Tips for Finals Week

The end of the school year is approaching quickly, and that also means finals are coming up. Instead of worrying about passing your tests, take the time to study effectively. This will lead you towards the path of success and straight A’s.

1. Distribute your study time. If you are planning on saving all of your studying for the night before the test, don’t. Psychology studies have shown that this method of studying is ineffective. The best method of studying is distributed practice. Spreading out your study time over multiple days for short periods of time is much more effective.
2. Turn off all of your social media accounts. Although it is important to take breaks from your studying, using that time to go on your social media is not the best option. Frequently switching your train of thought between studying and going on social media can lead to scattered learning. Turning social media off for a week may be unrealistic for some students but the reward of positive test scores is worth it.
3. Stay active. Exercise increases blood flow to the brain. Restricting blood flow for an extended period of time can lead to a tired mind. Even if you can’t fit a full work out in the week of finals, go for a short walk or do some crunches or push-ups.

These tips will help you increase your success on your finals. Good luck to all students on their tests!

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By Madison Fisher

Senior Night: Skippers defeat Hopkins Royals

The Skippers fastpitch softball team outscored the Hopkins Royals on Senior Night last Wednesday, improving their record to 11-8 overall. Senior outfielder Madison Fisher touched home plate in the bottom of the 1st, giving the Skippers an early edge. Lauren Slater singled to left and was later driven in by Sarah Peka’s solid single to right in the 3rd inning. In the field, pitcher Sarah Peka gave a dominating performance against Hopkins with 8 strikeouts and only 2 hits allowed. Minnetonka’s strong defense shut down the Royals. The Skippers added the final tally in the bottom the 6th to make the final score 3-1.

Before the win, parents and players relived their favorite softball moments in a heartfelt celebration. Each junior on the team created a poster for a senior player comprised of pictures that captured their personality and softball memories. After the victory, Skipper teammates honored last year seniors with a baserunning ceremony. At the following potluck dinner, they shared what each senior brought to the team and what they will miss about the player.

Minnetonka fell to the Waconia Wildcats at home this past Friday 2-0, ending their regular season. However, there is still a chance to watch them play yet; sections start 5pm on Tuesday, May 24th at Miller Park in Eden Prairie. 

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By Ari Kirk

Paisley Park Stays Purple

Paisley Park is a place that most Minnesotans have passed a few times in their life. You may have driven by it on the way to work in the morning, but did you ever stop and really grasp who was so close to you? Prince. The one who won seven Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, an Academy Award for the film Purple Rain and lived just a few miles away. Not to mention he stood by his home state despite the fame, stating that, “It keeps all the mean people out”. “Mean people” is such a vague term but if you pass Paisley Park now, you’ll know that it is only filled with love on days of rain or shine. The fence surrounding the building has little metal showing as it is completely covered in all sorts of purple. For weeks, people have stopped by Paisley Park to say some kind words and then go on their way. For Minnesotans, or more specifically the citizens who live near Paisley Park, Prince’s passing was a reminder of the talent we have so close to home and of the unexpected twists and turns of life. One day Paisley Park is a building like a Science Museum or Church, and the next you realize a legend passed away right inside. His funeral was on Sunday May 15th at a private religious memorial which means the purple around Paisley Park will slowly clutter the sidewalk and then disappear altogether. But, Prince’s memory and the music he made will last much longer. 

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By Sophia Primozich

Unabashed: A Review of Lena Dunham's Not That Kind of Girl

Lena Dunham’s “Not That Kind of Girl: A young woman tells you what she’s “learned”” is a #1 New York Times bestseller and collection of essays and short stories. This novel consists of personal anecdotes and lists bound together by her witty and raw writing style. As a writer, producer and actress, Dunham has a unique perspective on Hollywood and uses her observant disposition to draw many conclusions about relationships, work and herself. This coming-of-age novel is truly an unbridled overview of her experience as a woman. Her wild and sometimes crass approach to her life experiences are what make this novel truly original. After finishing the book, filtering through many book reviews, blog posts and articles, and listening to word-of-mouth, I came to the following three conclusions.

1. This is a self-exposing memoir, and with that comes a lot of tenacity. Dunham confidently and unabashedly recounts many explicit and at time cringe-worthy personal moments of her life, and with that comes a lot of discrepancy. Whether you agree with her perspective or not is up to you, but I believe her audacity is something of awe for there are few novels that dare to delve into some of the subjects she boldly depicts. Take each chapter with a grain of salt. Maybe her 10-page chapter consisting purely of her food diary isn't for you, but maybe her essay on death is.
   
2. Dunham’s recounts are just that. Her recounts and experiences. It is not an everyman perspective on life. This novel is one woman’s perspective. She does not serve as an overall representative of females, New Yorkers, writers, producers or girlfriends.
   
3. This novel is subversive literature. It goes against most typical writing styles and steers away from anything ‘normal’ or ‘basic’, therefore the reader must approach this novel as such.
   Unfortunately as a seventeen year old teenager, I only have so much life experience, perspective and exposure. To read other perspectives, read the book and form an opinion for yourself please follow the following links:

Reviews/Blogs:
• http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/sep/30/not-that-kind-of-girl-lena-dunham-review-
memoir

• http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/12/books/review/lena-dunham-memoir-not-that-kind-of-girl-
  review.html
  
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/review-not-that-kind-of-girl-by-lena-
  dunham/2014/09/24/4e482c04-42c0-11e4-b437-1a7368204804_story.html
  Purchase the book:
  • http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/not-that-kind-of-girl-lena-dunham/1118048829?
  ean=9780812985177 
  
  
  
  
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  By Sarah Wozniak

Panama Papers

The Panama Papers, a 2.6 terabyte chunk of documents from the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca, went public today amidst a flurry of new accusations. While small bits of the leak have been fed to the masses since early April, this is the first time the entire database is available to be searched by anyone.

Since various news outlets originally got ahold of the information, many prominent figures have been caught up in the fraud, money laundering, and theft. For example, the media has identified the Presidents of Argentina, the UAE, Iceland, Ukraine, and the King of Saudi Arabia as being associated with these crimes.

But now that the database can be investigated by anyone, the first Americans named in the documents are beginning to make their way from out of the cracks and into the spotlight. Benjamin Wey, a Wall Street financier, was charged in September with securities fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy and money laundering  for using family members to help him acquire ownership of stock in companies through “reverse merger” transactions between Chinese and U.S. shell companies. Another American, Igor Olenicoff, was listed as a shareholder of Olen Oil Management Limited in the leaked data. He failed to declare more than $200 million stashed offshore in shell companies setup by Mossack Fonseca.

While there’s not yet anything as scandalous as Prime Ministers and Presidents from the U.S. in the papers yet, there’s still plenty of time for things to be uncovered.

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By Christian Kramer

Skipper Lacrosse Sweep the Trojans

This past Thursday night, the girls’ Skipper lacrosse team held to their home-field advantage by defeating Wayzata 16 to 8. This game was visibly different than past games this season. The Skippers were sharp and fast last week.

Four-year varsity returner and senior captain Maddie Hawley talked with us about her thoughts on the game. “We worked together as a team which we haven't done very well in past games...We connected our passes and really played a team game, rather than an individual game, which put us above Wayzata,” said Hawley. Hawley says that junior midfield Ellie Dulac and sophomore attack Avery Wolf were both crucial parts in last night's victory. “Ellie was a leading force on transition and Avery was leading on attack, both of them scored multiple times,” Hawley shared.

With a 6 and 4 record, the Skippers look forward to hosting Blake tonight, and hope to hand them their second loss of the season. “We will need to continue to play as a team with extra discipline and composure to dominate [each] possession of the game,” Hawley says in preparation for tonight’s game.

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By Mimi Marion

A Night to Remember

Getting ready for prom is a not a sprint but a marathon. Booking appointments months in advance left and right for a spray tan, nails, hair, and brow waxes; anything to make a girl feel and look 100%.  To get appointments is a race against time. You have to consider all of the other proms in your area to battle the wait times and appointment times not being available. The week leading up to prom consists of pampering yourself up until the day of. The day of prom will be a sprint running from appointment to appointment; racing the clock to get ready in time for your pictures.

Sherri Hill… every girls dream dress. But wait, they're anywhere from $300-700! This is why most girls choose to shop elsewhere, such as Nordstrom's, Macy's, Opitz, or online to Prom Girl or Lulu’s. Girls might also choose to borrow a dress from an older girl or a friend! Finding the perfect dress takes a lot of time (usually more than one trip to the mall), and more often than not it will have to be altered as well. Prom dresses are mostly long elegant dresses, but as the years go on they are starting to have more edge. Whether that means a two piece dress that shows a girl's midsection, a leg cut out, or even some girls go with the short dress for prom now. It may be a long process, but in the end… the dress is a make or break! 

Finding a place to hold 30+ people and their families for pictures can be a challenge. This is why most prom groups tend to find somewhere other than your typical backyard. Popular places for pictures in the Minnetonka-Minneapolis area are Lake Harriet Band Shell, Excelsior Commons, The Stone Arch Bridge, and The Arboretum. Not only is it a struggle to find a place, but once you get there the chaos begins. Everyone is scrambling to get pictures with all of their friends before their party bus, limo, etc. comes to pick them up. Group picture… oh what a horrible idea. First, because organizing that many people to pose and smile together is simply a lost cause. Second, I don't think anyone actually uses the group picture to post besides on Facebook. Lastly, the pictures are so far away that you can barely even see your own face!

Finding the perfect place for dinner?  Let’s not forget all of the things to consider when finding the right place.  If you have a group with over 20 people, finding a place that will accommodate everyone can be daunting.  Often times you have to call months ahead to book a restaurant when your group hasn’t even formed.  Not to mention finding a place that’ll have something everyone can eat (I’d recommend an American place) inside everyone’s budget is just as difficult. Most groups this size book months in advance or know the manager of a restaurant that will make an exception for a large group.  Hibachi, Crave, and the Newsroom are all popular choices for Minnetonka students because they accept large reservations and serve good food.  In all honesty, it doesn’t matter where you go, as long as they’re willing to accommodate plenty of people.  
The dance is where all this preparation and drama truly pays off. This once a year fantasized night has been a tradition in high schools for generations. Finding the perfect dress, the most handsome date, and just feeling on top the world only happens because of this event that started out as a small high school night in a gymnasium. High schools now, like Minnetonka, host their proms at nightclubs, landscape arboretums, and fancy hotels downtown. Students are dispersed into friend groups for pictures and dinner, but the dance is the time where the whole school can come together to be united as one.

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By Kari Orr, Suzie Cavalier, Paige Bieker & Nikki Peitz