As of this week, I’ve been at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for a month. Honestly, summer in Hanover working at my friend’s company seems like it was a lifetime away at this point. RPI is in Troy, NY, a suburb of Albany about 3 hours from Hanover. An apt comparison for people around here would be Boston and Cambridge, albeit a little more industrial and gritty. Troy is a very fun city to live in and it’s nice to walk around Downtown at night with still many businesses open and running. Orientation Week went by slowly, but as soon as classes started, life picked up pace dramatically. I find myself staying up until midnight consistently in order to get everything done and still have time to get out and be with friends. It’s been fun to make all new friends and have a sort of fresh start at everything. I have met people from all over the country and even a fair number of international students. It makes you realizes how small Hanover really is in the grand scheme of the world and it’s given me a whole new perspective on people. Suffice it to say, my experience at RPI so far has been quite a ride.

Even with taking only four classes, the workload has surpassed anything Hanover ever assigned me. Though that is probably the case at any college, no one realizes how easy they have it in high school. At the risk of sounding cliche, taking a senior year schedule with real classes does make a difference in being ready for college. For instance, the Calculus 2 class I’m taking right now literally picks up right where Mrs. Gallotti’s Calculus AB class left off with integration by parts. Physics 2 at RPI also overlaps Doc’s curriculum extensively, especially in the spring when he gets into electricity and magnetism. I know both of those classes can be hard and, at many times, extremely frustrating but it’s worth sticking with them because that’s the level that my college courses expect you to have from day one.

Outside of classes, I’m amazed by the sheer number of things happening on campus at any time.  There are so many clubs you can join, both professional and more fun-oriented. I’ve gotten involved with RPI’s student newspaper (The Polytechnic), Pep Band,  Symphonic Band, and even the RPI branch of the IEEE (my major is Electrical Engineering). The Poly (www.poly.news) covers the events occurring around campus and also seeks to keep RPI administration accountable by reporting on their major decisions. It’s a great model for The Indian, in my opinion. Pep Band performs at home football and hockey games and travels away to a couple of hockey games every year.

Yes, this is college and there are parties and other “extracurricular activities,” as I’ve always jokingly referred to them. Part of the experience in the first month is to find the perfect balance between having fun and getting work done, something that I am still trying to find. I find making that balancing act is a part of growing up and becoming a real adult.

College has been very fun so far and I encourage all seniors to get away from Hanover and experience the world outside of Southeastern Mass. Being away from your family and current set of friends lets you find out who you really are and really grow as a person. I’ve only been at RPI for a month and I won’t be back to Hanover until Thanksgiving, so I have bit of time for “personal growth” still ahead of me.

Only one thing is certain about the high school experience, the fact that the end of senior year and graduation come all too soon. You go from being kings of the school to being thrust out into the real world having to make your own way in life. It’s a scary thought because while you have accomplished much to get the fine achievement of graduation, everyone is all of a sudden equalized by the school of hard knocks. All faux-philosophy aside, I want to be able to formally say good bye to a group that has given me so much over the past two years.

Being the senior Editor in Chief this year for newspaper has been one of my best high school experiences. I have watched newspaper grow immensely this year. It is the perfect continuation of what started my junior year. Officially, I was the News and Web Editor but I couldn’t just silo my efforts to those two things. We started off using a third party host and while it was good initially, it quickly failed to meet the needs of our growing club.  Halfway through the year, The Indian transitioned to being hosted internally at the high school – on the same server that hosts our sister publication Hanover Literary Magazine as well as the Hanover Public Schools website – using a server that was found literally collecting dust on the floor in the school’s main data closet. Mundane technical details aside, I am proud to say that The Indian has enjoyed the full support of the Hanover Schools. District and high school administration have answered our questions and have fully supported our efforts to report on the myriad of issues affecting the life of the student body here in Hanover.

This year, The Indian has gotten to the point where we write new articles on a weekly basis. We’ve also introduced a Teacher Spotlight and Student on the Street section. Matt Barresi, with the help of Peter Palmer, has led a very comprehensive sports section and every school sports team was covered at least once. Our social media footprint has greatly expanded to include a very active Twitter account, Facebook page, and Instagram account. We’ve also done a number of publicity stunts, whether it be giving away free hot chocolate or candy canes to students coming in the morning. You’ve all seen the mini frisbees we had made with the school logo on them and have probably used our pens. Our staff has also gone on two trips: one to a Celtics game to hear their media staff give a panel presentation and another to the New England Scholastic Press Association conference at Boston University where we won an “Excellence in Publishing” award for this website.

I have to thank the small, but dedicated staff of The Indian for really committing to such an aggressive schedule. First, I can thank Andrea Bilton for being willing to take over in my role next year and for being the junior Editor in Chief this year. I know I’ll be leaving The Indian in the hands of amazing leadership. I also thank the rest of the staff: seniors Mackenzie Welch, Matt Barresi and Eric Carey; juniors Cate Marchetti, Jill Drummy, Callie MacDonald and Peter Palmer; sophomore Lauren Bilton; and freshmen Kristen Marchetti and Pierce Ghostlaw. Without their diligent efforts there would be nothing to publish. Finally, I would like to thank Mrs. McHugh for her invaluable professional journalism experience and unwavering support as our adviser for the past two years.

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Andrea Bilton and I got a number of pictures together and I figured this goodbye piece would be woefully incomplete without collecting them all. I’ve purloined them from a variety of social media sources including the HHS Indian twitter and various Instagram accounts.

Well, it’s that time that I honestly did not see coming, it was pretty much like a slap in the back of the head. I won’t go long with my introduction other than to thank you for tolerating my strange writing style and it’s been a delight writing for this newspaper. Lastly, this article isn’t just my advice, I asked some of my dear friends what they wish they would’ve known and I’ve included their advice in my article. Here ya go, fair winds HHS Indian.

Things we wish we would’ve known before entering high school:

1. High School Musical is a LIE

2. Don’t take high school too seriously

3. Take Risks. Join clubs, audition for plays, try out for a sports team, etc

4. Don’t be friends with people only in your grade

5. Be cautious of some of the cafeteria food

6. One grade is just that: one grade

7. Don’t become romantically desperate

8. Be friendly with your teachers, or at least learn how to get along with them

9. If you don’t understand something, immediately ask for help, don’t just sit there in utter confusion

10. Do your best to stay focused but it’s OK to take a break every once in while

11. Don’t overwork yourself

12. Love yourself. Seriously. And a good way to improve self love is to love the people around you.

13. Your friends will change a lot, and so will your friend groups

14. Time management makes a difference

15. You will argue with your parents, but don’t make them your ultimate enemy

16. It’s okay to spend time alone

17. Follow what you like, rather than what is cool

18. Don’t slack off your junior year

The request seemed innocent enough: two senior boys politely seeking players for the annual battle of wills between HHS staff and the graduating class during the final days of school. If it had been Whiffle ball, kickball, or even flag football, I might have joined in. But it was dodgeball, a game where the primary objective is to hurl a large rubber ball as hard as you can at an opponent. A game that leaves many participants with the imprint of those balls on the side of their faces. A game that, at a very young age, scarred me for life.

It probably goes without saying, given my talents coaching freshman volleyball last fall and my prowess leading my daughter’s U10 town softball team, but I was pretty athletic growing up. I climbed trees, rode my bike, tagged along with my older brothers when they played baseball or went sledding down treacherous ravines. In high school, I lettered in volleyball and track. In college, I rowed on the crew team. Hard work, long hours of practice,  and the effort to master new skills did not deter me from sports. Sore muscles, bumps and bruises did not scare me away.

But dodgeball is a whole other beast. I’d hardly call it a sport, despite the existence of competitive tournaments parodied in the great Ben Stiller-Vince Vaughn movie “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story.” Sure, there’s some skill involved, some athleticism –you’ve got to be able to throw and catch, and agile enough to jump out of the way. But to me, dodgeball has always been a viscous exercise in rage,  where the strong prey on the weak and the winner is the one who can knock down everyone else with brute force. Even the most well-meaning players can get caught up in the frenzy.

I can still remember like it was yesterday, the day I swore off dodgeball forever. It was summer camp before junior high.  We did arts and theater and then burned off excess energy playing sports. One rainy day, we were confined to the gym and the game chosen by campers was dodgeball. I’m not sure what had distracted me, but I looked away from the game for just a moment. I was rudely returned to reality when the red rubber ball slammed into the side of my face. Stinging from shock as well as pain, I burst into tears and ran from the gym, a few kids laughing as I made my escape.

Not my proudest moment, but one that still lives vividly in my mind. I do not like dodgeball. I do not want my child to play dodgeball. I am one of “those” parents who think dodgeball should be banned in schools. I don’t think playing it is good exercise or harmless fun. I see it as a game where the weak or lesser skilled are targeted. That happens enough in life. We don’t need to encourage it in our children’s play.

Full disclosure: I’ll admit that I laugh through the Dodgeball movie every time it’s on, and have been known to quote  “if you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball.” But I love that movie because it skewers the game and its ridiculous extremes. Plus, Ben Stiller’s character is such an absurd cartoon, it’s hard not to laugh.

So — not that anyone asked — that is why I will not be playing in the staff versus seniors dodgeball game on Thursday (May 21). I don’t want to get hit in the face. I don’t want to hit anyone else in the face. I don’t want to be the last person standing on a team when three or four opponents are closing in. Call me a softy, but I think a game of kickball or Whiffle ball is more friendly, more democratic. When a senior class challenges the staff to one of those contests, I’ll be the first to sign up. Til then, I’ll stay safe and sound and far, far away.

We’ve made it! In the next few weeks, the 2014-2015 school year will be coming to a close and summer will thankfully return. On the first day of vacation, it seems like the warm weather will linger indefinitely, but the weeks seem to have a sneaky way of flying by and for some reason September reappears on the calender in the blink of an eye. The best way to fully embrace summer is to pack each day with activities that you’ll remember long after the pools have been covered and flip-flops packed away. Day trips are usually inexpensive and don’t require a lot of travel, but still provide a chance to get away from regular life and see new things! Hanover is the perfect location for easy access to numerous memorable day trip destinations you’re sure to love.

1. Chatham, Cape Cod

Visiting Cape Cod anytime from June to August will surely provide you with a hefty dose of New England summer. Late nights on the dock, fried clams, boat rides: the Cape has it all. One of my favorite areas to visit is Chatham, located only 40 minutes away. A cute downtown shopping square will set you up with everything you need for the day: a book for the beach from the Chatham Bookstore, penny candy from Candy Manor, and many great restaurants and cafes to choose from. This little town boasts more than just a beach (although it is certainly not to difficult to spend a day in the sun on those sandy dunes), Chatham has its own wildlife refuge, offers boat rides out to Monomoy Island, and even claims two large museums: The Old Atwood House Museum and the Chatham Railroad Museum. If you are feeling active, bring your bike and pedal for as much (or as little) of the 20 mile Rail Trail as you would like. This bike-only trail winds through the woods on the path of what was once an old railroad.

2. The Newport Mansions

Located an hour and a half away in Newport, Rhode Island, this is definitely a trip worth taking at some point in your life. A collection of nine “houses” (that term used loosely), the mansions were built as summer cottages for the wealthiest businessmen of the Gilded Age and their families.  These architectural wonders are no mere bungalows; owned by families including the Rockefellers and Vanderbilts, these houses certainly have the wow-factor going for them. With tours that lead you through sprawling gardens, grand ballrooms, servants quarters, and dignified libraries, you can get a glimpse into the lives of America’s richest in the early 1900s. After touring the estates, it’s only a two minute drive to the city of Newport where you can get lunch on the water!

3. College Tour in Boston

Although they hate to admit it, incoming seniors and freshmen do have one thing alike: they will both have to participate in the college search. This prospect can seem daunting to many, but taken one school at a time, narrowing down your list is really quite simple. Boston is under an hour away from Hanover, and houses some of the best schools in the country. Boston College, Boston University, Emerson College, Northeastern University, Harvard College, Berklee College of Music, and Tufts University are all located within a 20-mile radius of each other, not to mention tens of others. With so many diverse schools to choose from, you’re bound to find something you like. This summer is the perfect opportunity for a day in Boston touring the many schools it has to offer and exploring the city!

4. Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Portsmouth is a really fun waterfront town in New Hampshire with lots to fill your day. Just two hours drive north of us, this little town has artsy galleries, cute boutiques, and restaurants galore. If you are into history, there are many historic house museums open for tours all summer. Prescott Park in the center of town is the perfect place to grab an ice cream and sit with a good book or do some people watching. The city’s location on the water is perfect for taking a boat cruise out to the lighthouse or taking a ride on one of Portsmouth’s famous tugboats!

5. The North End

Famous to all New Englanders for its Italian heritage, the North End is the place to be on religious festival days. The processions and celebrations begin on June 1st with a feast for Santa Maria Di Anzano and don’t end until early October. Taking the train into the North End on one of these days is a guaranteed good time. Any restaurant  you find will have delicious Italian food, and you can pick up homemade gelato from a street vendor for walking around the city. The best part of the night is seeing the streets decorated in Italian flags and watching the people show their ancestral pride.

With the end of the school year slowly (but surely) coming to an end, stress is at an all-time high, at least in my world. I’ve got my Humanities project (that includes gallery night, my presentation and actually finishing the project), AP exams, finals, and making sure I don’t fail math. I’ve tried everything in an attempt to ease my stress, but recently I gave up and accepted the stress into my life. Here are a few ways I’ve embraced my stress:

1. Sleep­: First thing’s first, completely disregard sleeping. Being an insomniac, it’s pretty easy for me. Force yourself to stay up ridiculously late way past the point of basic sanity to try and finish your work. It’s a terrible idea to sleep because if you do, it could ruin your chances of getting sleep debt, and sleep debt is amazing because you then get granted one more thing to stress about!

2. Diet: One of the most stressful things to deal with is ensuring you are eating a balanced diet. I end up eating whatever can be heated in the microwave quick and easy. Also make sure that employees of Dunkin’ Donuts or Starbucks, whatever you prefer, know you by heart because you need that caffeine in order to help with tip #1.

3. Exercise­: Sitting in the same spot for hours on end is a fantastic way of ensuring you avoid any of the positive effects that physical activity can have on your mental health. You have to be very careful though because even a 10­ minute walk can start bringing stress levels down, which can really suck when you’re trying to break into new levels of frustration.

4. Hobbies­: It’s a very good, I mean, terrible idea to try out different things until you find something which relieves your stress. A lot of people find having a new hobby will give them a new outlook. So to ensure that won’t happen to me, I made my school work my hobby. In happier times, I love writing. But now, the majority of the time I spend writing, I’m actually squeezing any enjoyment I could have had from it right out of my life. The result? You got it: stress!

When I look back on September, I can easily say now that I didn’t have a good idea of what to expect of high school. I had a slight advantage over going in completely blind because my 16-year-old sister Cate had already gone through the high school transition two years before. However, the tips and explanations she gave me about the experience did not paint the entire picture of being a freshman.
This was not her fault, of course. First of all, that would be a pretty long conversation—one school-year’s worth of details. But most importantly, we were — and are — different people so our experiences had the strong potential of being totally different. People often speak of not being prepared for something as a negative thing. But for me, the lack of expectation was very exciting. It was not going to be another year of middle school, I knew that. My year could have gone in any number of directions and I was eager to discover which direction it would go.

Speaking personally, I enjoyed this uncertainty. However, I can’t deny that it was very helpful to have a little bit of advice and perspective beforehand. The most important thing to appreciate going in is how much more independence you have. This was a very good thing. In middle school, the big change was not following a line of the same people from class to class. What I found in high school, however, was a new meaning of self-reliance, beginning at the very start of the day. We no longer have a homeroom or academic support experience. Instead, there are school bells which dictate the beginning of the day and when each class begins and ends. It’s up to you to manage getting books from your locker and getting to class on time. This idea was terrifying at first, but in reality the teachers were forgiving when I occasionally couldn’t make it to class on time. Plus there has always been plenty of time to grab my binders in between classes.

It has been interesting going to school with students who aren’t really kids anymore, but are closer to adults. At the beginning of the year, I did cross country. The team was very small and mostly composed of upperclassmen. Suddenly, the coaches had high expectations of each individual’s capability and maturity. And everyone on the team was very responsible and friendly, reaching out to the newcomers on the team like myself. I suggest that any incoming freshman consider a sport or club which can allow them to interact with other students outside of a classroom.

I would say that this year has been pretty challenging for me in class. I’ve had to dedicate more time to school because I’ve wanted to get a good grasp of the academics. So, for most of the year I didn’t take part in any sport or club besides cross country. I do think, however, that this was just a reflection on this being a bigger adjustment for me than my freshman classmates. Some of my classmates have played a sport each season and done fine.

But despite the new workload that everyone experiences, the air of independence encouraged and practiced by the teachers and students has allowed me to develop a work ethic I otherwise could never have gained. The information that’s taught in class is more detailed and fascinating. At this point, I feel like I know a little more about the “real world” and feel much more confident about myself in it.

So now that three-quarters of the year has passed by, I can identify which direction high school has swung me. It’s an exciting direction with new friends, new environments, and new teachers. I am a lot more self-reliant and I’ve had opportunities I didn’t have in middle school. Being around more people who know themselves better than they had in the lower grades is inspiring and interesting. I can say now the direction high school has taken me in is a great one.

As the snow slowly and painfully begins to melt away, I find myself thinking more and more about days where the I can wear shorts and tank tops, the days where I can get a sunburn and drink iced tea. Along with all of this, I find myself craving good, out-of-a-cone ice cream. In order to inspire you to think of these far away warm days, here is my list of the top places to eat ice cream nearby.

JC Dairy
This is absolutely a local favorite. Its location right in Hanover makes it a great place to quickly satisfy ice cream cravings. The opening of JC’s always marks the beginning of the spring season for all of us in Hanover. They carry all the classic soft-serve flavors, along with several other treats as well.

Dairy Twist
Dairy Twist is another popular place in the summer months. It is only a short drive away in Pembroke. As one can see from any Hanover student’s Instagram, Dairy Twist ice creams are a work of art. They come with bountiful toppings, coating the entire outside. They also give very large portions. Unless you can deftly eat an enormous ice cream before it melts, I recommend buying a small cone. Dairy Twist offers all kinds of flavors, giving it some of the most varieties in the South Shore.

Peaceful Meadows
Peaceful Meadows is a classic ice cream destination for any day of the year. As their sign proudly boasts, they are open ten to ten, 365 days a year. However, only in the summer can you pet their cows while you wait for your cone to be prepared. Yes, cows. Located on Route 18 in Whitman, Peaceful Meadows is an actual farm. The milk they use to make their ice cream comes from the cows on their farm. Although they do not offer as many flavors as these other shops, they have incredible homemade ice cream.

Hornstra Farms

Like Peaceful Meadows, Hornstra uses milk from the cows roaming in their pastures. Only recently did this Norwell farm start selling ice cream. Before this they just sold milk. You can see some of their trucks driving around town making deliveries. Their ice cream is mind-blowingly delicious. Also, driving to Hornstra is an ice cream experience. I know this sounds silly, but it really does feel authentic driving down a secluded road to a little farm with a big barn and a fields of corn. And yes, you can pet the cows here too.

Sometimes I think instead of having only one sweet tooth, both rows of my teeth are infused with sugar (surprisingly I’ve had no cavities  . . . yet). From cupcakes to brownies, I love them all. Basically the key to my heart is a cupcake, specifically red velvet. I’m the person that people who work in bakeries despise because not only do I poke and touch the glass, but also can never decide what to get because I’m engrossed in a world of precious treasures. After traveling from town to town in a quest for the best bakery, I’ve made up a list of the top 5 best bakeries nearby that every lover of sweets needs to visit.  Also I’m curious to know what’s your favorite bakery, for, you know, uh . . . research. Without further delay let’s begin before my mouth
starts watering.

5. Giuseppes Cakes: I’ve only recently discovered this bakery and am so glad I did. This is actually the only bakery in my list that’s in Hanover. Incredibly sweet cookies and cupcakes and they’re all so beautifully decorated. Also it’s fairly cheap considering their cupcakes are gigantic.

4. Montilio’s Baking Company: Ok even though their service isn’t the best in my opinion, if you want amazing Italian sweets, this is the place for you. There are quite a few locations, one in Braintree, Brockton and Quincy. My personal favorite is their lobster tails that they load with cream. They also are very creative when it comes to their designs, such as adorable gingerbread houses.

3. White’s Bakery: Now if you have not been to a White’s bakery, you clearly have not lived yet. But not to worry, they have three locations, one at Derby Street in Hingham, and others in Brockton and Mansfield. This bakery has such a wide range of sweets, even mini desserts which is perfect because you can have three of them but can justify it by saying “it’s ok, they’re mini.” They win the award for best tarts, the fruit tart being my favorite.

2. Greenhills Irish Bakery: I have to tip my hat to the people who work here because whenever I go into this bakery it’s always flooded with people, yet they manage to make the line move very quickly. Because it’s located in Dorchester it does take a while to get there, but it’s worth it.  If you are on the lookout for a great apple pie, this is the bakery for you. The thing I love most about this bakery is that they have amazing sweets from England that are impossible to find such as flakes.

1. Cupcake Charlie’s: As I mentioned before, I have a major addiction to cupcakes and this place satisfies any cupcake urge I get. With two locations, one in Plymouth and at Patriot Place, if you’re a cupcake addict like myself you must visit this place. With a huge selection of cupcakes to choose from, you will not be disappointed. My favorite is a tie between the peanut butter and the red velvet.
Lastly, most of their cupakes have a rich fudge center, and who doesn’t love that?

It was a typical Sunday afternoon. I was just sitting on my bed when all of a sudden the sweet aroma of brownies wafted up to my room. I trudged down the stairs to see my mom pouring brownie mix into none other than the . . . waffle iron?

I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love waffles. I honestly might be obsessed with waffles. I just love everything about them from the shape to the taste. Anyway, it has lately come to my attention that people all over America — including my mom — are cooking more than just waffles in their waffle irons. (Search Google or Pinterest if you don’t believe me) Does that seem right to you? It is specifically called a “waffle iron,” so clearly its intended use is to make waffles and ONLY WAFFLES.

Okay, there are some things that are, by my standards, “semi-socially acceptable” to cook in a waffle iron:

• WAFFLES (obviously!)
• cinnamon rolls
• brownies
• French toast
• cookies
• cake
• paninis and sandwiches
• MAYBE a quesadilla (but that’s pushing it)

On the other hand, here are some things that I have read you can cook in a waffle iron that I do not condone whatsoever:

• omelets
• bacon
• pizza
• fried rice
• potatoes
• churros
• cornbread, banana bread or any other type of bread
• hash browns
• crab cakes
• corn dogs
• eggplant parmesan
• chicken parmesan
• french fries
• any form of pasta
• hamburgers or anything else containing meat

Okay, so let’s run through some specifics. I truly did enjoy the brownies that my mom made in the waffle iron. They were perfectly crispy on the outside with warm, soft, brownie on the inside. So go ahead and pour some brownie mix in a waffle iron! I support that! But let me tell you why I think basically everything else in a waffle iron is horribly wrong.

Let’s begin with meat. WHY WOULD YOU EVEN THINK TO PUT MEAT IN A WAFFLE IRON??? Why would you ever want to make a waffle in the same iron that you’ve made chicken parmesan in? I like to think of waffles basically as a dessert for breakfast, and why would you want meat with a dessert?! Who wants a hamburger in the shape of a waffle?? Not me. It’s just un-American. Please don’t cook meat in a waffle iron.

And DO NOT even get me started on crab cakes and other seafood. No explanation necessary. I would rather put meat in a waffle iron than seafood and you KNOW how I feel about meat in a waffle iron.

Pasta. Let me just say the workers of Barilla and other pasta companies, along with pasta chefs everywhere, take time out of their precious days to make sure pasta is in a beautiful little shape. They shape all different pastas into all different shapes such as elbows, linguine, spaghetti, ziti, fettucinni, rotini, ravioli, etc. If people take their time making all these little pasta shapes… why would you turn it into the shape of a freaking waffle?!? I think we can all agree that the majority of Italian chefs wouldn’t be so happy to see people pressing ziti into a waffle iron. I hope nobody tells the Italian chefs that pizza is being put into wafffle shapes as well!

To end my article, I would like to advise that everybody go and make themselves a belgian waffle, just a NORMAL thing to cook in a waffle iron.