These three letters bring on a flurry of emotion in the average high school junior. Dread, apprehension, pressure, and long hours of studying are often associated with the exam most popularly connected with college applications.

With spring soon arriving on campus, Moreau’s juniors have begun the SAT process. The March 10 test has passed, and many students took their first stab at the test on that date.  “This was my first SAT, and I was really nervous,” junior Carl Basbas said.

A controversial aspect of the SAT process is the field of SAT preparation. Students — and their parents — often feel as if they need extra help in order to get an “acceptable” score on the test. With that in mind, they usually turn to either a prep class or a study book.

“SAT classes are great if you’re interested in taking them. They’re not so great if it’s your parents that are interested,” counseling chair Jim Patterson said.

Junior Kelsen Adeni participated in the Excel Test Prep course. “They showed us a lot of tricks for the math section,” Adeni said. “As a student who does better in English, it really helped — they ingrain these principles and ideas into your brain until they’re almost second nature.”

Junior Lindsey Gutierrez took the SAT class offered at Moreau by Revolution Prep. “The instructors showed us simple ways to solve or look at the questions which later made us think ‘Wow, that was easy. Why didn’t I know that before?’” Gutierrez said. “If I wouldn’t have taken the class, I would have never known how simple the questions really are.”

“On paper, the class looked lengthy, and I was skeptical, but once I got into it, it wasn’t that bad at all,” said Neil Barot, who, like Adeni, took the Excel Prep course. Compared to other prep classes he’s taken, Barot said that the Excel one was by far his favorite. “I felt like it gave me experience for the SAT and acted as a gateway for me to practice on my own,” Barot said.

Some students, as opposed to taking a course, prefer to study for the test on their own. Basbas purchased a study book to aid him. “I heard that the classes were a waste of money, and the book was a lot cheaper,” Basbas said.

However, the students who participated in the classes validated the courses’ worth. “I’d rather learn through a class —  there’s a difference between struggling through a 1500-page book and learning from a man or woman who’s studied the subject,” Adeni said. “It was definitely worth the price to me.”

“I thought the class was a little expensive, but it was really helpful for me,” Gutierrez said. “I need someone to point to something and teach me — I can’t teach myself nearly as well.”
“The process of SAT preparation is really all about individualizing the experience,” said Patterson. “It’s about working with the students and parents to find what works best for the family as a whole.”

But for most of us in the United States we can only imagine what if would be like for soldiers from another country to invade our homeland. It’s been a tactic used throughout history, from Spanish colonization to the war in Iraq. Although a brilliant means for nations to obtain what they want, the repercussions of military intervention are devastating.
“I think military force should only be used when it’s necessary,” senior Janessa Catipon said. “what good does it do to terrorize and put people in danger if there are already problems between two countries?”

“[The] consequences of using force are highly uncertain, and the conditions for successful prevention are rare,” said Martin B. Malin in Using Military Force to Prevent Proliferation.This form of foreign policy is normally used as a last resort, so countries refrain from it through diplomacy.

Diplomacy refers to international relations between countries’ ambassadors. If two countries were to dispute about an issue, these ambassadors would communicate the issue in order to come to a resolution.

It was used during the Cuban missile crisis – a period of time when the world was on the brink of nuclear war. Problems were resolved once the United States asked Russia to dismantle its weapons. In return, the United States promised not to invade Cuba.

Both a lack of violence and usage of communication can both be derived from this one incident, showing that verbal communication can result in a more peaceful outcome than outright war.

However, there are those who think that diplomacy while violence is occurring is a waste of time. “It is war that shapes peace, in armament that shapes war,” author and historian Thomas Fuller said.

Yet, the damage that can be exacted if a country were to attack without using any diplomatic relations would be devastating. The lost lives of soldiers and innocent civilians would be staggering, and deflated economies would result in the loss of resources and inability to produce non-war-related products.

All in all, while military force  can be a good result if all other plans fail, a country should not be without an army, navy, or air force as well. Those reserves of soldiers should not be their first resource when it comes to dealing with problems. In order for a country to be successful in resolving conflicts, it is always best to begin with diplomatic relations.

After all, as Benjamin Franklin said, “There never was a good war.”

During Lent, we are asked to sacrifice the things that we love or enjoy having in order to prepare ourselves for the coming of Easter Day. But is waiting a full forty days and nights really worth it?

“For me, Lent is usually a time where I feel closest to my faith,” senior Crystal Esparza said. “When you give up something that you like, it reminds you of the sacrifices Jesus made when he was crucified on the cross.”

But like everything else a person does, sacrificing requires work. Once a few days pass, it becomes more and more difficult to keep that promise.

“It depends on what you give up,” senior Joseph Kahrnoff said. “Everyone breaks their promise at some point.”
Do people want to give up watching TV or being on the computer for endless hours to spend more time with their family because they want to? Or do they reluctantly agree to do so because they feel obliged?

Whatever the reason may be, temptation plays the antagonistic role by weakening willpower, and often gains the upper hand. Many times, people break under the pressure and give up on their Lenten promises.

However, I think the number of times one may slip isn’t nearly as important as the goals they hoped to reach by the end of it all.

“I think some people keep promises because there’s something they want or need to change in their life,” senior Celena Bonner said.

No one needs to feel obliged or forced to sacrifice something just because it’s Lent. Instead, it’s up to them to try looking at the benefits or rewards that come with sacrificing. Don’t just dwell on the grueling journey that lies ahead; think of the peace and happiness that will come in the end.

If people decide to give up their favorite candy because they want to feel healthier, there’s nothing wrong with that.  It’s a personal sacrifice and promise to become a better person. After all, Lent is a time for personal reflection — a time to give up the things that prevent us from growing into the people we want to become.

Junk food like chips and candy are one of the things that people usually give up during Lent.