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Summer is the most awaited season of the year. The weather is warm, and you finally have a chance to relax after a busy school year. During these two months, there is a multitude of ways you can choose to spend your time. Some of the most popular ways for students to spend their summer include travelling, going to camp, getting a summer job or simply enjoying the summer from where they live. I have always spent my summers travelling or attending short specialty camps rather than going to camp for the entire summer. Last summer, I did a sewing camp where I made a high-waisted skirt, a tank-top, and a purse. The summer before, I went to a music camp where I was in a rock band and performed every night in front of the entire camp. This summer will be spent travelling once again!

I am ecstatic to be going to Switzerland, where I used to live, to visit friends for a couple of weeks. I have not gone back to visit since I have moved away two years ago, so I am looking forward to finally seeing my friends again! Even though it is easy to keep in touch with friends through FaceBook, the phone, and email, it is always better to see friends in person. Also, Switzerland is also an amazing place to be during the warm summer months. You can go swimming in the lake, walk around town, go hiking in the mountains, and go to the pool. One of my favorite public swimming pools is situated right on the lake and has a breathtaking view of the French Alps across the lake! At this pool, you can even sit on the rocks along the lake or climb down and go swimming in the fresh, cool lake water.  It is also fun to rent a motor or pedal boat and spend the day on the lake. So, I hope you all have a great summer and  also find something fun to do!

Glee is a popular new television show about a group of high school students in a “glee club” or show choir.  The show stars Lea Michelle, who plays Rachel Berry, a sophomore in desperate hope of someday becoming a star. The glee club’s coach, Mr. Shuster, is played by Matthew Morrison. He leads Rachel and the rest of the club through a bumpy journey through the high school scene. The entire show revolves around the question: will the glee club be able to survive against the unsupportive high school crowd? Or, will Mr. Shuster’s enemy, the cheerleader coach, get her way and take down the glee club. This show is filled with great music and a captivating storyline. Every show includes songs from current artists and the glee club adds their own flare to each song. Many celebrities have also guest starred on Glee, including Kirsten Chenoweth, Neil Patrick Harris, and Idina Menzel.

It was no surprise that when it was announced that Glee would be holding open call auditions for a new cast member, thousands of Glee fans went berserk. Glee fans between the age of 16 and 25 in the United States could post a video of themselves singing one of Glee’s hit songs on Glee’s Myspace page in hope of being selected as the new cast member. Now, the audition time is up, and over 2700 auditions can be found on MySpace. The auditions are currently being reviewed, so it may take a while until the new cast member is decided. For now the question is: who will be the new cast member of Glee?

With exams creeping up around the corner, the stress of exams is currently on every student’s mind. However, with proper planning and organization, they should run fairly smoothly. Here is a list of the top five things to not forget when commencing exam preparation.

1. Schedule, schedule, schedule

I cannot stress the importance of a study schedule enough. Planning is the key to exam success. Take out a calendar, write down all your time commitments until your exams, and designate times to study each day. Next, break up each subject into sections and decide when you will study each section. Try to spread the work evenly, so you are not stuck cramming everything the night before an exam.

2. Sleep is critical

Enough sleep is vital to understand and memorize material. Additionally, getting enough sleep will make you more alert and focused, which will allow you to accomplish more while studying.

3. Don’t forget to take breaks

Short breaks are important to refresh your brain and get ready to study some more. It is a good idea to get up from where you are sitting and move around. Being active is the best way to spend a study break.

4. Find a good place to study

Try to study somewhere where you will be comfortable, yet be able to focus well. A desk with a comfortable chair is optimal.

5. Lastly, RELAX.

Don’t stress out too much or you could end up just wasting time worrying. If you are relaxed when you study, you will absorb more information and be able to concentrate much better. Just make sure you follow the tips listed above, and your stress level will be minimized.

January 12th marked the first night of American Idol auditions. I have been watching American Idol for the past four seasons, so I have seen many stars come out from this show including Jordin Sparks and Chris Daughtry. So far in the past few weeks I have seen several talented singers emerge from the auditions, but it is strange how many more people who audition have absolutely no singing ability. Not only can the majority of people not sing, but many people wear extremely bizarre costumes and act ridiculously. It is often difficult to know if these people act this weird just in hope of being shown on television, do this just to be funny, or are actually taking this audition seriously.

Three seasons ago I saw one ridiculous audition that I will never forget. In this audition a woman was dressed completely in yellow; she wore yellow leggings, a yellow shirt, and a feathery yellow shirt. She waltzed into the audition extremely confidently, as if was completely unaware of how strange how outfit was. She became nicknamed as “Big Bird”, for she looked exactly like the big bird character from the television show, Sesame Street. She seemed to be particularly fond of Simon Cowell, so even though she was 56, almost twice the age limit to audition, she admitted to the judges that she strictly auditioned to meet Simon Cowell. I always wonder when people do not take their auditions seriously, whey they audition. I think that she most likely auditioned in order to fulfill her dream of meeting Simon Cowell.
The season 9 audition that has captured the most attention is General Larry Platt who sang his “original” song named Pants on the Ground. His entertaining song became a huge hit, and shortly after his audition, Pants on the Ground began flooding through the media. However, I was shocked to read news reports declaring that General Larry Platt’s “original” song was not so original. In fact, reports stated that he had copied his song from a song named Back Pockets On The Floor by The Green Brothers. After listening to both versions, it is completely evident that Platt copied his song, for the tune, tempo, and style are identical. Everything except for some of the words in both songs is identical. There was hope for General Larry Platt to become famous and earn a music career, even though he could not make it to Hollywood on American Idol because he far surpassed the age limit to audition. Now that people know that he lied about his song being original, any hope he would have had at becoming a successful singer is gone.

Last night I saw one of the best movies I have seen in a long time, Avatar. Usually I am not a big fan of sci-fi movies, but Avatar’s captivating storyline and breathtaking visuals were absolutely intriguing.  Avatar’s level of originality is exquisite. It is not just another typical Hollywood movie, and the sold out theaters everywhere for two straight weeks prove Avatar to be widely popular. Avatar is about humans going to a planet called Pandora to mine a rock worth twenty million dollars a kilo to bring back to earth. However, the humans soon discover that the Omaticayas, the aliens living on Pandora, live right on top of the most abundant supply of this valuable rock. In order to convince the aliens to move the humans create avatars, alien bodies controlled by human minds. Avatar evolves into a magical love story about a paralyzed ex-marine being put in the middle of two worlds, the humans and the Omaticayas.

The amazing special effects and visuals separated this movie from most other movies. Avatar took fifteen years to make, and some of the technology needed to make this film was not even invented yet fifteen years ago.  All of the nature, technology and Omaticayas on Pandora look extremely lifelike and the movie’s vibrant colors are truly eye-popping. I saw this movie in IMAX 3-D, and it was like no movie I have ever seen before. With the complex animation, sound effects and characters coming right into the audience, it felt as if I was in the movie as well.  I would recommend for others to see Avatar in IMAX 3-D as well to get the best possible experience.

Besides the stunning modern visuals, the plot was also very moving because it drew many similarities to events in history. This has brought Avatar attention and controversy. The storyline particularly reminded me of when the Europeans came to North America and killed or forced all of the Natives to move in order to take their land and resources. Avatar showed the dark side of humans and technological advances, but unfortunately what happened in Avatar is not so different than events that keep repeating in history.

The entire two hour and forty five minute movie does not have any slow moments, and keeps viewers fascinated until the very end. I would highly recommend this movie because I think it is one of the best movies of the year and think there is a high chance of it receiving numerous Oscar nominations.

                For the past three seasons I have watched American Idol, seeing past winners Taylor Hicks, Jordin Sparks and Kris Allen perform. When I lived in Switzerland, every Friday night my friends and I would watch American Idol to support our favorite contestants. Even when our favorite singer did not win, we would still always enjoy the constant arguing between Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul. However, it was announced a few months ago that Paula Abdul will not be returning to American Idol next season, and that Ellen DeGeneres will be taking her place.

                The hilarious fighting between Simon and Paula is one of the reasons why American Idol has become so popular. After each contestant sings and it is time for the judges to comment, viewers can always count on a humorous disagreement, so it is difficult to know how Ellen DeGeneres will change the balance of the show. Currently, Paula Abdul’s decision to leave American Idol has drawn a lot of media attention, leaving many upset that she will be gone. Her positive attitude always brought encouragement and hope to the contestants while Simon and Randy, another American Idol judge, often had much harsher comments. Ellen DeGeneres has not had any professional musical experience, so unlike Paula, she will be able to provide an opinion that the audience may be able to relate to more easily. Will having judge’s input from more of an audience’s perspective be fresh and unique or will it drive viewers away? We will find out soon on January twelfth, the season ninth’s premiere.

                Even though the famous book series, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Conan Doyle have been made into films many times, this was by far the most youthful and action packed portrayal of Sherlock Holmes. The movie begins when Sherlock Holmes and his partner, Dr. Watson, find Lord Blackwood, a mass murderer, killing and torturing a woman with his “black magic”. It is then decided by the police that he will be hanged as a consequence for his multiple murders. However, the day after Lord Blackwood is executed he is seen coming back up from his grave, back from the dead to continue on with his mission take over the world with what appeared to be imposing his “black magic” on London. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson jump right back on the case and search through London to capture Lord Blackwood before it is too late.

Overall, I enjoyed this fast-moving movie, and the casting was very good.  The two principal characters, Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and Dr. Watson (Jude Law), were well suited for their roles. The funniest part of the movie was the distinct contrast between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. The majority of the time, even though he was a genius, Sherlock Holmes was a complete mess in terms of his personal appearance and the unkemptness of his home, whilst Dr. Watson, a more ordinary character, always made sure that Sherlock Holmes kept together.

 In my opinion, too much of the movie was spent fighting as I would have expected more humor and detective analysis.  The scenes where Sherlock Holmes displayed his incredible intuitive detective abilities were by far the most captivating. For example, he was able to tell just rom a man’s unusually green colored eyes and peculiarly shaped ears that he was Lord Blackwood’s father. No ordinary person would be able to retrieve as many details about a person from so few clues. It was also amazing how Sherlock Holmes could often deduce how an event either had happened or even would play out. An example of this is when Sherlock Holmes was fighting a man twice his size in a bar, he carefully planned out exactly how would win the fight in his head, and then seconds later went through with his plan and won the fight. Being able to see what Sherlock Holmes was thinking definitely enhanced the movie by allowing people to see what Sherlock Holmes did that made him such an amazing detective.

All in all it is an entertaining movie that lacks some of the intrigue that one might have expected to see.   This movie set the stage for more possible Sherlock Holmes to come as his arch rival Professor Moriarty lurked. I would definitely recommend this movie even though it was different that I expected it to be.

Get ready, this fall season has come fast, and before you know it you will be reaching out to get your winter jacket and snow boots back on. There are many exciting new fashion trends coming this fall to look forward to.

 First, plaid has made a comeback from the 90’s. Plaid dresses are a casual,  yet sophisticated look and can be dressed up or down depending on the accessories you wear. For a more casual style, match with a denim jacket and a long black necklace, or dress this style up by adding black ballet flats, a cardigan, and a stylish black purse. All styles of plaid from shirtdresses to strapless dresses are in style for the current season.

Tall boots have made a return too, the taller the better. Tall, wraparound, and western boots are among fall’s most popular boots. Last year, western boots vanished from stores, but this year they are starting to trickle back into store windows.                                                         

Next up, cheetah! Cheetah is such a fun style for any type of outfit. Whether you wear a cheetah headband or a full cheetah dress, you are sure to be in style wearing cheetah this fall.

Last summer I took a sewing class where I learned how to sew, and I made a high-waisted cheetah print skirt. I am very excited to finally wear it this fall, and was surprised to see cheetah prints headlining all of the magazines only a month after I finished making my first skirt ever.  

Seeing the new fashion is always fun,  and I am looking forward to seeing the upcoming fashion for next season!

          I can’t even remember one day in my life that I did not hear music in some situation, for music is everywhere. Whether I am singing in the car or listening to music as I get ready for school; music follows me wherever I go. Music can have an extraordinary affect on people and their moods, especially in movies. For instance, in the movie Grease when Sandy sings Hopelessly Devoted to You, a sad song, it completely changes the mood of the movie from upbeat to sad. Music is an amazing part of life that I could not imagine living without.
         When people listen to a song they are usually able to tell after the first thirty seconds or so if they like it or not, but it is not usually taken into account what it is that makes a good song so popular. What exactly is it that separates a hit song that attracts millions from a mediocre song that will fail to catch the attention of others? I prefer listening to pop or rock music that is liked by a much larger crowd than a genre of music such as folk. However, despite the fact that everyone has a unique perspective on music there are some fundamental aspects that all pop, rock, folk or any other types of music must have in order to be successful. Here are seven things all of the most popular songs of all time, the ones that made history contain:

1. The number one most important thing that all hit songs have is a good, recognizable title. You want anyone to be able to immediately know the title after hearing the song. If they can’t figure it out then the song or the title still needs some editing.
2. Any song that you listen to on the radio will have some form of repetitiveness, even if a line is repeated only once, it gives the listeners a focal point of the song. Often, the part of the song that is repeated is the hook, the catchiest part of the song.
3. Usually, the title is the most repetitive part of the song. However, it is important to make sure that your title is short and sweet with a maximum of five syllables. Imagine if you listened to a song where the title was ten words long; wouldn’t it be difficult to remember?

4. Never forget the importance of rhyme. Even though it may seem cheesy at times, rhymes never fail to catch people’s attention and make them get the songs tunes stuck in their heads. For instance, look at Carrie Underwood’s recent top ten song: Cowboy Casanova. The lyrics to the first verse are:

You better take it from me,
That boy is like a disease,
You run and try and your tryin to hide,
Your wonderin why you can’t get free.

The use of rhyme in this song definitely enhances it without overdoing the rhyming by adding the word hide to break the rhyming up.
5. Next, when evaluating why a song is good, listen to the chorus of the song. You will notice how all good songs seem to pick up in the chorus, but even more importantly they all have a catchy and memorable beat.

6. All of the points above contribute to the next important factor, hummability. Is it hummable? If you think back to any number one song you probably remember a time when you were at school or waiting for the bus when you heard someone humming the song and then it got stuck in your head as well.

7. Don’t forget to have fun when writing this song. If you don’t have fun then your audience wont enjoy listening to it either.

I hope now you will notice things in music that you never noticed before, and maybe after reading this you will even be inspired to go write a song yourself.

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