Month: February 2022

With so many different streaming services and tv-viewing options these days, it can be hard to pin down some titles to put on your “Must See” list. So, here to help you out, the MHS blog staff have some recommendations for you.

Mya Mott

• Friends- Friends is a sitcom from the 90s about six friends that go through life    experiences together. I love this show because the characters remind me a lot of my family. My dad looks unsettlingly like Ross Geller and I love Jennifer Aniston. Also, the wardrobe that the girls wear is my favorite. 
• New Girl- After a bad breakup, Jess moves into a loft with three single guys. I love this show because I relate to a lot of the characters. Also, I may or may not be in love with Schmidt. 
• The Good Place- This series is centered around the ‘Good Place’ and the ‘Bad Place’ in the afterlife. I like this show because it’s just laid back and easy to watch.
• Outer Banks- A group of friends search for legendary treasure that is linked to a parent’s disappearance. I enjoyed this series because there’s always something happening and it keeps you on your toes. 
• You- Joe Goldberg obsessively pursues multiple young women while also being a serial killer. This is one of my favorite shows. Your heart is pounding the whole time you watch it.

Lexie Miller 

• Riverdale– Riverdale is about a close group of friends that go through a very traumatic experience together. I enjoy this series because there is always a scene that will keep you interested.
• L.A’s Finest– This is about 4 cops that basically help protect one cop in the group for their mistakes. I personally like any show that has anything to do with the Law Force and this series did not disappoint.
• 13 Reasons Why– Hannah Baker is a teenager in highschool who fights thoughts in her mind daily. I really enjoyed this series because I related to Hannah Baker with a lot and this show is sort of a reality check. (caution: includes traumatic subject matter)
• The Maid– This is about a mother who goes through abuse and struggles to choose the right decisions to keep her and her daughter together and safe. I love this series because it reminded me of mine and my mom’smoms situation when I was a child.
• Raising Dion- This series is about a son who inherits a weird power from his father. His father gets this mysticalmystericycle power after going to Iceland. I enjoy this series because it keeps you on your toes. There is always something interesting going on in this series. 

Hannah Harmon 

• Veronica Mars

The main character, Veronica Mars is a student who progresses from highschool to college while working on the side as a private investigator under the guidance of her detective father. In each episode, Veronica solves a different stand-alone case while working to solve a more complex mystery. Usually the cases have to do with people at her school or in her town. I love this show because it is teen romance, drama, and mysteries all in one. There are four seasons and a movie all viewable on Amazon Prime, Youtube, and Hulu. 

• Gilmore Girls 

Gilmore Girls focuses on Lorelai Gilmore and her daughter Rory who she had at 16. That requires Lorelai to seek help from the people she ran away from, her wealthy parents. The show follows their daily life as Lorelai advances in her career as a hotel manager and Rory deals with the pressures of high school. There are seven seasons following a three episode season flash forwarding years later about their current life. They are all available on Netflix.

• Dawson’s Creek 

 A teenage friend group goes through the ups and downs of highschool together. The two main characters Dawson the film nerd and Joey the tomboy from down the creek have been best friends since they were kids. The characters experience teen romance which leads to drama and they deal with the struggles of growing up in their small town. I watch this on Netflix and there are six seasons. 

• Jane The Virgin

A young, committed Catholic woman discovers that she was accidentally artificially inseminated. Jane is a young Latina who is a waitress in a hotel in Miami. Her life takes a big turn for the unexpected when her doctor mistakenly artificially inseminates her during her checkup. She experiences the ups and downs of being a young mother and tries to find love sometimes in the wrong places. She deals with the drama of having a baby with a random man. I watched this on Netflix and there are five seasons. 

• Chrisley Knows Best 

This show is followed by an Atlanta-based self-made multimillionaire Todd Chrisley, his wife Julie and their five children who live a seemingly picture-perfect Southern life with everything money can buy. This show makes me laugh so hard and my favorite character is Nani Faye, the witty grandmother. I watch this on E! Network but it is available on Hulu, Peacock, Youtube, etc.  

Ann Marie McMillan 

• Grey’s Anatomy – Netflix, HBO, ABC 

Grey’s Anatomy focuses on interns, residents, and attendings daily life as a surgeon. It goes through the development of watching each intern grow into a wonderful surgeon. It shows the struggles of balancing professional and personal life. I love it because it is very depressing watching patients die and seeing how much a patient’s death can affect not only the family but the doctor. I recommend watching if you like drama/romance. I would not recommend this if you do not like gory stuff. 

• Criminal Minds – Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime 

Criminal Minds is a crime series about the FBI profilers who interview and catch the suspect based on a profile that they make about that person. If you like crime and murder mysteries, THIS IS THE SHOW TO WATCH. If you get scared easily, I do not recommend you to watch it. I love it because there is a new case to solve every episode and it is not the same thing every episode. I like how the FBI profilers can make an assumption about the killers based on how they murdered someone. 

• Squid Games – Netflix

Squid Games is a show that gathers people up who are in such debt, and the red-suited people make them play children’s games. The winner gets a prize of 45.6 million dollars, but the catch is that you get killed off by each game you place. The show was made and filmed in South Korea, so the show is in Korean. It is a little tricky to watch because the subtitles do not match up with the characters as they talk. I like it because it is very strange and confusing. Every episode leaves you with a cliffhanger. I recommend watching this if you like weird drama/action. 

• Seinfeld – Netflix, Regular Tv

This tv show is a family comedy classic. It is about a friend group who lives in New York and they are all Jewish. Every episode holds something new about what the friend group is going to do. Kramer is my favorite character because he is the funniest and sweetest. I love this show because my family and I will sit down and watch it together. It is just a classic show that everyone needs to watch. 

• Stranger things – Netflix 

Stranger Things is an American science fiction horror drama tv series that all ages like to watch. I think if America had to vote on the best current tv series, it would be this show. It is about five kids who are fighting against the upside-down world. They have a friend that was government tested as a kid, and now has superpowers. It is family-friendly for the most part. I love it because I love how the time is set in the early 1980s. 

Rock Cummings 

• Grey’s Anatomy– This show is how the interns are growing daily throughout the hospital.  I love this show because I would love to take care of patients and to care for them. 
• Chicago Fire– This show is about the professional lives and personnel of the firefighters,rescue personnel, etc. I like this show because I like action shows where people get involved. 
•  Ozark– This show is about laundering money to martys’ drug boss. I like this show because it shows life lessons of how you could put your family at risk when you are part of this kind of action. 
• All American- This show is about a high school boys football team. I like how the players can get recruited, which they have worked very hard for. 
• Unforgettable– this show is about Carrie Wells who has a rare condition that will not let her forget anything. I like this movie because it is dealing with how they are going to find out murder. 

Ava Taylor

• Boy Meets World– This show is about Cory Matthews and how he grows up. It shows the struggles he faces from sixth grade through his college years. I love this show because it shows the ups and downs of growing up and it’s always funny.
• Hawkeye- Hawkeye is a Marvel show about the superhero, Hawkeye. He teams up with Kate Bishop, and together they try to complete Hawkeye’s mission, which is to get back home to his family for Christmas. While this sounds like an easy task, they must avoid the enemies he’s made over the years from being an Avenger. 
• Downton Abbey- I love Downton Abbey. It’s about a wealthy family living in Britain in the early 1900s. The Crawleys are an aristocratic family. There is lots of drama at Downton Abbey. I love this show because it is very interesting, and there is always something new going on. 
• Full House- Full House is one of my favorite shows. It is about a widowed father raising his three daughters with the help of his two best friends, Joey and Jessie. Full House is a great light-hearted and fun show.  
• Call the Midwife- This show is about nurses and midwives who visit and help women in Poplar. They live in Nonnatus House. Call the Midwife is set in the late 1950s. This show is very good. It’s more serious than the others on this list, but I really like it. 

Lexis Millan

• Anne With an E- This show is about an orphan named Anne who has lived a horrible life in an orphanage and with abusive families. Her life takes a turn when she is mistakenly sent to a family who wanted a boy to help them. I really like this one because it is very lighthearted and humorous, but it also has its serious moments.
• Girl From Nowhere- A girl named Nanno goes to a different school every episode where she exposes the lies and secrets of students and teachers there. I enjoy watching this one because you never know what Nanno will do next and who she is targeting.
• Everybody Hates Chris- The daily life of a teenager named Chris surrounded by his family. This one is really funny and relatable.
• The Queen’s Gambit- A young girl in an orphanage wants to become the greatest chess player. I just started watching this, but it is really interesting to see her life in the orphanage and how she makes friends.
• 13 Reasons Why- Clay Jensen receives tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, who committed suicide. I watched this because I really enjoyed the book and exceeded my expectations. (caution: includes traumatic subject matter)

Mrs. Comer’s room is set up in a unique way. Each teacher is able to set up their own classroom the way that they want it. They get to decorate it the way that they want it. To me if each teacher has their room decorated differently, it makes it better for the student. What I mean by that is if every teacher had their rooms the same color walls, no pictures, same curtains, etc. It would make the student feel like they had been in the same room all day, which could cause them to become bored, tired, etc. causing them to get behind in school because of them not being able to be focused, or they are just tired of looking at the same “walls” all day long. 

Mrs. Comers’ room is set up differently than any other teacher at Mooreville. Her classroom has tables and chairs that are spaced out. Most teachers have desks in the classroom and in rows. Mrs.Comer has colorful things in her room. Her bulletin boards are decorated up, shelves,etc. Mrs. Comer has all of her colors blending in like matching lamps, rugs,curtains, desk skirts etc. She has a comfy restaurant booth that students get to sit in! In my opinion, she has her classroom set up very well. She has so cool stuff that does not make her classroom boring! 

Staff writer: Rock Cummings

This weekend I went to a church retreat in Macon, Mississippi. The camp is called, “ MCYC, Mississippi Christian Youth Camp. One of my friends invited me to go with him. We left around lunch Friday, and it took us about two hours to get down there. It was very cold and the whole weekend I had no service. Friday we played games, worshipped, and had the main session. The cafeteria food was AMAZING. We had small groups with different churches and then we did a small group lesson with just your church group. I liked how the camp counselors would hand out papers and if you got one of the papers, you would have to read and answer the question on it. It was a way for everyone to talk and be a part of the discussion. I do not have any problems with talking and sharing my input. I always love to worship, but the band was not that good. We sang the same three songs over and over. Saturday, we started the day early and ate breakfast at 8:00. We kind of repeated the same thing each day. We had like four hours of free time and I spent it sleeping. I was exhausted. We did a lot of group activities. The camp was ok. Sunday we woke up and ate breakfast and had the main session. We headed home after the main session. I was so tired the whole weekend. I enjoyed learning about non-domination and how they view and do things. I’ve been a Methodist my whole life, so it was a neat experience to finally go to a weekend retreat that was not Methodist. Sunday when I got home, I made myself stay up all day so I could get a good night’s rest before school. I did some studying and watched HBO. This weekend was very eventful. I am glad I got to make new friends and grow closer with the ones I already have!! 

Staff writer, Ann Marie McMillan 

I don’t do much every weekend, and this time it was no different. I wake up at 9 and go eat downstairs with my family. After that I go and serve my dogs food. I stay outside with them for a bit and play with them. Sometimes I go with my mom to do grocery shopping or things like that. If she doesn’t go anywhere, then I go and see my friends or just hang around the house. On Sunday we go to church at 10 and come back home at 5. We have lunch there and go out shopping or my parents take a really long time talking to people, which me and my siblings hate. The ride back home is an hour long, that’s why we get home so late. For the rest of the day I am usually in my room or watching TV downstairs. I am currently watching Anne with an E. If there is still light outside my brother and I take our dog to the park. 

Staff writer, Lexis Millan 

Well, this weekend was not too awful. Besides having to work, it went very well. I work at Danvers in Tupelo and I worked the backline Friday, which is just cooking. I worked Friday and got off at 9:40pm and went to a friend’s house. I had work the next morning at 10:30am. I got off at 3pm then went to the gym for about an hour with a work friend. After the gym I went home and slept for the rest of the day. Sunday I got up and went to church with my mom. Someone must have opened the floodgates because I was sobbing in church. It was just a very emotional service. Almost like God was speaking to me through the preacher  He talked about losing your way in the Lord as well as talking about a mother seeing her child mentally hurting. At this point my mom and I were both crying. After church my mom and I went to the mall so I could buy myself a couple of outfits. I ended up spending an unholy amount of money that I soon after regretted spending.  We ended up bringing my cousin along with us. After shopping we went and ate inside the Mall food court then we went home. My mom barged into my room with a green laser teasing the cat. His name is Louie, he is a very chubby, non-intelligent cat who likes to attack me when I leave my room. My mom thought it was absolutely hilarious because we have hardwood floors and as Louie would run after the green laser he would slide all over the floor. The rest of the day consisted of me laying in my bed binge watching HBO max. 

Staff Member, Lexie Miller 

This weekend was quite special; it was not originally a weekend. This weekend I found out if I was going to be an uncle to a niece or a nephew. Saturday I had a good time helping my sister’s friend plan this event, even though she would not tell me the gender of the baby. I helped her blow up balloons, hang up the balloon arch, etc. Sunday I went to work in the morning. I work at Walmart and I shop for people and load their groceries into their cars. So that I could make it home in time for this special occasion and to figure out if I was going to have a niece or nephew.  Well guess what? It is a BOY I will be the uncle to John Baylor Smith this coming August and I can’t wait! 

Staff Writer: Rock Cummings

I had a pretty relaxed weekend. I worked Friday night and I saw my tennis coach and some of my friends there. (I work at Danver’s). Saturday, I went to Kay’s Kreations and picked out my prom dress. I saw my culinary teacher there too! After that, I went home and ate some really spicy chicken alfredo that my dad made. Sunday was a pretty uneventful day. We took my dog, Toby, to the park and walked him, and then went to Starbucks. After we got back Toby was a little dirty so I gave him a little spa day. I gave him a bath with shampoo and conditioner, blow-dried him (which he hates), and put his favorite little sweater on him. After the torture of the blow-dryer, he got in bed with his alligator dog toy and his blankie. I cuddled with him in bed for a little bit and then I ate dinner and went to bed. 

Staff Writer, Mya Mott

On the weekends, I don’t really have a schedule except for going to church on Sundays. This particular Friday night, I went to Memphis to shop. We went to Target and went out to eat. I went to Corkies. In my opinion, it was not the best, but it wasn’t bad. I got the barbecue nachos. Nothing out of the ordinary happened on Saturday. I just lounged around the house all day and slept. Then on Sunday, I went to church and then left to go get lunch at Harveys. I got the chicken and waffles and it was amazing. I definitely recommend that everyone should go there and get it. Every once in a while my mom does a cookie sale at the Snooty Owl, so after lunch I went home to help her. I iced cookies for about three hours. Then, I got things ready for the upcoming week, I picked up my room, made sure all my school supplies were packed up, and then packed my lunch.

Staff Writer, Ava Taylor

Friday after school I went to Black Sheep Boutique where I work until six, and after work I went to my boyfriend’s basketball senior night. He goes to TCPS, and, sadly,  they lost their game. Then Saturday I got up early and was at work from 10 until 5. After that I went to hangout with my boyfriend again, and then I went home. Sunday, I got up for church and after church we went to Danver’s. After that I went and ran a few errands with my mom around Tupelo. Then we went home and got ready for Bible study which lasted till about 5. After Bible study, I met up with my friend Makenzie at our favorite Mexican restaurant, El Varacruz. After we ate, we went to Strange Brew, and then she took me to my car and I drove home. My weekend was fun and I got to spend time with some of my favorite people. 

Staff Writer, Hannah Harmon

Love In Search Of A Word 

      Behind every great song is a story. Whether your song is inspired by personal experience, an issue you care deeply about, current events, or a tale from the past. Music is something everyone can go to for comfort. It’s something most people can relate to and invest their emotions into. Music touches us emotionally, where words cannot.

      There are many different types of genres to suit anyone’s needs. Sometimes all a person needs is music to feel better. Music makes us feel emotions, it gives us peace, joy, and courage. Lyrics that we can relate to makes our souls dance with its rhythm. Music is everywhere and in everything. If you pay close attention, music is in the universe.

      One song, the lyrics, the melody, the mood, can take you back to a moment in time like nothing else can. I,personally, like every genre of music. However, I have a favorite. My favorite genre would have to be Indie. It makes you feel almost like you’re the only one around, like you’re free. This specific genre of music gives me this feeling that it’s just me against the world. There are a thousand memories that I could talk about, but there’s one specific song. This song is called “Give Me Everything” by Pitbull. This specific song is important to me because this is the song that was played the moment I finally felt free for once in my life. I was with a couple close friends driving around at night with the windows rolled down and this specific song blasting. I knew every word to it, which just made the moment even more special. At the time I was going through a lot, and I still am, but this very moment in time I caught myself effortlessly smiling. This moment was rare so I decided to let all of my problems slip away and simply soak in the moment.

      Music can change the world because it can change people. The power of music makes all the difference to us with motivation to get us through the day. That’s what good music does. It speaks to you, changes you.  I think music is the greatest art form that exists, and I think people listen to music for different reasons, and it serves different purposes. Some of it is just background music, and some of it can really affect one’s day. Music is something one can go to when they need to express how they feel but just don’t have the words to do so. The best songs are the ones that make you feel something. Music is what feelings sound like. 

Staff member, Lexie Miller 

Music can be the best type of medicine or it could be very destructive to your health. Music is something that changes the way we perceive the world around us. Different genres of music have unique effects on everyone. Someone could find rock music soothing and someone else could find it stressful. Music is linked to mental health and can reveal a lot about a person’s own health. 

The right music can benefit you immensely. It can improve blood flow, decrease fatigue, boost exercise performance, treat mental illness, improve memory, as well as aid in recovery after an operation. When you play an instrument, it can boost creativity. Music provides an opportunity for expression. It also regulates your mood because of its repetitive and rhythmic manner. Listening to music helps in learning by stimulating the brain. By listening to music, people can be connected. For example, hymns, national anthems, and love songs all connect individuals. Music is extremely beneficial for processing emotions. Such as, trauma, anxiety, and grief. 

Listening to the wrong music can really affect you negatively. Certain songs can agitate and unsettle. Since music is closely linked to mental health, it can trigger feelings of depression or anger. Music also promotes rumination. Rumination is the continual thinking of negative things. Music can also keep you in a continual state of anger, anxiety, and depression. Studies have shown that anxiety was higher in people who tended to listen to sad or aggressive music to express negative feelings. 

Music is an extremely powerful tool that can be destructive or encouraging. It affects everyone in a different way. Music is such a great way to express yourself. Are you listening to the right music?

Staff member, Ava Taylor

Are loaded teas actually healthy for you? They seem to have a lot of health benefits, but what are the dangers? Loaded teas are low in calories and are filled with vitamins and antioxidants. They can also aid in helping you lose weight and will give you energy. Loaded teas typically have 175-200 milligrams of caffeine per tea. Most normal teas and coffees have about 100 milligrams less than that. Other benefits include, contributing to hydration, helping with mental focus, controlling hunger, and strengthening hair and nails. 

While these drinks seem extremely beneficial, they also have some dangers. They can also interfere with your sleep schedule. Loaded teas can also spike your heart rate and blood pressure. They can also cause you to be jittery. Loaded teas contain a great deal of caffeine, which can be a good or bad thing depending on the circumstances. Loaded teas seem very healthy, but we do not know everything about them.

By: Ava Taylor

Have you ever wondered where Easter traditions came from and why we celebrate this holiday? Easter was first recorded being celebrated in the 2nd century, but it is believed that the resurrection of Jesus happened earlier. The word “easter” is derived from Eostre or Eastre, which is the Anglo Saxon goddess of spring and fertility. The day for celebrating Easter was decided by the Council of Nicaea in 325. They decided that Easter should be celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox. The spring equinox is March 21st. 

The history of the eggs comes from the thirteenth century because eggs were prohibited from being eaten during Holy week. Holy week is the week between Palm Sunday and Easter, and it consists of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday,and Holy Saturday. The hens continued laying eggs during the week, so they decided to decorate them. The eggs are a symbol of new life and resurrection, just like how Jesus rose from the tomb. Egg hunts were created by Lucy Hayes, wife to Rutherford B. Hayes, in 1878. 

The tradition of rabbits and bunnies started in Protestant areas in Europe in the seventeenth century, but they became more common in the nineteenth century. Different countries also have different Easter animals. For example, Switzerland has cuckoos and Westphalia, which is in northwestern Germany, has foxes. 

Christians celebrate Easter because it is the day Jesus rose from the dead after he was crucified. He died on the cross for us so that we could have eternal life. The penalty of sin is death and we deserve this penalty. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice. I encourage you to read Matthew 26-28 to learn more about this story. I hope by reading this article you learned more about the history of Easter and where our traditions came from.

Staff member, Ava Taylor

How many hours a day do you spend on your phone? The average American spends an average of 5.4 hours on their phones daily. As teenagers, most of the time we spend on our phones is on social media. Whether it’s TikTok, Instagram, or Snapchat, social media has a big impact on our everyday lives. Spending too much time on social media can lead to depression, especially in girls. Researchers find that 29% of girls that spent 3 or more hours a day on social media engage in self-harm and 31% of girls who spent 5 or more hours on social media were depressed. But how could something like an app make us so depressed? Maybe it’s because we are so stressed with school and jobs and friend groups and drama, and then we get on our phones and see all of these ‘perfect’ and ‘happy’ images and videos. 

Data shows that social media users were more likely to suffer from depression when they felt envy triggered by observing others’ social media posts, accepted former partners as social media friends, posted frequently on social media, and were obsessed with their virtual identity. So if you start feeling jealous or notice any of these signs, maybe it’s time to take a break and do something else. I try to spend less than 3 hours a day on my phone and to distract myself, I always find talking to friends face to face and reading books relaxing, so maybe that could help you too.