Take Albert Einstein for example. Here’s a man so smart that he had more to worry about than his exterior, like the space-time continuum. Or picture Bill Gates. Another brilliant mind who fashions tacky sweaters and has an outlandish haircut that reminds the unfortunate few who have to see it of a hungry rhino chasing a squirrel. But who cares? A man with a brain his size probably was solving algorithms in his head while picking out his clothes and didn’t even notice what he was doing. That would have to be the only explanation when he picked out the stripes with plaid combo.

Albert and Bill, both too smart to care about their appearance, were too concerned with solving the mystery time warps inside the Internet. Or the mystery of women. Both equally confusing for them. And while neither of these brilliant minds wore comically baggy pants, black skate shoes, and an over-sized white T-Shirt, the trend of hiding your intelligence was nevertheless born.

These academic anomalies of students (scientific name: pile) are, surprisingly enough, extremely intelligent. By this point in their lives they are masters of camouflage. As they are sitting in class, using their phones and “pretending” to play games or text, they perfectly multi-task that with catching up on sleep. They don’t turn in homework because their brains are actually busy at work getting everything they need to get done (…in their heads?).

Not only are they saving trees in this process, but also they wait for a perfect time to strike. All this secret time “planning” looks, to the untrained eye, like falling asleep in class and not paying attention. These creatures blend in and go through high school virtually unnoticed from an academic standpoint and a contribution standpoint.

When analyzed from a third party point of view, their plan is quite brilliant. The teachers, untrained in this expert analysis, see them as beyond help of the current, brilliant, American education system. Fellow classmates see them as comical, mysterious, and tired. When you get past the phones, the sleeping, and the folds of fabric, you will see that these students are simply waiting for the opportune time to unleash their intelligence. And believe me when I say that I wait patiently for this amazing feat of effort.

From an evolutionary stand point, these students toy with us. Typical students use layers and layers of coats and sweaters in the winter to keep warm. However, the baggy-panted students use all of that extra room and fabric to create a convection layer of heat underneath the mountains of cotton and denim. All that extra room might as well be a sauna or a space heater and, consequently, while the rest of us complain how cold it is during fourth period, the “piles” are sound asleep under a heated blanket of bagginess and lethargy.

So then next time you see one of these students in your classes, try analyzing their approach to school and work ethic from a different point of view. They are probably already done with the homework for the week and would just rather not share it with anyone. Including the teacher.

January Tip: California is by far the home of some of the most expensive colleges in the nation with state tuition averages up to a possible $30,000 a year. In other words, sending a child to a state university in California is equivalent in cost to buying a new Ford Escape motor vehicle every 12 months!
Now before you totally freak out, and try to drown your stress out with Ke$ha tracks and therapeutic Facebook lurking, BREATHE. It’s gonna be over sooner than you know it. But if you put your applications aside for later…and then put them aside some more…and then keep putting them aside, you’ll wind up more stressed than you were to begin with. Deadlines may vary dramatically but whatever they are, stick to them. Don’t lose the opportunity to qualify for aid simply because you procrastinated. Keep financial aid deadlines on the family calendar, in the kitchen, or in your date book. Some colleges operate on a first-come, first-served basis, particularly those that make rolling decisions, so keep that in mind if you’re a procrastinator by nature.
Now it sounds funny, but as a senior, you kinda just gotta learn to get over stuff. Stop avoiding things you could possible learn from. Applying for financial aid is a life lesson, as few will ever reach a point in their lives where they can afford everything they desire/need. In the end though, procrastination happens. I think a concept that people don’t always grasp is that every single year you experience life, life happens a little faster. Time will fly, but don’t let your chance to afford college fly along with it.
**DONT FORGET FAFSA DUE MARCH 2!**

Unlike the previous two weeks, the team found itself trailing the entire game. They faced a 21-7 deficit at halftime before making an inspired attempt at a comeback after running back Marlon Smith, senior, made a big kickoff return to inside the five-yard line at the start of the second half.

With 4:11 left in the game, the team found itself with what seemed like one last chance to stage a game tying touchdown drive. However, quarterback Garrett Krstich, senior, threw a interception deep into his own territory, defusing the drive.

Remarkably, it ended up not being their last chance. They faced two more chances to tie the game after the Tritons fumbled the ball on the one-yard line and turned the ball over on downs. However, once again the home team failed to get anything going offensively as they turned the ball over on downs and Krstich threw a game ending pick to seal the loss.

This is head coach Sean Sovacool’s first loss as a head coach. Seconds after the loss, he addressed the team, visibly upset at their performance.

“Hey, we fought hard. We did. San Clemente is a good team. But if we had played up to our potential, we would have beaten them. If we play up to our potential, we can beat teams like that.”

The team now looks to regroup as they play another home game next week against Redlands High School.