ALL PHOTOS & GRAPHICS/FINLEY GERRON 2026 is a turning point in fashion culture. This year is represented by a significant departure from radical silhouettes and loud trends, replaced by a collective agreement by consumers to slow consumption. A new phenomenon embracing anti-consumerism has emerged. Influencers on social media platforms have put their own spin on this concept, introducing “de-influencing.” Instead of pushing new clothing pieces onto their followers, they expo

ALL PHOTOS & GRAPHICS/FINLEY GERRON New movies and new stories release, but book adaptations stories seem to be receiving the most attention. The debate is always about which is better: the book or the movie. I read and watched both the books of the Prime Video show, “We Were Liars,” and the new movie, “Regretting You,” and I’ll explain some key differences about how the stories were told. “Regretting You” was published in 2019 by Colleen Hoover, and the movie was released

Graphic Credit / Ifrah Naaz Bellevue’s halls have been buzzing after discovering that Bellevue's very own juniors, Olivia Anderson and Chloe Coogan, have successfully created a small business. Anderson and Coogan’s new venture, C&O Charcuteries, is a business focused on creating handmade, intricate, and elegant food platters. Serving as the gold standard for any food arrangement, they have truly mastered the art of table centerpieces. Anderson and Coogan's inspiration for

Photo Credit / Ifrah Naaz A lazy electronic chime is all that indicates the 11:40 AM opening of one of Bellevue’s most storied culinary institutions. A horde of hungry teens beckons its call, morphing itself into several lines which lazily snake around wooden sitting tables and block pedestrian traffic. Those in the longest queue patiently wait for today’s lunch special, while others, in an adjacent but much shorter line, are craving a slice of pizza. Nowadays, the Bellevue

ALL PHOTOS & GRAPHICS/BEN KOH Imagine it’s the end of the unit, and as you anxiously wait for your teacher to announce the final exam, they inform everyone that it’s going to be a group project. What a nightmare. Group projects are one of the most common methods teachers use to measure their students’ understanding of course content, but instead of assessing collaboration and better efficiency, group projects usually achieve the opposite result. “Group projects aren't effe

ALL PHOTOS & GRAPHICS/BEN KOH One of the worst parts of the day is waking up early. Hearing your alarm ring before sunrise and having to get out of bed, do your morning routine, and then endure an entire day of class is grueling at the least. For many students, waking up early can also offset their entire day through fatigue, especially if they don’t get enough hours of sleep. But there’s a super easy solution to this: make school start one hour later, which the American Psyc

ALL PHOTOS & GRAPHICS/BEN KOH With big movie releases like “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” “Marty Supreme” and “Zootopia 2,” it seems like movie theaters should be busier now more than ever. However, a look inside Cinemark shows how, surprisingly, the theaters are emptier than ever before. “I just went to the movies to see “Song Sung Blue”, and there wasn’t really anyone my age there,” freshman John Bede said. With the lingering effects of the pandemic and the explosion of stream

A Bellevue High drop-off lane, with an rainbow. Image by Aimee Ni. There are countless points of frustration among students, most notably freshmen and sophomores, surrounding morning traffic congestion at Bellevue High School. Traffic congestion is affecting students’ ability to arrive at class on time. With two drop-off locations spread around campus, primarily used by underclassmen who do not yet have driver’s licenses or personal vehicles, traffic often becomes backed up a

Ethan Kuruvilla is using ChatGPT. "Don't look at my prompt history," He says. Image by Mingze Shi. Most students know their school has cameras. Fewer know what happens after a camera, a laptop filter, or a safety app generates an alert. Does it just get logged, or does it quietly change how adults see a student? That question is sitting behind Senate Bill 5956, a Washington proposal that would set new limits on AI and surveillance tools in public schools, especially when dis

Photo taken by Mandy Kim on Sony Cybershot Digicam The emergence of digital camera usage has taken over Gen-Z’s Instagram profiles around the world. But why would students opt for an old camera, especially when phone cameras are more high-tech? The glowy, warm saturated effects and strong flash are all sought out features of these trendy photos, providing a significant contrast from sharper, naturally lit iPhone photos. Digital cameras have found their way into capturing pri

Senior Eli Penner and freshman John Bede spotted having an animated conversation over some scones. In October, Bellevue’s Main Street welcomed its newest arrival, a café named Sconers. Open from eight a.m to seven p.m, the café serves a variety of scones, plus warm drinks ranging from coffee to matcha. Upon arrival, customers are greeted by the smiling faces of teddy bears sitting on the counter, which mimic the signature logo of the café. “It has a really cozy ambience,

Photo by Lucy Brewton The holiday season is a time to show the people you care about how much they mean to you, often through giving gifts. Many students feel pressured to find perfect presents for friends, despite a small budget. Between school expenses, activities, and saving up for the future, not everyone has extra money to spend on pricey presents. The good news is that you don't need much money to give something meaningful. With a bit of creativity and planning, you

It’s a new year, which means new concerts. Just in the past month, Bellevue High school students attended the concerts of several major artists, including Gunna, Osamason, and Twice. With our proximity to Seattle, BHS students have many opportunities to listen to live music including the chance to attend these highly anticipated concerts. Artists like Bruno Mars, Charlie Puth, and Madison Beer have announced tour dates along with presale codes. Although Mars is not coming to

It’s the end of a long block day. You’re about to drift into a much-needed nap, when suddenly, a set of familiar colors flash across the screen. Red, blue, yellow, green. It’s time for Kahoot! Quiz-based games like Kahoot have grown significantly in popularity in the last couple of years. The competitive nature, flashing colors and familiar music are often welcome changes from traditional textbook work. But of the three main quiz game platforms, Kahoot, Blooket an

In Chinese culture, the distinct regions have had vastly different food traditions throughout history. People often debate around the best cuisines and dishes, and the arguments intensify during cultural holidays. During the upcoming Chinese New Year, “Northerners” typically make Jiaozi (Chinese dumplings) with their family, while many “Southerners” would prefer Tangyuan, which are glutinous rice balls with diverse fillings. Playful “food wars” between the different regions o

TikTok has become one of the most widely used apps among students and is rapidly shaping an app where a constant stream of short, entertaining videos are served. As you can scroll for hours on TikTok without even realizing how much time has passed. The app can be fun and even educational, but does TikTok really have anything good to offer for students and teachers in the long run especially when it comes to focusing on class? Many Bellevue High School students use TikTok seve

Board Games like Bridgerton Clue are great for Get-Togethers. Photo by Harry Zhao The student’s eyes glued to the screen, tapping once after another: entertainment is becoming almost completely digital. Although devices are a wonderful gateway to hours of independent scrolling, it’s overwhelmingly dull to sit at a table where everybody is on their phones. Oftentimes, genuine human connection is needed, and board games are certainly one of the most universal ways that a group

Second semester is very busy. Image by Mingze Shi. With shorter days and more darkness, the second quarter is definitely the busiest time of year. With the semester coming to an end, a sense of urgency creeps into the minds of many students at Bellevue high. Many students also celebrate major holidays during this time, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. Therefore, there is a heightened number of students who travel and miss school days. “One year, I was gone

Image by Brooklyn O' Connor. Sophomore students of task in class hitting a slump. Many Bellevue High students wonder whether “sophomore slump” is real. The short answer is yes. With growing demands and escalating pressure, it’s challenging to stay focused and keep your confidence up. To better understand the sophomore slump, we surveyed a few upperclassmen students to reminisce their own sophomore slump and to get advice for making it through. “It can be tiring because ther