Tag Archives: One Direction

My So-Called High School Life: Aimee

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16 year old Aimee goes to school in a building that is basically Hogwarts. This year, she’s cut down from seven extracurriculars to three impressive ones: directing her school’s Junior Play, coordinating graduation, and working on the executive for DECA, a high school business competition. Oh, and her favourite project last year involved working in a lab at Princess Margaret Hospital to try and cure cancer. No big deal. 

What was the school project you liked the most this year?

The project which I liked doing the most this year was our Independent Research Project for biology. My partner and I designed an experiment testing microRNAs and cancerous cells. In other words, we were going to attempt to cure cancer! Needless to say, our experiment didn’t exactly work out. However working in a real lab at Princess Margaret Hospital, with funding under the guidance of some really talented grad students was an experience all on its own. 

What music are you currently really into?

My taste in music is a little all over the place. I love upbeat artists such as Ingrid Michaelson, Train and Florence and the Machine, as well as more soulful artists such as Bon Iver, Ed Sheeran and The Kooks. Oh, and of course, One Direction. 

Right now, everyone in the locker room is talking about:

TIFF. What movies people are seeing, who’s in town (Jake Gyllenhaal?!?!??) and the entire buzz around the famous film festival. Some of the real film buffs I know are seeing ten movies!

How did you celebrate your last birthday?

Some friends and I went for a shopping day at the Eaton Centre, and then we all had dinner at Pickle Barrel. No better way to spend a birthday than spending all the money you just received!

What makes your school unique?

Our school is a building which is over 100 years old. And I love it, don’t get me wrong, sometimes it’s just frustrating in the winter when the radiators (yes, radiators; that’s how old-school the building is) are so hot in the winter we have to crack open all the windows. 

Does your school have any wacky traditions?

Every year, we have an event called “House Lip Synch” when members from each of the houses (quite similar to the system at Hogwarts) perform lip synch songs on stage. It’s pretty awesome. Also, our school has an annual field trip to Centre Island right before exams. Whoever came up with that idea, we all thank you. 

What extracurriculars are you involved with this year?

I’ve cut down a lot this year from last year, when I was involved in over seven extracurriculars (yikes). This year, I’m on our schools DECA Executive. DECA is a business competition for high school students, which sounds a lot worse than it is. I’ve been involved since grade 9, and I love it! I’m also directing this year’s Junior Play and coordinating this year’s graduation. Oh, and Tumblr-ing, if that counts. 

What was the last book you read for school? For fun?

For school, the last book I read was Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning. I thought it was extremely dry and boring, and I had difficulty suffering through the entire book. The most recent book I read for fun was The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, part of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series. One of the greatest series I’ve read in a long time, absolutely love it. 

If you were in charge of planning the next field trip for your school, where would you go? ANYWHERE!

If I could go anywhere on a school trip, it would probably be somewhere in Africa, like Ghana or Kenya. I have never been to a third world country before, and I really think it would benefit me and my classmates to go see how others in the world are living. Maybe then our problems won’t seem so big or important. 

Who is someone you look up to?

I do look up a lot to my parents, they are truly self-made individuals. They have taught me that hard work and perseverance really does pay off, and their story of coming to Canada inspires me. 

What is your favourite way to spend the weekend?

I really do love hanging out with my friends, going shopping or to the movies or to some restaurant. However, I also really love just staying home with a good book and some tea and just spending an afternoon reading. I guess I’m kind of antisocial that way. 

What do you want to be when you grow up?

To be honest, I don’t really know the answer to this question. Law? Business? Art? I’m really open to anything, as long as it has nothing to do with biology (worst subject ever). I guess I just really want to be happy. 

What are you grateful for?

I’m grateful for the people in my life who have shaped me and made me the person I am today. My parents, past and present friends, and my brother. I love them all, even though sometimes I forget to say it.

If you could travel in time, what decade would you like to check out? Why?

I would probably go to the future. Maybe the year 3000. I’m curious as to what condition the earth would be in, if it still existed. Or if there was a hostile alien invasion and Earth was taken over, or if robots developed minds of their own and used humans as their slaves. A lot can happen in 1000 years. 

Keep Calm and Listen to Ed Sheeran

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Between Adele and One Direction, the Brits are taking over the world.  Along with pretty much everyone else, I am all for this trend (I mean singing, + accents, does it get any better? I don’t think so!)  Another lovable Brit who has popped up on my radar is Ed Sheeran.  He’s collaborated with One Direction and is pals with Rupert Grint. Amazing!

Ed rose to fame in the UK after releasing numerous independent EPs, gaining him mainstream attention. This led to his eventual (and inevitable) signing to Asylum/Atlantic Records. In 2011, he released his debut single “A-team” and later in the same year his debut studio album, +(pronounced Plus).              

Since then, he has been nominated for four Brit Awards in 2012, winning himself two for “British Breakthrough Act” and “British Solo Male Artist”.  He is definitely a threat to be reckoned with, as he is also credited with writing all of the songs on his debut album, either alone or accompanied by others. As well, he was one of the two writers of the song “Moments” on One Direction’s debut album Up All Night.

Ed’s album is full of songs about relationships that he both sings and raps on.  His album includes tracks titled; “You Need Me, I Don’t Need You”, and “Give Me Love”.  Each song is worth listening to and will have you quickly clicking replay over and over again. 

Ed also has a song called “Lego House” which is fitting because on his Twitter he continues to profess his love for Lego by posting pictures of his creations.  Do I really have to give you another reason to love him? Well, if you need another, he is a ginger!  And even better, there is no reason to worry about who is your favourite British ginger between him and the beloved Rupert Grint because Rupert is featured in Ed’s music video for “Lego House”.  Best of both worlds! 

Ed has been touring with Snow Patrol on their Fallen Empires Tour, which stopped in Toronto for two nights, earlier in April.  I was lucky enough just hours before the show to get invited to go, and boy was I ever glad.  Ed put on quite a show. Although his set was short he showcased his talents beautifully.  Ed took the stage alone without a backup band, but he created the illusion that he was surrounded. He used technology to create a mix of sounds including; beat boxing, vocal snippets and pounding on the guitar.  This illusion, along with Ed singing and playing the guitar, created an atmosphere that had the crowd enticed and waiting to see what he would do next.    

Now, although Ed’s album is not out in North America until June 12th, you can pre-order it now, or if you sign up for his mailing list you can get a free EP.  Of course if you can’t wait that long (who can blame you) there is this beautiful thing called YouTube where you can go check him out on right now. To tide you over until June (or just until your browsers load), check out some of his music videos below: 

“Lego House”

 

“Drunk” 

 

Didn’t catch him this time around in Toronto?  He announced he would be back on his own headlining tour in September!  So remember, until then, Keep Calm and Listen to Ed Sheeran!

Prom Playlist

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Between finding that perfect dress, deciding how to get your hair did and making limo arrangements, prom organizing can be WAY stressful. Our prom playlist is here to remind you that prom is all about having fun, being carefree, making memories, and embracing youth. Go get ’em, girl!

Fun. Feat. Janelle Monáe – “We Are Young”

Abba – “Dancing Queen”

Simple Minds – “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”

Journey – “Don’t Stop Believing”

David Bowie – “Golden Years”

Donna Summer – “Last Dance”

Beyoncé Feat. J. Cole – “Party”

Lil Wayne – “Prom Queen”

Nicki Minaj – “Young Forever”

One Direction – “Forever Young”

Green Day – “Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)”

Vitamin C – “Graduation (Friends Forever)”

My So-Called High School Life: Niki

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Niki is graduating this year. She’s co-head of her class, helping to plan prom, which, if she had her way, might take inspiration from Beatlemania. She’d have killed to go to Woodstock, but satisfies her musical cravings by re-reading Anthony Kiedis’s autobiography. She loves her loyal group of friends, looks up to her dad, and is excited for the annual grad prank, a tradition at her small high school.

What was the school project you liked the most this year?

I’m not too crazy about any of the projects I’ve done this year. But, last year, my biology ISP was cool. I had to make a 25 page book about a chameleon. It was really hard & time consuming but I loved how it turned out.

What music are you currently really into?

Right now I’m into a mix of everything, new and old. Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bon Iver, Ed Sheeran, One Direction, The Kooks, Coldplay, Swedish House Mafia, Phoenix, Avicii… basically everything.

Right now, everyone in the locker room is talking about:

Definitely prom. Everyone is freaking out about prom dates, dresses, etc.

How did you celebrate your last birthday?

I went to dinner at my favourite restaurant in Toronto, Sotto Sotto, with 8 of my best girl friends and just hung out afterwards.

What makes your school unique?

My school is quite small, everyone knows each other. There are only around 350 students in the high school. It’s also in a very industrial and random area…somewhere you’d never expect a school to be.

Does your school have any wacky traditions?

There aren’t many wacky traditions, but definitely some fun traditions. Every year there is a night where the grads come to school and do the “grad prank”, which apparently is always fun. I’m looking forward to that next month. 

What extra-curriculars are you involved with this year?

This year I’m on the Student Executive Council, as the co-head of the graduating class (planning grad events, like prom) and I also tutor a grade four student.

What was the last book you read for school? For fun?

The last book I read for fun was Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis, which I was re-reading, which is an autobiography of the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The last book I read for school was Coming Through Slaughter by Michael Ondaatje, which I definitely wouldn’t recommend. One of the worst books I’ve ever read.

If you were in charge of planning the next field trip for your school, where would you go? ANYWHERE!

I’d probably plan to go to England, just because I’m absolutely in love with English style & London and its character.

Who is someone you look up to?

I don’t think there’s just one person, but if I had to name one, I definitely look up to my dad, he always knows how to make me smile which is something I admire a lot. His values and morals, as well, are something I look up to too.

What is your favourite way to spend the weekend?

I always love spending my weekends with my friends. Usually every Friday and Saturday I’ll be with my friends, either at a house gathering or a night downtown.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I don’t have a clue what I want to do when I’m older. A job in communications ideally, maybe PR, but that’s a really general answer. I think I’m too young to know for sure.

What are you grateful for?

I’m grateful for my friends and family. I’m really lucky that i’ve had the same group of loyal friends, basically my whole life, that I always can go to with whatever I’m thinking.

If you could travel in time, what decade would you like to check out? Why?

I would definitely travel back to the late-ish 60s. The music was unreal, fashion was so cool and I would kill to go to Woodstock. Most importantly, I wish I was alive for Beatle-mania. They are amazing and I think it would be so cool to witness the original boy band phenomenon.

My So-Called High School Life: Hannah

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Hannah loves music and dance and goes to an all-girl’s school (“a.k.a prison”) in Toronto. When she’s not onstage performing with her hip hop dance company, she’s walking the catwalk in the school fashion show, or acting in one-act plays. She’s way too busy these days, taking acting, art and SAT prep classes and tanning with her sisters in Trinity Bellwoods park. She also volunteers at an after school program for kids, and looks up to her dad, who shined shoes to make his way to Canada and started his own construction business. Family is extremely important to her, and she has relatives all over the world, from Mali to Paris to Toronto. If she can’t be an actress when she grows up, she’ll combine her love of kids, talking through problems, and art to become an art therapist.

Name: Hannah 
Age: 17

What was the school project you liked the most this year?

I had to do a project for world issues where I had to read the newspaper everyday and do a project about an issue that I read about more than once. Even though it was tedious and I’m not a reader, it forced me to be informed. I also liked the fact that I could join in on dinner conversations.  

What music are you currently really into?

I love ALL music (even country!) Right now, though, I’m really into hiphop, reggae and rap. MGK, Travis Porter, Elephant Man, Waka Flaka Flame, Tyga and Yelawolf definitely make music that I jam to. But I can’t lie, I also can’t help loving Top 40 music. Then there are always the classics like Lauryn Hill, Bob Marley, and A Tribe Called Quest.   

Right now, everyone in the locker room is talking about:

One Direction…I don’t engage. 

How did you celebrate your last birthday?

I spent the entire day with my family and then my mom got me and my 3 best friends a hotel room for the night-like a baus.  A friend also threw me a surprise birthday party. 

What makes your school unique?

All girls…it’s ‘unique,’ aka prison. 

Does your school have any wacky traditions?

Crazy sports day! All the 12 school houses (exactly like Harry Potter) compete in ‘crazy’ sports events to win the cup. My house won this year, CHYEAAAH. 

What extracurricular are you involved with this year?

I do too much! I’m in a Hip Hop dance company, I volunteer at an afterschool program for kids, I take acting classes, art classes, and SAT pre classes. Plus I’m in my school’s fashion show and one act plays. 

What was the last book you read for school? For fun?

It’s called ‘Slow Death by Rubber Duck’. Its about all the toxic chemicals everyday objects contain. It was for school, and made me want to die. I don’t wish that kind of torture upon my enemies. 

If you were in charge of planning the next field trip for your school, where would you go? ANYWHERE!

Canada’s Wonderland. I want to see my teachers pee themselves. 

Who is someone you look up to?

My dad. I know it’s cliché but he shined shoes to get to Canada and then stayed in immigration ‘jail’ for a month before he started his life in Toronto. He cannot read or write, yet started his own business in construction. He does everything for me and my siblings despite our constantly making fun of him about his grammar. 

What is your favourite way to spend the weekend?

Recovering from 5 days of hell. That usually includes tanning (in the summer) with my sisters at Trinity Bellwoods park, dim sum, and seeing my baby cousins who make me laugh like I’m watching Dave Chappelle. And I can’t lie, a party to blow off steam never hurts.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

An actress, or anything involving performing. If that doesn’t work out then I’d love to be an art therapist for kids. It combines my three favorite things. Kids, talking through things with people, and art. 

What are you grateful for?

So many things I can’t even begin to say. One really big one though is having such a big and mixed family. I have family in a tiny village in Mali that looks like it’s right out of a National Geographic book. At the same time I have family in Paris and Toronto. Being mixed like that gives me perspective, and grounds me. I love it. 

If you could travel in time, what decade would you like to check out? Why?

Oooh late 60s and 70’s for sure. It just seems like everyone had so much fun. Also all the protests and young people getting involved seems like it would be really cool to be involved in.

Boy Bands are back, and One Direction are leading the British Invasion with their great style, care of stylist Caroline Watson

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We’ve all seen boy bands come and go before, *NSYNC & Backstreet Boys particularly. There weren’t a group of girls who didn’t get weak in the knees back in the day for a nice glimpse of Justin Timberlake or Nick Carter! So, we all matured a bit and moved on from the boy band craze in the early 2000s, but now, the boy band frenzy is back on and it’s back in FULL EFFECT. To be specific, the one band that have emerged, as it seems overnight, into the music scene, are England’s (and Ireland’s) One Direction. Girls are just absolutely swooning over these British boys. Their charming good looks and incredible accents might be to blame, but their style is one thing that is an undeniable appeal factor. Sure, we have a lot of hot American & Canadian music stars with great style, i.e. The Biebs, but somehow none quite measure up to the brilliant style of the Brits.

Whether they step out of their hotels awaiting hundreds of screaming tweens & photographers or if they are walking the red carpet, they ALWAYS kill it. Their stylist, Caroline Watson (@CarolineWatson_) is nothing short of a genius. The boys manage to keep their individual styles while still carrying a unified style as a band. Whether the boys step out for a bite to eat or for a night on the town, they never disappoint. 

Zayn Malik

Zayn (@zaynmalik), 19, is undoubtedly attractive as it is – gorgeous eyes and a defined jaw line never turned off a girl before! Zayn’s signature go-to look is a classic varsity jacket or a button up – but, only with the top button done up. 

Liam Payne

Liam (@Real_Liam_Payne), 18, has been described as the sensible one of the group, “Daddy Direction” to be specific. His responsible title shows through his style too – totally relaxed, simple and sophisticated. Liam can always be caught in his signature plaid button-up.

Niall Horan

Niall, (@NiallOfficial), 18 and the cute Irish one, seems to love sporting polos… all the time. On stage, on the red carpet and on his time off, Niall always has a polo shirt on. Seems completely effortless, but they look absolutely adorable. 

Louis Tomlinson

Louis (@Louis_Tomlinson), 20, appears to be a huge fan of suspenders and stripes. It’s almost guaranteed whenever you catch a glimpse of Louis, he’ll be in stripes. And somehow, he manages to make suspenders look hot!

Harry Styles

Last but most definitely not least we have Harry (@Harry_Styles), 18. Harry’s love for blazers has become monstrous. There’s a rare moment when Harry is caught wearing anything without pairing it with a nice blazer. No one’s complaining though, Harry makes blazers look good – casually with a plain white t-shirt or dressy with a chic button up & a quirky bow tie.

Individually and together, One Direction are a group of guys who can most definitely dress to impress. They might all have their own signature look, but they know how to accent each other’s outfits perfectly.  It basically goes without saying that they are changing the face of boy band fashion. No more matching outfits, or music videos with all members wearing only white. One Direction are killing it in every way possible – with their music and with their fashion. 

Before & After.. Thank god for the change in boy band fashion! 

By Niki Javdan