Winter is the time of year for hot chocolate, festive spirits, and the best part: gifts. Exchanging holiday presents allows loved ones to come together and express their gratitude for each other. 

Unfortunately, the task of selecting a gift is often challenging. One of the hardest questions we ask ourselves is where to find the perfect present. Immediately, most of us look at big-box stores like Amazon and Target. However, located right in the core of Princeton, stores like Miya Table and Home, Mandalay, Shop the World, and Greene Street are small, local businesses that give our town its character while also offering unique gifts. In spite of that, these stores are often underappreciated and, consequently, underutilized when it comes to picking out the right present.

This difference in sales for big companies versus local businesses during the holiday season can be attributed to a few logistical distinctions. First, larger corporations use deals and sales that make purchases irresistible for customers. Indeed, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are evidence of the importance of markdowns in modern American consumer culture. Second, larger businesses are often more well-known, and strong marketing can allow them to reach more potential customers. Local businesses, on the other hand, may not have the same budget to allow them to advertise their products in the same way their wealthier counterparts can. Finally, the prominence of conspicuous consumerism encourages buyers to gravitate towards top brands that are easily recognizable, which local businesses can’t compete with.

That being said, local businesses present many distinct advantages that retail corporations don’t. For instance, locally-owned businesses are often individual by nature, meaning that presents bought there can’t be found elsewhere, whereas top brands manufacture hundreds of millions of the same drop-shipped products. By opting to steer away from the most well known brands, customers are able to give unique items with more personality.

On the other hand, purchasing gifts from mainstream stores like Amazon and Target does offer some benefits. Their distribution center business model offers a large inventory of products for consumers, further boosting the platform’s appeal. Furthermore, Investopedia finds that big box stores tend to have lower prices for similar products compared to local businesses. Despite these conveniences, shopping local still offers benefits, especially in Princeton. Our downtown area offers a wide scope of stores, along with stunning holiday decor for a festive ambiance while shopping. Many of them offer affordable options as well; for example, Miya Home and Table has many products that are under $20. 

The holiday season is meant to be a celebration of others. It is an occasion to give, and the gifts given are the medium through which appreciation is shown. Buying local in and of itself is a twofold gift — building community and showing gratitude. Shopping local signals to storeowners that their passion is valued by others. Unlike nameless, faceless big-box brands, this commitment to craft is what gives them their identity, and what keeps them on the map. Secondly, it is a token of gratitude towards whomever may receive the gift. Instead of giving them something streamlined and artificial, you instead gave them something personal and unique. The gift, though material, represents something more.

‘Tis the season for small businesses

After a long day at school, you open up TikTok and are immediately greeted by a satisfying honey-covered keyboard, soft whispers, and cute animals bringing you plates of food. With the prevalence of social media, comfort-inducing content is available at your fingertips. While these elements are intended to have positive impacts on individuals, the relief we feel remains hollow as we consume artificial mass-produced content designed to keep us engaged. 


Comfort content to help consumers relax, such as ASMR, cute animal clips, and bedtime stories, have always been a popular staple of the internet, as they help reduce stress for viewers. In recent years however, AI-generated videos have slowly been infiltrating the feel-good content industry. While watching glass being spread on toast may seem harmless on the surface, AI content’s rise has led to concerns about authenticity, desensitization, and the displacement of real creators. If the use of artificial intelligence in writing is already criticized for taking away human creativity, then its presence in content creation should also be dialed back.


AI comfort content typically refers to videos or clips generated by artificial intelligence designed to make viewers feel calm, relaxed, and supported. At a glance, there is little distinction between AI-generated content and traditional comfort media: a relaxing ASMR voice, a sleepy cat resting by a tree with Lo-fi music in the background, or a bedtime story told by a gentle voice. However, the truth is that none of the AI content is real. There is no human behind the ASMR voice, no real cute kitty behind the camera, and no narrator presenting to the audience. Algorithms optimize everything to stimulate the brain and keep people hooked.


Even though AI comfort content is artificial, its rapid growth can be attributed to how people use the internet to relieve stress. Many people crave something soft and predictable. Unlike real creators, AI doesn’t need breaks, money, or any sort of creativity, allowing it to produce a surplus of content for people to absorb whenever they want. Furthermore, social media algorithms favor this type of content because it can hold viewers’ attention longer with its easy-to-consume format. For many users, especially students and younger audiences, it becomes background noise to help calm the mind. 


However, AI comfort content’s rapid growth has created a number of concerns regarding ethicality, authenticity, and its effect on real creators. The first issue is misleading audiences. Most AI-generated videos do not explicitly state that they are artificially created, causing people to support and connect with something that isn’t real. One example of a clip that had the internet fooled was a viral video of bunnies jumping on a trampoline from the perspective of a security camera. The footage amassed over 200 million views before people began catching on. Videos like this highlight how AI-generated content has already begun blurring the line between imagination and reality. 


“If a user were to see a video that was AI generated, they would likely skip it pretty fast. But, if there was no tag, they would be more likely to watch the video, be entertained by what they saw, and maybe even support the channel,” said Ryan Naini ’28.


The second issue is that AI content is replacing real creators. AI tools can easily replicate the cadence and style of human creators without giving them any credit or compensation. 

Furthermore, the algorithms that artificial intelligence uses are trained on real human content, allowing for different styles, voices, and visuals to be adopted without consent. As a result, many artists, animators, and storytellers who share a genuine connection with their audience are losing their position in the algorithm to AI-generated slop. On the other hand, users who don’t put in the time or effort to make original content can easily gain followers and farm engagement by exclusively pumping out endless AI-generated clips. As people slowly accept mass-produced AI-generated content over genuine human products, real human creativity begins to get lost. 


As AI-generated content continues to grow, it’s all the more important for us to think before liking and sharing. Being mindful about what we consume by asking ourselves if what we are watching was made with effort or if it’s just an industry plant helps protect creativity, human emotion, and authenticity online. Above all, we pay our attention to human creators who put time, thought, and meaning into what they put out. Next time you see an AI generated video, let the algorithm know that fabrication and content plagiarism is unwelcome by scrolling without interacting, or, even better, clicking “I’m not interested.” 

How we treat AI comfort content

People love to argue. In recent politics, debates are upheld as the primary arena of resolving disagreements between the parties involved. However, another way to understand disagreement is through political discussions, designed not for winning, but for mutual comprehension and a productive conversation.

Political discussions provide a more non-judgemental and collaborative approach to addressing diverse viewpoints. They prioritize possessing a receptive mindset and encourage listening to an opposing side in order to find common ground. Debates, on the other hand, trap people in a perceived competition and the desire to win, creating division where one side loses and is seen as incorrect.

The core issues surrounding political debates are that they are slowly becoming less productive due to individuals’ unwillingness to understand different perspectives. Debate encourages people to argue that their side is better, and to hopefully influence an audience or an opponent in the process. This incentivizes participants to defend their points at all costs, refusing to budge and grant a “win” to their “opponent.” As a result, what is meant to be a space for civilized disagreement about social issues now transforms into a pointless battleground where both sides refuse to yield an inch of understanding. For example, a survey conducted by Pew Research Center in 2020 revealed that when reflecting on the 2020 presidential campaign, 76 percent of U.S. adults felt that the campaign was too negative. Additionally, 72 percent of participants felt that it was not focused on important policy issues.  

Despite this current trend, it is possible to foster a more open-minded approach to expressing political opinions. Shifting away from divisive political debates and towards discussions can be practiced right here in our classrooms. By building off of ideas instead of tearing them down, students can educate themselves about different perspectives and appreciate nuances to better understand complex issues. Communicating respectfully with those they may not agree with is a valuable life skill, and prioritizing discussion prepares students to become more open and effective leaders in the future.

Students must choose the more productive path of mutual comprehension in political discussions. Moving away from tearing down others’ opinions and instead emphasizing listening is how we will finally find the common ground necessary for genuine progress in our society. 

Our political debates need a makeover

It’s the first period of the day, and you sit in the classroom, 
waiting for your teacher to arrive. The door swings open, 
and a substitute teacher enters instead. Some students turn 
to each other and start whispering, while others outright 
disregard the substitute’s attempts to regain control of the 
classroom. 

Although it might seem like just another class, the way 
students treat substitutes and TAs matters. These staff 
members take their time to keep the class flowing and 
support students when they need help, often with little 
recognition. Respecting substitutes and TAs keeps the 
classroom organized, helps everyone stay focused, and 
ensures that learning runs smoothly.

The roles of substitutes, teacher assistants, and student 
teachers are to serve as support, whether by assisting the 
lead teacher with a lesson or being an additional source 
of guidance for students. Albert Arwas, a veteran PHS 
substitute teacher, is familiar with the importance of this 
position.

“A substitute teacher, in my opinion, ought to be the 
alter ego. In other words, an extension of the teacher,” said 
Arwas. “I have my way of interpreting exactly what the 
teacher wants me to do, and I carry it out. I walk around 
and make sure that people work and so on. If someone is 
not doing any work, I sort of say, well, is there a problem? 
Basically, to make sure that the class runs smoothly in the 
absence of the teacher.”

While substitutes focus on keeping order in the 
classroom, TAs and student teachers take their role a step 
further. Besides passing out papers and taking attendance, 
they work and learn under the guidance of a more 
experienced teacher to complete their secondary education 
training. Eric Soltys, a new student teacher at PHS, assists 
with a genetics elective as well as two accelerated and AP 
biology courses. As a senior at The College of New Jersey, 
he continues to train to become a full-time teacher while 
already taking on classroom duties. 

“A lot of students expect [a] substitute to come in and 
know all the answers and be perfectly confident and secure, 
but they might still be confused about … classroom routines. 
It’s perfectly okay for a [student teacher] or a substitute to 
come in and learn to adapt to a classroom experience,” 
said Soltys. 

These jobs that substitutes and TAs hold may seem 
simple. Still, they face a variety of challenges daily that 
make their job much tougher than students might realize. 
Specifically, Farzana Ahmad, a substitute teacher at PHS, 
has experienced a variety of issues during her time in the 
classroom.

“Sometimes if students don’t have anything to do, or if 
they don’t want to complete their work ... then they would 
just ... not listen.” said Ahmad. “They’d be throwing papers 
and talking out loud ... sometimes I’ve seen that they would 
video record what other students are doing.” 
Substitutes and TAs may not be present every day, but they 
play a vital role in facilitating our education. We as students 
must work to treat these individuals with the appreciation 
they deserve, and in doing so, make the classroom a better 
learning environment for everyone.

Substitutes deserve our respect

Following 23 years of dedication to her students, colleagues, and community,
veteran PHS teacher and Princeton-Cranbury community member Martha
Hayden is preparing to retire from
teaching. Throughout her career, Hayden
preferred real-world learning over textbook
instruction, developed Spanish exchange
trips to Peru and Cuba, and founded the
Cranbury Arts Council.


Hayden didn’t originally intend to pursue
teaching, but after her husband lost his job,
she started working at PHS to support their
family. For Hayden, teaching was a daunting
task at first, especially given the difficult
courses she was expected to teach.


“In the beginning, I really did not want
to be here ... I [originally] wanted to go to
teach fourth grade and then I was told ‘you
belong in the high school’ ... so the first year
was really hard because I was really nervous
... and I [wasn’t sure] if I could teach kids
that were older,” said Hayden.


However, a powerful personal experience
completely changed her perspective on
teaching. Hayden had a student who
refused to engage in class or with classwork.
But when he mentioned he wrote poetry,
she gave him an alternative assignment
and challenged him to write slam poetry
instead. Hayden was moved by his poetry,
and compiled it into a book for him.


 “Five years later, I was in the library
... and he tapped me on the shoulder. I
said,‘How are you?’ and he said, ‘I’m doing
really well. I’m a DJ for a radio station ...
I just wanted to come by to tell you that
you’re the only person that believed in me
... every time I feel bad about myself, I read
my book, and I know that I can make it,’”
said Hayden. “I think that was the turning
point for me to understand that the reason
why I was here as a teacher was not [just] to
teach Spanish, that there are other reasons
... bigger than ourselves.”


Hayden also founded and organized of
the foreign exchange trips between PHS
students and schools in Peru and Cuba.
Throughout the years, these trips began to
incorporate community service along with
cultural immersion.


“I honestly thought [the Cuba trip]
was really nice [and] it was a really great
experience. A lot of kids didn’t have toys
[and] we also brought supplies to the kids
in the schools — I thought this was a really
nice way to give back to the community,
especially because they need it so much.”
said Valen Roden ’26, Hayden’s former
student who attended the trip to Cuba.


Hayden emphasizes the fact that her
classroom is “textbook-free” and focuses
more on the applications of a language
rather than technical aspects. Instead of
relying on standardized lesson plans, she
designed a unique curriculum exploring
social issues and Latin American history.


“I don’t want to teach something that
they’re not going to like. I always tell the
kids you’re not going to get off a plane and
they’re not going to ask you to conjugate
the verb,” said Hayden. “They’re going to
ask you, what’s your country like? What do
you know about my country?”


Hayden also uses the arts to supplement
her teaching — for example, “Latinoamérica”
by Calle 13 is used to help teach Spanish IV
Advanced students about environmental
destruction in Latin America.


“Senora Hayden prompts us to connect
with Latin American culture outside of class
in various ways. The songs in particular
get me thinking about their origins and
Hispanic history when I’m listening to
them outside of school,” said Thomas
Basso ’27, a student in Hayden’s Spanish
IV Advanced class.


Outside of PHS, Hayden and a friend,
Susan Leson, created the Cranbury
Arts Council around 30 years ago —
a non-profit volunteer organization
dedicated to enriching the cultural and
artistic experiences of the community by
providing arts programs, workshops, and
performances.


“I took a pottery class, and I was so good
at it, I couldn’t believe it. And then I’m
thinking, if I’m good, can you imagine how
many people are good at different arts, but
they don’t know it,” said Hayden. “So we
started taking classes, and I said to [Susan],
‘Imagine how many people don’t know that
they have a gift ... so why don’t we start an
Arts Council in Cranbury?’”


In retirement, she plans to spend time
with her family and continue organizing
exchange trips. Though Hayden is leaving
PHS, her impact on the languages
department and the whole community will
not be forgotten.


 “If I could say one thing to her, I would
say ‘Gracias por todo, Senora Hayden!’”
said Basso. “Your dedication to teaching is
something I will never forget, and I want
to know that each and every one of your
students are extremely fortunate to have
you as their teacher whether they know
it or not.” 

PHS Profile: Martha Hayden

Pollution, climate change, and overpopulation are just
a few of the major global issues that are yet to be solved.
Posts about these issues are omnipresent on social media,
along with comments sections full of people exclaiming
that humanity is doomed. This nihilistic content is
extremely harmful, particularly for teenagers, as they spend
significant time on social media. Moreover, while it is true
that these major global issues have yet to be solved, adopting
a mindset that states these problems are insurmountable
achieves nothing. The constant stream of pessimism
can make people feel
hopeless, deteriorating
their mental well-being
and decreasing their
motivation to enact
change. 

With teenagers’
dependability on
social media comes
the increased risk
of being exposed to
misinformation or
biased content, making
it nearly impossible to
discern what is true
from false. A 2022
study conducted by the
Common Sense Media
found that on average,
teenagers spend around
eight and a half hours on social media platforms each day. Moreover, reports
from the World Press Institute in 2022, found that about
50 percent of teenagers use Facebook or YouTube over
credible news sources to obtain their news. As a result of
engaging with such distorted and inaccurate content, teens
often feel overwhelmed by the negativity, and they see this
feeling reflected in the “doomer,” an internet character
that depicts a man living a life of helplessness and despair.

While it may be convenient to indulge in this doomer
mindset, the more effective approach to combating personal
and global issues
is by embracing
positivity, which
can improve one’s
mental health
as well as their
problem-solving
skills. Focusing
on positivity helps
lower stress levels
and anxiety, which is
important for both
emotional wellbeing and physical
health. For instance,
a study done by
Kansas University
in 2012 found that
smiling and fake
smiling both reduce
heart rate and blood pressure in stressful situations. 

Importantly, students who remain optimistic, rather
than pessimistic, are more confident and creative when
approaching problems, as they’re better at handling their
emotions. Research done by Edward Chang of Oxford
University in 2013 also revealed that individuals exposed
to optimistic thoughts demonstrated significantly better
problem solving skills than those exposed to neutral or
negative thoughts. This means that promoting critical
thinking and problem solving skills starting as teenagers
will take us towards a solution for our global problems
much more effectively.

It is essential to identify what PHS can do to help embrace
optimism. One way to spread positivity is by incorporating
it into our daily lives. The school can recognize and
reward efforts to build a more positive environment, not
just achievements, to build morale. For example, in PHS
Principal Cecilia Birge’s weekly newsletters, there could
be a section dedicated to sharing motivational stories
or uplifting quotes. In a world where negativity is more
prevalent than ever, building a positive mindset is the most
crucial step towards solving our global problems. 

The importance of positivity

If there are laws to protect individuals in marginalized
communities from discrimination in areas like employment,
healthcare, and education, why shouldn’t there be laws to
protect books that reflect their stories and experiences?
Students at PHS and across the country deserve access
to the voices of minority
groups and a chance to
learn about their lives and
beliefs through literature.
According to the American
Library Association
(ALA), censorship of
books has increased by
65 percent from 2022
to 2023, with over 4,000
books containing themes
of racial justice or gender
identity being banned
from public and school
libraries. Recently,
however, the New Jersey
Senate has started to focus
on preventing censorship
to promote diversity.

On October 28, 2024,
the Freedom to Read
Act was passed by the
New Jersey Senate, but is
currently awaiting the approval of Governor Phil Murphy.
This law will prevent books from being banned solely
because of their origin, background, or views in public
and school libraries. It aims to enforce the ALA’s Library
Bill of Rights, which seeks to make libraries inclusive and
diverse environments. This is especially important for
students as access to more diverse literature allows them
to build cultural awareness, empathy, and critical thinking.

In addition, if the Freedom to Read Act is approved, it
will protect librarians. Currently, librarians face pressure
to remove certain books, especially those dealing with
sensitive topics such as race and gender. In 2023, a survey
conducted by the School Library Journal found that 18
percent of elementary
school librarians
reported experiencing
harassment, and the
rate rose to 30 percent
among librarians
in high schools.
Harassment often
comes from parents
who want to protect
their children from
content they consider
harmful. It also often
comes from political
groups who oppose
the representation of
certain ideas, such as
LGBTQ+ themes, in
libraries. As a result,
these people claim that
librarians are spreading
inappropriate content
and pressure them to
remove those books, despite a lack of evidence. With the
Freedom to Read Act in place, librarians will be granted
liability protection, encouraging them to do their jobs
without fear of legal repercussions and harassment from
the public, leading to a less stressful work environment.

The harmful effects of censorship on society are
displayed in Ray Bradbury’s dystopian novel “Fahrenheit
451.” Bradbury’s novel is a direct reference to historical
censorship events like the Nazi book burnings, where
thousands of books, primarily written by Jewish authors
or others considered “un-German,” were destroyed to
control public thought. In the book, everything that goes
against the government’s ideals are censored, leaving
people desensitized and overly reliant on technology,
making them unable to think for themselves. Individuals
also refrain from sharing their opinions due to the fear of
retribution. Today, the novel serves as a reminder of the
importance of protecting individuality and preventing
censorship from enforcing conformity and suppressing
critical thought within individuals.

In a world where the voices of marginalized groups are
suppressed, it is incredibly important to solve the issue of
censorship and be able to connect with all communities.
The Freedom to Read Act is one step towards this, but
censorship still remains a concern: Pen America found
that in the United States, there are over 40 educational gag
orders that have become law in over 22 states, restricting
topics such as race and gender to be taught in schools.
Such policies prevent individuals from developing beliefs
and critical thinking. With the Freedom to Read Act, New
Jersey will set an example for other states to establish laws
that restrain censorship. Now it is time for us to advocate
and promote similar ideas that advocate for freedom of
expression and access to diverse perspectives so that we
can explore our own interests and beliefs without our
rights being infringed by censorship.

Librarians need to be protected

On October 21, the
international organization
Seeds of Peace held an online
assembly at PHS between 9:40
a.m. and 10:40 a.m. during a
60-minute homeroom day. The
organization aims to cultivate
leaders who work together
across diverse backgrounds
to create more equitable and
inclusive societies. Across the
world, the team works with
students worldwide and engages
in various dialogues designed to
shift attitudes and perceptions,
promote understanding, and
build respect and empathy.

During their presentation at
PHS, two speakers were featured:
Ittay Flescher, from Israel, and
Suma Qawasmi, from Palestine,
who each shared their personal
experiences living in the Middle
East amidst the ongoing conflict.
The event aimed to provide
students with a better ability to
enjoy meaningful dialogue with
others on controversial topics.

“[We are here] to show you
that, [even though] Suma and I
don’t agree on a lot of things, we’re
still friends, we work together,
and we bring children, who are
living this war and are talking to
each other and trying to work out
how to share Jerusalem in peace,”
said Flescher.

During the meeting, Flescher
and Qawasmi shared tools
students can use to help them
navigate through challenging
conversations. In addition,
they also gave insights into a
few activities they do with the
students at their camp and the
importance of having these
dialogues.

“The message is we, who are
living in this conflict — and
we have all the reasons in the
world to not want to meet with
each other — can maybe serve
as role models to you [so that]
you can also find ways to listen
and have difficult conversations,”
said Flescher. “It’s not talking for
the sake of talking, it’s talking
for the sake of building peace.
And building peace means
creating a circumstance where
everyone has freedom, justice,
and equality.”

In May, Princeton University
became a focal point for student
activism like other colleges
nationwide. During the studentled “Gaza Solidarity
Encampment”
protest on Canon
Green, which
lasted for three
weeks, students
led sit-ins, rallies, and speeches,
demanding the university divest
from organizations associated
with Israeli military efforts.
Some students from PHS left
their classes to participate in the
university protests.

After the protests, Principal
Cecilia Birge met with the PHS
Jewish Students Club and the
PHS Muslim Student Union,
both of which shared a desire
to communicate to understand
each other’s perspectives and
seek respect and understanding.
Following her meetings with
the clubs, Birge also organized a
dialogue between some Muslim
and Jewish teachers at PHS
to better understand their
viewpoints and how they handle
and address differences in their
community.

“[They] have been my
intellectual and cultural
support system as I navigated
the complexities surrounding
the encampment at Princeton
University. I spent countless
hours with them — listening
to their stories, engaging in
meaningful discussions,
exploring different perspectives,
and even challenging my own
assumptions,” said Birge.

One of Birge’s major
realizations was that a singular
approach that intends to create
an inclusive environment for
everyone doesn’t always work.

“Both communities contain
diverse viewpoints, which are
often overlooked when issues
are framed in oversimplified
narratives of right versus wrong
or good versus bad. These
conversations highlighted the
need to embrace nuance and
complexity when addressing
sensitive topics. What stood out
most was the shared desire across
both communities for peace,
mutual respect, and dignity for
all.”

With these findings, over the
summer, Birge, Superintendent
Kathie Foster, and Assistant
Superintendent
for Curriculum
and Instruction
Kimberly Tew,
met with other
organizations,
including
Seeds of Peace, that prioritize
peace building. Birge discovered
that the teams’ mission was
similar to the school district’s
goals for education, subsequently
organizing an assembly for
students and a panel meeting
with teachers.

“We found their approach
and philosophy are aligned
with our district’s mission to
‘prepare all of our students to
lead lives of joy and purpose
as knowledgeable, creative and
compassionate citizens of a global
society,’ and that ‘our schools are
places of care where every child is
known, every culture valued, and
where kindness and courage are
modeled,’” said Birge.

In his activism, Flescher puts
emphasis on the importance of
caring about the current conflict
and engaging in productive
dialogue. Through Seeds of
Peace, Flescher and his team
aim to demonstrate to children
that dialogue can foster peace,
and that trust and friendships
with different people can enable
significant positive change.

“What we have been trying to
do is to say that the ... present
reality, which is horrifying,
doesn’t need to be a blueprint
for our future,” said Flescher.
“We have the power to create a
different future, and that starts
with seeing the humanity in
every person, especially those
who differ from us.

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