Most FVHS students treat the Thanksgiving mini-vacation as a welcome reprise from the constant onslaught of schoolwork. But, for many high school seniors, it\’s much more than just a break; it\’s an opportunity to finish up their college applications.

“I\’ve only gone out once because of my essays. I’m never satisfied, so I’ve rewritten them at least twice each already. In fact, I’m working on them right now. It doesn\’t help that my mom is breathing down my neck about turning them in…” says senior Ashley Ho.

Ashley is not the only one stuck in this harsh position. Many seniors with busy schedules have had to push back college applications until the last week because of intense schedules. These students forsake their precious vacation activities to work laboriously on college applications.

Applications for the University of California are among  the worst culprits in this this crime, as they require two highly polished essays within a strict word limit, and are due two days after break ends.

Senior Kevin Nguyen says, “They were terrible, especially the first prompt. It was so difficult to think of something to write about within the word limit, I kept changing what I wrote. I\’m on my fourth revision now.”

Despite their grim situation, FV seniors remain enthusiastic and optimistic for their future. Good luck, seniors! Happy Thanksgiving!

Kite Runner

By Joy Chen

Ever since I could remember, my teachers always told me that a good book is able to take you away from reality and send you to a whole other world.  The Kite Runner is one of those few amazing books that can launch your imagination into almost another realm, if you want to call it that.  They can teach you new things and give you more knowledge on topics that you were never familiar with.

The Kite Runner takes place during the 1970\’s in Afghanistan, when the Afghani monarchy is faltering due to the unsatisfied community.  The story revolves around a man named Amir, who is haunted by his past and cannot escape it.  However, the story starts off with him remembering memories from when he was a child that made him who he was today. When he was younger, he lived comfortably because his father was a very powerful man with a lot of wealth.  Since Amir\’s family had so many assets, they were ableto hire servants which a lot of Afghans could not afford.There was one particular servant named Hassan, who was a Hazarian, whom Amir formed a close friendship with.  During this time period, Hazarians were considered dirty and were looked down upon which made it all the more surprising that the two were able to become friends.

As a series of events go on, their lives are changed forever.  The book follows the life of Amir and the challenges that he has to face going through life.

This book truly changed my perception of Afghanistan because I was able to learn about its people and their culture.  I never knew about the hardships that the Afghans had to face, and this book really depicts how they had to overcome the obstacles. I would definitely recommend The Kite Runner to people who want to be able to escape to another place and learn about a fascinating culture.  However, if you can\’t handle any sad stories, then do not read this book.  Sadness is one of the main focuses of the novel, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t happy moments from time to time.

This story is an amazing tale of betrayal, love, new beginnings, regret, and social standings.  It is beautifully intertwined together creating a masterpiece and remains an all-time favorite of mine.

With over 60,000 attendees this year, the 15^th annual Arab American Festival, held at “The Village Green Park,” was a complete success.

Although most countries are divided by borders, language, and sometimes even religion, it\’s important to celebrate together every once in a while, whether it\’s a holiday or just a festival to crank things up. That’s why its important that not only Arab Americans attended this annual celebration, but also those people who were interested in learning about other cultures, trying new foods, and having a good time.

The Festival attracted people of all Middle Eastern backgrounds, ranging from Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan to Syria, and Egypt. There were so many things to do while at the festival, it was nearly impossible to get bored. Besides the fact that there was a hopping dance floor, for only 20 dollars you could have ridden the roller coasters and tried out various games. And if you happened to get hungry in between, they served shawerma (beef slices wrapped in pita bread) and falafel sandwiches with hummus that were equally tasty.

If you attended the Arab American Festival, and didn’t come from an Arabic or Middle Eastern background, it’s probably something you wouldn’t forget. You might have been taken back by all the pride everyone has in their country, what with people standing under their flags representing and showing off their dance moves. On one were Lebanese performing their dabke dance, which is primarily composed of horizontal foot movement.  On to the right was the well-known Egyptian belly dancing, which is performed by both males and females.

Overall, the experience was amazing and I’m glad I had the chance to go this year. I recommend the festival to anybody who\’s interested in showing a little pride, learning a new dance, or tasting some new food. Come on down next year, we’ll be waiting for you.

Easy A

by Fiona Murphy

When average high-school student Olive Pendergast (played by Emma Stone) is overheard talking about the fictitious swiping of her v-card, the rumors spread like wildfire. Olive decides to use the rumors to her advantage, gaining popularity and helping unesirable guys by pretending to hook up with them for giftcards. Things turn ugly when the rumors spiral out of control and Olive has to find a way to get her life back. But don\’t be fooled by its clichéd teen movie premise. This film is actually much more fresh and interesting than is to be expected from the trailers.

This movie is a throw-away romantic comedy, but it’s coated with smart, witty humor and plenty of charm. References to 80′s movies are plentiful, and laughs are almost guaranteed. Some of the funnier scenes felt tacked on rather than organically worked into the story, but Easy A would have been too dark and serious without them. I’m glad that they were put in, although they might not fit in seamlessly.

Easy A reminds me of another movie, called She’s The Man, not for the plot, but for the atmosphere and mood. Both movies were funny and clever with an underlying romance chick-flick kind of feel. But that’s not to say that Easy A is only for girls. It has the ability to keep the attention of anyone willing to give it a chance. Although it borrows much from other cliché teen movies, it does so in a charming way that keeps the audience interested. If I had to give this movie a grade, it would definitely get an easy A.