Warning: Contains spoilers if you have not yet seen Mockingjay or read the books.

In the eyes of many, the third installment of The Hunger Games did not disappoint. Theaters everywhere hosted 8 pm, 10 pm and midnight premieres which fans attended, both dressed up as characters and clad in pajamas per usual. For myself, I sported a t-shirt with the widely known symbol of the mockingjay glistening in gold, surrounded by flames. According to online sources, including insidemovies.com, Mockingjay conquered the weekend’s ticket sales, and may possibly be the biggest opening of the year. While being compared to previous films as not grossing enough money in its opening weekend, the film itself was as spectacular as the original Hunger Games and its sequel, Catching Fire.

Mockingjay is emotion-evoking not only because  of the context and plot that dedicated fans will already know (a rebellion against the tyrannical Capitol), but with Katniss’ pleas for peace, humanity, and justice for her fellow victor, Peeta, who was left behind when she was rescued from the Quarter Quell. Even non-readers of the book can have their heartstrings pulled during the powerful District 8 scene, when Katniss visits a hospital of wounded only to see it bombed moments later by Capitol forces. The moment is empowering to Katniss, making it clear to her that she is the one who needs to bring justice to the people, and, more importantly, that she is capable of doing so.

We see a wide variety of both new and old characters in the film, including President Coin, the leader of District 13, who was reluctant to belief Katniss could lead the rebellion, but did not come across as resistant and suspicious as she did in the book. Gale, who was celebrated as a hero for rescuing many people before District 12 was destroyed, was eager to join the fight but still stood in support of a sometimes fragile, traumatized Katniss. A battered Peeta, whose scars from the Capitol’s torture grew worse as the movie went on, was a crushing sight for many fans.

Colleen Dowd, an HHS student in attendance at the Patriot Cinemas 8 pm premiere, has never read the third book of the series but is a “huge fan of the character Finnick.” Devastated that the woman he loves is being held by the Capitol after his escape, Finnick struggles to hold himself together and then delivers a crushing blow to the evil President Snow. (spoiler alert: Mockingjay Part 2 is not going to leave Colleen very happy)

During the highly emotional scenes, it was hard not to hear the intake of breaths from many fans and viewers in the theater. Junior Annika Rowland, a fan of the series and a bibliophile says, “I thought Mockingjay was great, except there was not much action compared to the last two films, in my opinion. I’m looking forward to seeing the second part of Mockingjay.”

Mockingjay followed the recent trend of splitting the final, highly anticipated last film adaptation in a book series into two, such as Harry Potter and Twilight. Viewers are in store for a lot of tears, and a lot of action, when the final installment of the movie premieres next November.

Music is one of the most important things ever, without a doubt. Think about a world without music. It would be completely different from the one we live in today. It would be even more dreadful to walk into work, school, or anything you dislike without absolutely bumping to “Don’t Stop Believing” in the car beforehand.

What’s odd about the concept of music is, why do we like it? (“Duh Eric, ’cause, like, it sounds good.”)(Ok, voice in my head, shut up! It’s bigger than that)  Different  people are attracted to different types of music; that’s well known. What I’m curious about is why do we enjoy, say, the sounds of music but not a lecture? Why do we enjoy having our ears bombarded by varying frequencies of sound?

What I’ve found is quite interesting. Music can make us feel different emotions (“Lol of course it does.”)(I don’t need this right now, voice. Cool it.) A sad song will bring up memories associated with sadness and the feeling is not necessarily due to the lyrics of the song. We recall a certain emotion when we listen to various genres. Generally, happy emotions are applied with pop or upbeat music while sadness could be in blues or easy listening.  There’s even science behind it. When we listen to good music, the limbic and the paralimbic areas of the brain stimulate the euphoric responses. The same effect is felt when we eat good food or uhhhh….how do I put it….when a boy and a girl wrestle.

I asked some teachers  which emotions they attached to certain songs. Mr. Perry associates Shiny Happy People by REM with the carefree days of college. Mrs. Lisa Green attaches  sadness to the song Tears In Heaven by Eric Clapton and, trust me, that song, which Clapton wrote after the death of his young son, makes you feel many things. Mr. Brown’s heart of cold-tempered steel is melted by the Happy Birthday song, which surprised me greatly considering I believed the only things that made Mr. Brown feel were the hymns of the battlefield.

Students I spoke to said music may pump them up before a game (for me, Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen has this effect). Others feel inspired, like Sophie Morril when she listens to Ave Maria.  Greta Barry and Maggie Fuller feel sad when listening to Forever and Always by Taylor Swift. “But only the piano version,” they said. Tyler Anderson feels “trippy” when listening to Laplux’s Without You.

“I wouldn’t be as happy without music,” one student told me. “It would be as if a whole part of my life would be ripped out.”

Music gives us a safe and responsible escape from the world, and we all need it to function no matter who we are.

The holidays are not only a time of making Christmas lists and unwrapping stacks of presents, but also a time of giving. Presents should be more than just something you pick up at the store last minute, they should make the recipient know you were thinking of them and wanted to give something they would truly appreciate. This of course is easier said than done, especially when the majority of us high schoolers are living off minimum wage. But fear not, dear reader, this guide will provide you with gift ideas guaranteed to please, but not break the bank.

Mom:
Despite their unwavering generosity at Christmastime and Hanukkah, mothers do not usually expect a lot in return. All they really want is to feel appreciated and loved by the children for whom the do so much. When it comes to buying your mom a gift, the worst route you can take is the generic bottle of floral scented lotion found at the nearest Walmart store. Instead, try to match you gift to one of your mom’s interests. It doesn’t have to be something crazy extravagant or meaningful, just show her you took the time to think about what she likes. Some examples of gift ideas are the newest CD produced by her favorite singer, a candle in the scent she likes best, or a framed quote that means something to her.

Dad:
When it comes to dads, I have one word for you: STARBUCKS. If there’s one thing my dad will love anytime of the year, it’s coffee. A gift card to his coffee joint of choice is usually a pretty sure bet, and even if it’s not the most exciting gift, it will definately be much appreciated. Dad’s not a coffee drinker? No problem! A safe fallback is always sports. I’ve never met a guy who doesn’t love some sport, whether it be football or baseball or golf. Some gift ideas in this domain are a jersey of his favorite player, cap for his favorite team, or subscription to magazines such as Sports Illustrated or Golf Digest.

Siblings:
To be quite honest, in my experience I have found that siblings (older and younger alike) are usually thrilled by some form of cash. I usually take the gift card route, that way they can choose whatever they want and will be guaranteed to love their purchases. For sisters, I would suggest money to stores such as American Eagle Outfitters, Bath and Body works, or Forever 21. Brothers are easier to please: Dick’s Sporting Goods, Chipotle, or GameStop gift cards will do the trick. Gas cards are a great gift idea to show appreciation the older siblings who drive you to school everyday!

Grandparents:
If your grandparents are anything like mine, you know the only thing they really want is to be surrounded by their family and know that their children and grandchildren are happy. Grandparents are not usually very materialistic, as they have pretty much seen it all and know there is more to life than possessions. The greatest gift you can give your grandma or grandpa is something handmade. Make a card setting aside a date you will take your grandmother out to lunch, or watch the Pats’ game with your grandfather. If you are the crafty type, wrap up a scarf you knit, or an art project you worked hard on at school, or simply paint a frame and put a picture of you and your grandparents in it.

Best Friends:
You probably know your best friends better than anyone else in the world, so any advice here is open to interpretation. A good idea for a group of girlfriends is anything that matches: rings, necklaces, etc. One summer my friends and I all got matching bracelets and it still reminds me of those fun days at the beach. Another suggestion is to give a gift card of a place your friend group frequents such as Panera or Dunkin Donuts. That way, next time you all go out you are basically footing everyone’s bill! If you and your friends are much more casual about the holidays, just make a batch of cookies and bring them to the lunch table the day before vacation. You’ll be the most popular one in the cafeteria!

Yankee Swap:
Yankee swaps are a hallmark of any New England Christmas, and whether it be friends, sports, or family, almost everyone will attend at least one. So here’s the million-dollar question: what is an inexpensive gift that everyone will be happy with? First of all, don’t make the gift too gender specific. A guy would be just about as happy with a Victoria’s Secret gift card as a girl would be with a lifetime supply of beef jerky. Instead, opt for something everyone has a common interest in such as technology (headphones, speakers, phone cases), food (dinner out at local restaurants), or movies (movie passes, DVDs of recent blockbusters).

Basically, this holiday season, try to put as much thought into the gifts you are giving loved ones as the time spent on your own wish list. But in the end, it’s not really about what is being given or received, it’s the people you spend the holiday with.