Kind Of A Rant But Totally Relatable

Complaining. I’d like to say it’s one of my strengths. Give me a topic and I’ll find something to complain about. You might call me annoying or too opinionated because of how much I complain. I mean, my friends and family complain about how much I complain.

So, I’d like to document my many complaints on paper (or online, IDK where this is getting published).

First I’ll start with PDA; that’s public display of affection for all you ignoramuses/ignorami. And yes, I am using that word to make myself feel smarter.

But back to the topic at hand; it’s not my fav. I don’t want to be enjoying my time between classes, before school, and after school seeing all the couples in the hallway making out or rubbing up against each other.

And I knooowww, you’re “in love” with each other but that doesn’t give you an excuse to make my eyes fall victim to the sight of you and your “boo.”

Whether you’re at makeout ledge, the student store outside the cafeteria, or that hallway made entirely of windows, it doesn’t change the fact that I don’t want to see you and your “baby” all up on each other. Especially on top of my locker. Because guess what? I need to get to it!!!

And continuing on the topic of relationships, I don’t need to have you constantly talking about it to the point where I’m basically in the relationship. You can talk to me about it because I’m a reasonable human who cares about other people and what goes on in their lives, but there is a limit to what I need/want to hear.

Also, what on earth makes you think that after such a little amount of time dating someone that you love them. Are you crazy? Because NEWS FLASH, you don’t. You’re in high school. Be realistic. And this isn’t me being the bitter single person; this is me voicing what I think many people feel.

Don’t go around calling your gf or bf “the love of your life” or your “one and only.”

And then there’s the people who decide that they want to put “11:11 him (or her)” on their snapchat stories.  What are you seven? Stop it. You’re in high school, start acting like it.

Continuing on stupid things people put on their stories, what goes on in your mind when you decide to post a black screen with some variation of words like “whatever *eyeroll emoji*,” “can’t sleep,” or “thinkin bout you?” And then the ones that are “happy *100 emoji* name.” Not to be blunt, but I don’t care and I really don’t think anyone else does either.

So, onto the next thing that I need to complain about.

This section of my article is like when you’re at a school dance and the DJ plays a slower song and says something along the lines of “okay folks this is where we slow it down a bit.” Because this is when it gets a little more serious. This part of the dance is never really towards the beginning but it’s also not really towards the end; It’s safely in the middle.

I’m gonna talk about the offensive people and offensive things that are said.

I don’t want to be a hypocrite and say that I’ve never said something that could offend someone because I have. Everyone has; That doesn’t mean it’s okay though.

The idea that something I’ve said could hurt someone doesn’t sit well with me. Many people probably agree with me on that.

Yet, there are so many people that can say something so rude and hurtful and feel no remorse. It baffles me that there are so many who say those kinds of things everyday. And, that so many people are okay with it.

I won’t name names but there’s a pretty famous person who says the kinds of things I’m talking about, yet I know for a fact that A LOT of people in this country, and definitely in this school still support him and his presidency.

I’m not one of those people who’s going to say he’s not my president because I think it’s pretty freaking clear he is. But, that doesn’t mean I have to like him. Anyway, I’m 16, so it’s not like any of you care about my political opinion.

Back to what I was saying though. I’ve heard derogatory things being said about the transgender community, people’s sexual orientation, race, religion, etc. I know I’m gonna keep hearing these things throughout my whole life. And that breaks my heart.

Emerson Peterson

Grade: 10

To start off, the topic of pronouns and the gender spectrum is a deeply personal topic to me, seeing as how I am openly and proudly transgender. So when I hear or see people bashing the rights we are gaining as humans, it is nearly physically painful. People say it’s not real, it’s a choice, etc. and I want to correct them. Not to be rude, but to inform them that being transgender is most likely one of the most horrifying things I’ve been through, and I will be going through it my entire life. Personally, surgeries and therapies to help me along are my chosen path. Being trans is a feeling that has, I now realize, been the major cause of my depression growing up. And yes, I’ve tried being feminine to “fix it.”  And no, it hasn’t worked. Dressing like a girl only makes it worse. Being transgender, that is not a choice. I have not known one person that has been completely happy with being transgender, so don’t act like it. Refusing to respect someone because of the way they were born, that is not “your personal opinion”, that is bullying. And that makes you a horrible person. Also, don’t say “it’s how you were raised.” That only demonstrates that you have no idea how to think for yourself.

Why are people saying such hurtful things? It doesn’t make you cooler. People won’t like you better if you talk about stuff like that, so why are you doing it? All I can really say about it is that it’s plain and simply terrible.

And then there are the jokes about certain events like 9/11, the Holocaust, etc. If you can joke about that stuff and the deaths that occurred as a result and not feel an ounce of guilt then shame on you. I could name people who make those jokes but since this is a school newspaper, I would probably get in trouble if I did that so I won’t.

Let’s get back to the not so serious stuff now.

I want to tell you how I feel about the “fights” that seem to be a frequent this year. We all know that it’s the freshman boys who are the ones doing it.

The fights aren’t even real. It’s a game they play, slap fighting. Simply put, it’s dumb. Everyone still watches it when it’s on someone’s snapchat story but that doesn’t make it any less stupid.

Stephanie Kaltenbaugh

Grade: 11

One of the most annoying things for me is when people don’t believe me about something serious. I have been in and out of school due to an autoimmune condition since fifth grade. It’s not something I like giving details about since it’s very personal, so a lot of people don’t know exactly what’s wrong with me. I don’t owe it to anyone to tell them what’s wrong with me, and to be honest, if I give a generic answer without details, it’s rude to attempt to pry out more information. However, that shouldn’t give them the right to call me a faker. I’ve been accused of faking and “playing hooky” since I was ten, and it’s super exhausting. I’ve even lost a couple of my best friends because they didn’t believe me. I normally say “I don’t want to talk about it” when others question my absences, which shouldn’t be an issue. Even so, most people automatically assume that means I don’t have a legitimate reason. I’m not skipping school, I’m just sick. Everyone needs to stop accusing and start believing.

Next is the dress code. Personally, I haven’t had any trouble with the dress code since sixth grade but there are people who do have trouble with it. And I understand why they do. Some of the rules for girls are ridiculous.

I remember all the girls being called into the auditorium my freshman year and we were were told about all the rules we have to follow regarding our clothes. Later that day when I got on the bus, I ranted about it to anyone who would listen.

Why wasn’t there an assembly for guys saying what they can and cannot wear/show? Why do only girls need to be told about those rules?

We were told that we could not show any part of our bra. I specifically remember being told that if our bra strap was showing then we would need to cover it up. Sorry, but girls have breasts in case you didn’t notice and I’m sure that you can deal with seeing the strap of a bra. Because the alternative is not wearing a bra and then you might actually have something to be distracted by.

It’s also a rule in the 2016-2017 student handbook that, “tank-tops (girls/boys) with thin/spaghetti straps are not permitted.” I don’t know about you, but I’ve sure never seen a guy wearing a spaghetti strap tank-top; So clearly it’s more directed towards girls.

It’s a classic rule that girls shouldn’t show their shoulders because they could be a distraction for boys. I would like to meet every boy in the last decade who has ever complained to his school’s office that some girl’s shoulder is disrupting their learning. Because that number is probably about two and I’m sure those two boys were joking.

I know this was a rule in the middle school and I couldn’t tell you if it’s still applied in the high school, but every girls knows and despises this rule- the good old fingertip rule, in which the length of a girls shorts must not rise about the tips of her fingers when her arms are put by her side.

This rule is, and excuse my french, utter bull crap. Surprisingly, not every girl is proportioned the same way. Some have longer torsos, some have longer legs, and some have longer arms. Personally, I have shorter legs and longer arms so my fingertips go about ⅔ down my thighs. This may not seem that bad but when most shorts reach about where my wrist lays when my arms are down, it tends to get difficult to abide by this rule. So, most of the time, I don’t.

There are many other things that I could talk about but since this is getting a little long I think I’ll wrap it up here. So, I’m going to leave you with these words; think before you do anything so you don’t end up looking like an idiot.

Jordan Graham

Grade: 10

What really bothers me is when people assume kids like me are invisible. It’s no secret we live in a conservative, mostly white and Christian area, so people use that as their shield to hate as much as they want. The kid next to you could be gay, but you are just gonna assume he’s straight so you can keep making jokes with your friends.

It’s reasons like that why people need to speak up when someone’s doing or saying something offensive. If no one speaks up, they’re just gonna feel safer and safer to hate until it turns from things like jokes to raw, unfiltered hate.