Official Student Newspaper of Henry M. Gunn High School

The Oracle

Official Student Newspaper of Henry M. Gunn High School

The Oracle

Official Student Newspaper of Henry M. Gunn High School

The Oracle

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Face-to-face education changes social dynamics

Cole Ford, Reporter September 22, 2021

At the start of quarantine, I had a lot of extra time. Schoolwork had shrunk, and all of the extracurriculars, events and programs that I had been looking forward to my sophomore year had been canceled or downgraded. With no events to keep me busy, I found myself with a gap from a lack of school and...

Popular TV show relationship portrayals set toxic, unrealistic standards for high school audiences

Popular TV show relationship portrayals set toxic, unrealistic standards for high school audiences

Jessica Zang, Features Editor and Assistant Business Manager September 20, 2021

Some of the most popular television shows, such as “Euphoria,” “Riverdale” and “Never Have I Ever,” along with older classics “Pretty Little Liars” and “Dawson’s Creek,” have mastered the art of capturing teen melodrama. We’ve seen the same clichés again and again, but it seems...

Junior advice: Annika Bereny

Junior advice: Annika Bereny

Annika Bereny, Lifestyle Editor August 20, 2021

Welcome back, class of ‘23! The last time most of you were on campus was almost two years ago, so I’m sure junior year terrifies you. Junior year is tough, but news flash: it’s not the end of the world. You’ve probably been told that you won’t get accepted into colleges unless you’re the...

Summer break provides time for adventures with friends, family

Summer break provides time for adventures with friends, family

Jessica Zang, Features Editor and Assistant Business Manager August 20, 2021

In the Bay Area, it’s natural to view the annual summer vacation not as a well-deserved break from schoolwork, but instead as a time to work even harder. We’ve been running ourselves ragged all school year, only to pile on more responsibilities once it’s over. It’s perfectly reasonable to occupy...

NextDoor highlights Palo Altos privilege

NextDoor highlights Palo Alto’s privilege

Sophia Stern, Business Manager, Social Media Editor July 4, 2021

When users open the Palo Alto feed on the neighborhood social networking site NextDoor, a multitude of posts pop up. Some seek advice. Some ask about the dining in the area. Some look for the best afterschool program. Aside from these queries, however, there are a surprising number of complaints, many...

Foothills Park’s newly implemented entry fee discriminates against disadvantaged families

Foothills Park’s newly implemented entry fee discriminates against disadvantaged families

Hila Livneh, Centerfold Editor July 4, 2021

Foothills Park, one of Palo Alto’s most beloved spots, opened its gates in late Dec. 2020 for the general public, changing its previous rule that only Palo Alto residents could enter. Upon reopening, there were 33,000 visitors within the first month, a dramatic increase from 5,000 visitors the year...

Are we out of the woods: Vaccination and the future of the pandemic

Are we out of the woods: Vaccination and the future of the pandemic

Raphael Semeria, Managing Editor June 1, 2021

On March 11, during his first Prime-Time address, President Biden announced his intentions to bring the nation closer to normal by July 4. Despite that goal, many doctors believe that we are far from seeing the last of COVID-19. With this in mind, are we really out of the woods when it comes to the...

Editorial: Finals format should be adjusted to reduce stress amidst online situation

Editorial: Finals format should be adjusted to reduce stress amidst online situation

The Oracle Staff February 22, 2021
holding finals online exacerbates many of the issues inherent to distance learning, which lead to additional stress during an already stressful time.
Public romantic displays introduce stressful peer pressure, vulnerability

Public romantic displays introduce stressful peer pressure, vulnerability

Jessica Wang, Editor-in-Chief February 18, 2021

Here’s how it’s always pictured in the movies: a glittery poster with a goofy pun and a Very Important Question, a large bunch of red roses wrapped in cellophane, a boombox for good measure and a crowd of excited onlookers. This is high school romance, according to pop culture; it’s the...

Clair Koo

Dating over Zoom presents viable, if subpar, alternative

Sophia Stern, Business Manager, Social Media Editor February 18, 2021

Blind dates are always awkward: there’s the anticipation of who will be sitting across from you, the question of if you’ll like them and what to talk about. Blind dating on Zoom is even more uncomfortable—but has now become somewhat of a norm in our  current society, where we can no longer safely...

Opinion: Distance learning promotes independent study habits

Opinion: Distance learning promotes independent study habits

Kate Mallery, Copy Editor October 7, 2020

Last year, I did not have consistent study habits. I would procrastinate and pull all-nighters before tests, alternating between an hour of work and an hour of TikTok. I never used class time efficiently. By the time I came home after a long day of classes and water polo practices at around 7 p.m., I...

Colleges should reopen in-person with restrictions, affordable tuition

Colleges should reopen in-person with restrictions, affordable tuition

Mia Knezevic, Forum Editor, Photo Editor and Oracle-SEC Liaison September 30, 2020

For months, colleges have attempted to battle the COVID-19 pandemic while accommodating students’ needs and desires. For some schools, that meant closing campuses entirely; for others, it meant allowing students to return to campuses while taking online classes. Some colleges have even attempted to...

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