero Films Hellboy rises above the derivative nature of this particular By: Dominik Abraham genre of film. In the midst of all the pandemonium, I think we 5. X-MEN (2000) need to slow down and acknowledge what a good superhero True to the comics and chock-full of action, X-Men brings a film is. A film dealing with the life of a superhero needs to packed slate of definitive Marvel characters to the screen with show the balance or imbalance of the life the hero leads. It a gifted ensemble cast and a sharp focus on story. needs to show that being a hero has its consequences, and that 4. DEADPOOL (2016) the hero lifestyle is nothing to be glorified or joked about. Fast and funny, the fourth-wall-breaking Deadpool under- Though some of these entries are excluded from these re- mines the superhero film formula with wildly entertaining quirements because some characters are different from others, results. here are the top-ten superhero films. 3. SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING (2017) 10. THE INCREDIBLES (2004) Spider-Man: Homecoming delivers a fun adventure that does Balancing both heroics and that classic Disney magic, Pixar well as a stand-alone superhero film, without being dragged manages to create a film that brings loads of wit and tons of down in Marvel Studios’ franchise building. fun to the animated superhero genre and it certainly lives up 2. THE DARK KNIGHT (2008) to its name. Dark, complex, and memorable, The Dark Knight prospers 9. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2014) not just as an amusing comic book film, but also as an excit- This film is just as bold as fans of the often-crazy Marvel ing crime saga. comic would expect -- as well as funny, exhilarating, full of 1. LOGAN (2017) emotion, and bursting with visual splendor. Actor Hugh Jackman shines as one last time in a 8. ANT-MAN (2015) violent but thoughtful superhero action film that challenges Led by a charismatic performance from Paul Rudd, Ant-Man the genre as a whole, and shows what happens when the crea- offers Marvel delights on a much smaller scale tors put heart and soul into the source material. 7. SUPERMAN (1978) Superman skillfully blends humor and seriousness, and the perfectly cast Christopher Reeve helps to create a devoted, nostalgic homage to an American pop culture icon. 6. HELLBOY (2004) With wit, hilarity and Guillermo del Toro's eccentric visuals,

Summer in Our Midst By: Kara Oatman 1. Now that the school year is ending, what can I do to finish the school year right? Finally, the last few weeks of the year are upon us! For most of us, this means that finals are coming up and it is time to prepare. The first way to help yourself from stressing out is to start studying each night for the tests that you are worried about. Oftentimes, students don’t plan their schedules to include studying, then all of a sudden - BAM! – the day of the test comes and they don’t know anything. Stay motivated, work hard the last few weeks and then you have a few months to relax before school starts again. That doesn’t sound very optimistic, but that’s school for you! Another thing you can do to end the school year right is to get involved in as many school activities as pos- sible. Even though it may seem contradictory, becoming involved can keep you motivated and active in the school and community, which enriches your high school experience. Unless you are ‘too cool’ for school, then in that case: get over yourself and DO SOMETHING! This is your last chance in the school year to be a part of so many great opportunities, take as many as possible!

2. Summer is nearly a month away, what kind of activities should I do to keep my vacation from being a snooze- fest? Funny you should ask that! Summer for kids usually means working or sleeping, both of which can be for absurd amount of hours. Although working can earn you good money, don’t limit yourself to just working every day for hours on end. Get active and explore what summer has to give! Go outside on a hike, ride your bike, hang out with friends, volunteer your time to helping others, spend time with family, among many other things. Nothing is better than taking some time to relax and simply enjoy life with the people you care for most. You never know, these moments may be something you will look back on and wish you had back. If you are motivated, take a sum- mer course and get ahead in school or college. If you don’t want to sacrifice your time for education, work and ap- preciate your free time. The sky is the limit, so be willing to use your time in an array of ways! The Cougar Pride Page 4 The 2019 Fashion and Nick Jonas arrived in years, A- list celebrities light colored mesh outfits are finally catching up to Year so Far to match the French cli- the trend of boldness and By: Ayla Brongo mate, while Alessandra color. No longer are award Ambrosio came in an eye- shows simply a black tie In a year of bold colors popping coral. While event, between the dedica- and oversized looks, fash- Cannes isn’t a prime ex- tion of designers and com- ion has reached what some ample of runway gold, the mitment to new looks from believe is the peak of ec- influence of incoming celebrities, Hollywood has centricity in the clothing summer fashion is evident. become the trademark of world. I’ll begin with this fashion from New York year’s hottest styles and While moments of 2019 and Milan alike. looks, between cinched fashion have been for the waists and saturated col- books, a deep rooted issue One of the final and most ors, each piece seen on this is that of men in the fash- important achievements of year’s runway have been ion world. A topic of dis- fashion in 2019 has been completely out of the box. cussion with news outlets the true acceptance of Layering and pattern mix- is that men are not held to clothing as an art form. ing have also made their the same standard of fash- The hard work and dedica- way to the runway with ion as women. While this tion of overworked and brands like Fendi and Lou- is true, many men have underpaid designers have is Vuitton. On the opposite stepped it up this year, es- finally been realized. More side monochrome has pecially at the Met Gala and more celebrities are “The hard swept shows such as Clau- seeing eye catching looks bringing their designers to dia Li, and Michael Kors. work and from Darren Criss and Ez- events to appreciate their 2019’s color of the year ra Miller. Both men ar- craft and what goes into dedication of was living coral, a bright rived with bold, inspired making them look so good and fun take on orange overworked makeup looks that on every red carpet. which has been seen in matched their clothing and underpaid countless shows this sea- pieces and fit perfectly "Fashion is very important. son. Another popular style designers have with the theme of camp. It is life-enhancing and, is crochet, it was spotted at The acceptance of men’s like everything that gives finally been Oscar de la Renta, Victoria makeup in high fashion pleasure, it is worth doing Beckham and JW Ander- realized. ” has been a major contrib- well.” —Vivienne West- son - all in monochrome. uting factor to stepping up wood 2019 has also been the the level of sophistication year of the comeback, in couture looks. Granted, styles from the 90s and this has been normalized late 80s have been reap- in runway shows for many pearing in high fashion and department stores alike. From award shows to the coveted Met Gala, outrageous fashion has been quite the hit. Boring fashion has become virtu- ally unacceptable in the eyes of the creative elite. The most recent fashion and film collaboration has been Cannes film festival this past weekend. Popular celebrities like Priyanka Digital Image By Josh Y. The Cougar Pride Page 5 Congratulations to Anna Powell!

Anna is a graduating senior who has been the editor of The Cougar Pride for the past two years. Her perseverance , dedication and passion have yielded many quality issues of our school newspaper. It is with heartfelt gratitude and good wishes that we, the staff and advisor of The Cougar Pride, say goodbye to such an influential and inspirational leader!

Newspaper Staff:

Editor: HEY! Neva Tayler Join the newspaper next year! [email protected]

The great thing about the HFL school news- paper is that most of our issues are either once a month or every other month and com- Contributors: munication is mostly through email, making it not insanely time consuming . Don’t worry, Rachel VanderVen as long as you enjoy it, this staff is for you. Dominik Abraham To contribute and write about what you’re Kara Oatman interested in, talk to Ms. Tucker in room 221 Ayla Brongo or contact the editor listed to the right. Make (All Artists) sure to check us out at the activity fair in the beginning next year. We would love to have you on our team! The Cougar Pride Page 6 The Cougar Pride Page 6

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