With a student body of almost 4,000, it is surprising that until last year, Arlington High School, located in Lagrangeville, NY, never had a fashion extracurricular. Gianna Tomasulo Padernacht, a junior at the time and one of my best friends, wanted to change that.
It was my vision to be surrounded by peers with diverse interests and talents who all can come together to create something incredible. And what is more incredible than a magazine!
Gianna Tomasulo Padernacht
In the fall of 2021, Gianna wanted a place for her and other students to be able to pursue their interest in fashion, so she teamed up with Angelina Galanopolus, another student at AHS and a talented designer herself and began working on what would eventually be known as The Anchor Magazine. Now, every month, they publish virtual issues of The Anchor, which consist of shoots, articles, creative edits and more. With so many students at Arlington, Gianna and Angelina make sure to utilize the talent and creativity of every member, from writers and photographers to hair and makeup.
The Anchor was a success from its first issue, creating community-wide buzz. The girls did not let everyone’s attraction to the magazine go to waste and came up with the innovative idea to organize the school’s first-ever fashion show, with Vice President of the Anchor, Angelina, as creative director. And so, by the spring of 2022, they got to work, planning all of the details.
By the time the fall rolled around, designers were finishing up their lines, the show was being promoted all over social media and people began to get excited. I, as the head of the writing department and host of the show, worked with the other writers to create the perfect playbill and script to present and slowly started counting down the days until showtime.
The week leading up to the show was hectic to say the least, but a week full of memories was made. As cliche as it sounds, being a part of something bigger than yourself is special. The moments leading down to the show were filled with the sounds of music blasting and laughter coming from the dressing rooms, the smell of hairspray and the craziness of people running around double-checking that everything was in place and ready to go. It was a celebration of creativity- and I must say- everyone outdid themselves.
Individuality and self-expression is so important, and is often done through fashion. Fashion is art- it unifies communities and supports individuality, and this show did exactly that. It provided students of Arlington and the surrounding community the opportunity to express themselves and their myriad of creative expertise in a way that was so exceptional.
Angelina Galanopoulos
Creative Director and Designer Angelina Galanopolus’ line Out of This World
As host of the show, I sat in the box in the back of the auditorium and was able to see the audience’s reactions to every piece and with every “ooh” and “ah”, I became more and more confident in the show’s success. The theme was “futurism” and designers had the creative freedom to interpret this however they pleased. It was a magical night and every member of the audience was transported to a futuristic world as models showed off the designs. If you were not able to see the show for yourself, check out The Anchor’s November issue, which is a look into the behind-the-scenes of the show, featuring many photo ops from the night!
For this year’s seniors, summer basically ended on August 1st, the day the common app opened. Many of us have been badgered with questions about college at the family dinner for a while now, but usually, those types of questions bring nothing but anxiety. If you’re anything like me, then you probably associate the words “stressful” and “intimidating” with the college application process. Having to make major-life decisions as a 17 year old can be understandably overwhelming, but there are a few things that you can do to manage it. Follow these 10 steps to (hopefully!) stay stress-free as we head into college application season.
Start Your Search Early
If you haven’t started your application process yet and are starting to panic, don’t worry. It’s never too late to start early. Most schools’ regular decision deadlines are after the new year, which means you have time to do some research. What do you want in a school? What is a necessity for you? How far do you want to go? These are important questions to ask yourself in order to narrow down your search. Once you have schools that you are interested in, take a tour and be able to imagine yourself on campus! One helpful tip to use when searching for schools is to go on the school’s social media and get a feel for student life. If it doesn’t seem your speed, cross it off the list. If you feel behind, take a deep breath. It’s okay, everyone moves at their own pace, and colleges understand that. That is why there are multiple application deadline options!
Try to Limit Your Options
If you are an anxious student and want to guarantee to yourself that you will get accepted somewhere by applying to as many schools as you can, that may not be your best option. Most college admissions counselors will recommend applying to around five schools. Ideally, the list should consist of a few reach schools and a few safety schools to keep yourself at ease. Applying to a reasonable amount of places takes a weight off your shoulders and things to do off your plate. You should avoid overextending yourself to ensure that you bring your best to each application you submit. Also, don’t drive yourself crazy trying to apply to only the “top” schools. Be realistic. You can still get a good job even if you don’t graduate from Harvard.
Take Advantage of Test-Optional Policies
Post-pandemic, many schools now have a test-optional policy, which means that if you submit an SAT or ACT score, your admissions counselor will review it, but if you decide not to send in your score, it won’t hurt you either. This is great for seniors, because it takes the pressure off of the idea that one test defines your future. Colleges understand that everyone tests differently, and that a four hour test should not take away from the last four years of hard-work. So now, you can relax knowing that if you ace it, that’s great, and if you don’t, that’s okay, too.
Take Breaks
Although college applications will probably take up a big chunk of your time, senior year is supposed to be fun! Most high schools have senior events to try to make your last year as exciting as possible. Get involved! Go to the senior sunrise, go to the last home football game, and try to make the best out of it! If you spend all of your time thinking and talking about college, you won’t be able to escape feelings of stress. There is a healthy balance between being responsible and having fun. In ten years, you may even look back and wish you didn’t take everything so seriously.
Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
The golden rule to college applications is to not compare yourself to anyone else. Everyone is going down a different path, so don’t let it discourage you if you think that someone else has it all figured out. For instance, maybe an athlete you know has already committed to a school. But, what is best for one person may not work best for somebody else. There is a place for everyone, so don’t let what other people are doing add to your stress and make sure to focus on yourself.
Be Yourself
When completing your applications, you should stay true to yourself. Colleges can see right through an application that’s purely surface level. Your admission counselors want to really get to know you, learn what you’re passionate about and what you will be bringing to their school. Joining clubs that you don’t truly care about will only overload your schedule and stress you out. It’s better to put 100% into one activity rather than stretch yourself out too thin in order to add more things to your resume.
Pick a Topic You’re Passionate About
When it comes to the college essay, it can bring major stress into the lives of students. We all worry about choosing the perfect topic- a combination of something unique, intelligent, and impressive. What students forget is that the Personal Essay has that name for a reason. It’s a chance for you to tell your story and write about something you’re passionate about. Not only will the writing process be easier and more pleasant, but it gives your counselor another chance to get to know you, and your essay will probably be better overall if you really enjoyed the topic you chose.
Take Your Time
Choosing your major can feel overwhelming, but remember, what you choose to study in college is not the career you are stuck with for the rest of your life. If you are interested in multiple areas of study, there are many options for you to choose from. You can have a concentration within a major, a minor, or even double-major! If you are completely undecided, don’t worry, you won’t have to decide on a major until the end of your sophomore year! If this is your case, then make sure to choose a school that isn’t too narrowly focused and has a vast amount of options. Spend your first two years taking different classes and get a feel for what your interests are. Don’t rush into a major because you think you have to!
Utilize Your Resources
During the application process, there are a plethora of people at your fingertips who want to help you succeed. Whether it’s your parents, your guidance counselor, a teacher, or even a friend, there are many people you can go to for help or advice. Naviance is also a great tool that can help you research and organize schools that are the right fit for you. If you don’t mind spending a little money, I would also recommend meeting with a tutor to perfect your essay or working with an admissions consultant to help guide you through the process.
Remember One Bad Grade Won’t Make or Break You
Last but not least, make sure to keep in mind that one bad grade will not automatically mean rejection from your top school. Colleges look at the applicant as a whole, and not just their transcript. They want to know what you’re interested in, how you spend your time, how much you’ve worked or volunteered and then they take all of that into consideration. So, if you’ve stayed up at night thinking about how you failed your last math quiz, I can assure you that it is not worth your time.
Final Thoughts
To some students, college is the end all be all. If that is you, and you turn into a ball of stress and anxiety whenever you hear the word college, then I would take a deep breath and read this article carefully. As important as the process is, don’t waste your high school years constantly worrying about the next four. I hope this helped, and here’s a good luck to everyone applying!
