The student news site of Antioch Community High School.

Sequoit Media

The student news site of Antioch Community High School.

Sequoit Media

The student news site of Antioch Community High School.

Sequoit Media

LATEST

The New Norm

Our first only-digital edition of the Tom Tom encapsulates our new perspectives on the idea of “normal.”
The+New+Norm
Brian Mabus

Room 263 down the English hallway of Antioch Community High School is notorious for loud music, flashing cameras and bustling students. The birthplace of Sequoit Media holds a special place in every past, present and future staffer’s heart. They countdown the days until they become seniors and can truly claim the Media Lab as their home. 

 

COVID-19 deprived seniors of most of their “last” activities, freshmen were deprived of their high school “firsts,” the ACHS community was deprived of the 2020 school year and new and returning staff of the unique Tom Tom experience.

 

Story continues below advertisement

We try to point fingers at who’s to blame, but our fingers don’t know where to land. Sometimes, it feels like life keeps drawing the short end of the stick. It can be challenging to look back at everything that’s led up to the present and say, “This is just how things are. This is our new normal.”

 

Masks are required everywhere in IL. Has wearing masks become political? Does everything have an underlying political agenda? This election feels like it has been seeping into all the little corners and cracks of our lives. Social media is beginning to invade our day to day life; it feels like it is the only way to keep in touch. Be careful, though, post the wrong thing and all your followers could “cancel” you. Google Meet is the latest modernized classroom, but is the classroom an appropriate place to be having conversations about these controversial topics? 

 

In our first edition of the Tom Tom for the 2020-2021 school year, we address the aspects that create our “new normal.” Staffer Gabrielle Debevec contemplated how society has redefined the idea of “safety” in terms of spreading COVID-19. Lifestyles Online Editor Beatriz Warnes described how conversations may not begin on the topic of politics, but always seem to end up there. Lifestyles Editor Kourtni Weldon explains how social justice movements found a platform on social media, while Social Media Manager Lena De Vore discussed how one mistake and a harsh audience can be fatal to influencers’ careers. Lifestyles Editor Lila Heilig takes it back to the classroom, where she weighs the pros and cons of discussing controversial topics in school. Staffer Alexis Barbosa wraps up with “What it Feels Like to Live the Same Day Over and Over Again,” in which she describes the repetitiveness of remote learning that many students are experiencing.

 

From everyone at the Tom Tom, thanks for reading and thanks for adjusting to our new format. As always, we hope you enjoy.

Leave a Comment
About the Contributor
Kaitlyn Howe, Editor-In-Chief
Kaitlyn Howe is a senior and has been on staff for four years. She has also been apart of the Antioch Varsity Cheer Team for four years, including 2 podium finishes and a state title. In her free time, Katie enjoys shopping, sewing and playing with her dogs.
More to Discover

Comments (0)

We encourage constructive and meaningful discussions while maintaining a safe and welcoming environment. Comments should be relevant to the topic at hand and avoid personal attacks or derogatory language. Our team moderates the comments to ensure compliance with our policy and reserves the right to remove any content that violates these guidelines. We value open dialogue and diverse perspectives, and aim to foster a positive online experience for all users.
All Sequoit Media Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *