On March 18th, 2025, acclaimed author Suzanne Collins published Sunrise On The Reaping, the second prequel to her iconic Hunger Games trilogy. This tale, which follows the thrilling journey of Katniss and Peeta’s mentor, Haymitch Abernathy, was met with great fanfare from the dystopian fantasy world. Collins’ new novel rode the wave of momentum from the popular film adaptation of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and quickly became a worldwide success with more than 1.5 million copies sold, as found by Scholastic. After buying, readers were not disappointed. Sunrise on the Reaping delivers an action-packed retelling of the 50th Hunger Games, with Abernathy presented as an unconventional tribute who creates close connections between familiar faces and newly introduced characters and struggles to survive the cruelties of the corrupt nation of Panem. The fast-paced story earned a 4.65/5 rating on Goodreads with raving reviews, an impressive feat. Even though the ending of Abernathy’s games has already been spoiled in the original trilogy, the character development and intricate plotlines leave readers captivated by the connections between past and present worlds, with many going to popular social media sites to share their thoughts. Popular theories and new insights on the original Hunger Games trilogy are trending all over apps like TikTok and Instagram, and for good reason. Collins is known for using her clever and meaningful writing to reflect pressing real-world issues. In Sunrise on the Reaping, she explores the dangers of propaganda and media manipulation, which are becoming increasingly apparent in the polarizing nature of the United States. At just about four hundred pages, Collins’ new book is sure to zoom by for readers, but its unique perspective is likely to linger. A film adaptation is already in the works, and will be making its way to theaters in August 2026 to bring Haymitch’s story to life!
“I’ve set myself to become the King of the Pirates, and if I die trying, then at least I tried” is one of the many great lines from “One Piece” (1999-present) I think about often. Monkey D. Luffy, a silly but optimistic boy with the ability to stretch his body like rubber, accurately captures a rather fantastical but current perspective on attaining excellence in life—if I do not excel, then why would I pursue? I would rather be unknowing than know failure.
A few weeks ago, I received my college decisions. Now, I’ve never been the social butterfly winner of everything great and holy, but I consider myself fairly well-rounded as an applicant. Yet, when I started opening the letters, I realized that the feeling of satisfaction was very rare. In other words, the results were unexpectedly expected.
I was mediocre.
What does it mean to be mediocre? Merriam-Webster defines mediocre as “of moderate or low quality, value, ability, or performance: ordinary, so-so.” It already sucks to be called “so-so,” but even further I’d argue that the modern use of mediocrity is much simpler (and more brutal). Mediocrity is the failure to excel.
There’s nothing wrong with being mediocre. The only problem was that my computer screen did not match my ego and pride. I felt humiliated. Let down by none other than myself. By living this day alone, I knew that other people would also be doing this, and they would ask me in return. It is embarrassing to be reluctant to reply.
I went on spring break with my head hanging low. Upset at myself, not for being mediocre, but for feeling embarrassed to be mediocre. Is my self-esteem this fragile? That I can’t even tolerate the possibility that I may not excel at everything I do? So pathetic.
I am pathetic, but so are most people. It’s our nature to excel because it feels good. Being handed a blue ribbon warrants us a little more pep in our step. The pleasure and glee are multiplied when we post and promote these ribbons to the rest of the world through likes, comments, and shares.
There’s nothing wrong with being mediocre. The only problem is that we feel there is nothing worthy of celebrating in mediocrity. There’s nothing impressive about learning your way around using public transportation. Seeing zero assignments to do on Canvas. Jack Black saying “chicken jockey.” If it’s not worth celebrating, then it’s not special.
In the same way judges rule people guilty or innocent, we deliver our own verdicts as mediocre or exceptional. In a time where anyone can easily leave a mark on the world through social media posts and 10-second shorts, being mediocre is almost like a crime (in the least flattering, least interesting way). We perceive being mediocre as an either-or option.
The minute our binary perspectives designated ourselves as mediocre, we find ourselves stuck between judgment and self-consciousness. What value do I have if I can’t get out of here? If I’m anything but exceptional?
Why would we be so stringent with our happiness? Leisure is frowned upon, and failure calls for punishment. We may not all be content if we had a “the great” attached to the end of our names, but there is just a big difference between being recognized and being “great-less.” It is appealing to be recognized, but there is also so much freedom abandoned in settling for mediocrity. Do we always have to excel to have value? Have we regressed enough to times when not attending an Ivy for undergrad is embarrassing rather than endearing?
There’s nothing wrong with being mediocre. The only problem is that we believe mediocrity to be a problem. What if we expanded our narrow, binary perspective across a scale, into a spectrum? What if I valued the result not by my performance in comparison to others, but by its influence on my outlook on life? Indeed, the “oh, Yale!” and “where’s that college again?” still exist on this scale—but not necessarily at the endpoints. The value of my life is not evaluated by the decisions, but by the process. Was it a meaningful process? Did it give me joy and sometimes misery? Yes, and even if I could have done some things differently, my accomplishments are valuable experiences.
Hence, let’s redefine mediocrity as not a failure to excel, but just one experience of many on a spectrum of a set standard. Mediocrity is not a shameful measure of performance, but a measure of meaningfulness. That way, even a poor performance, which you can consider a mediocre experience, can be a learning opportunity. These learning opportunities drive us to discover the world and society, inviting new discoveries about the world and, perhaps, ourselves.
What if our drive to be not mediocre is just a purpose to excel? What if we didn’t have a purpose? What if I applied to college for fun? What if all I went through in the November and December grind was to enjoy the feeling of that grind being over? What if I could laugh, be carefree, and celebrate the one single instance of confetti filling my screen? There is so much joy, happiness, satisfaction, and freedom in these experiences.
There is so much untouched potential in mediocrity, to be free of judgment and simply live for the experience. Rather than saying the generic “don’t be afraid of failure,” how about we recognize it as “risk failure” instead? Embrace our mediocrity, and celebrate just being able to be here.
At the end of the day, I realize that I’d rather know failure than be unknowing.
Barboriak, as a junior, takes a picture with Eddie Zhang ’24 while playing Spoons. (Vincent Barboriak)
By Tejasvi Shirolkar, Guest Contributor
Usually used in a bowl of PFM cereal or soup, spoons are an essential part of the NCSSM dining experience. However, this February marked an annual tradition many chose to partake in: “Spoons.” Holding a wooden spoon to their nose, NCSSM students pass through hallways, go up stairs, and to their dorm halls.
To an outsider, Spoons may seem like a silly pastime. However, any NCSSM community member knows that the tradition is so much more; it celebrates the beginning of the Spring semester and allows both Seniors and Juniors to connect beyond the classroom.
The Mastermind Behind This Year’s Spoons
Vincent Barboriak ‘25, from 3rd West, is this year’s supervisor (or “Spoon’s Master,” as he describes it). As last year’s Spoons winner, Barboriak became the overseer for this year. He tracks eliminations, updates charts related to the game, and modifies rules for all participants.
How The Game Works
On February 5th, 205 Juniors and Seniors each received a spoon with another player’s name on it–the person the player had to eliminate. For any player to be eliminated, they must be tapped on the shoulder with the spoon.
However, there is a catch: if a player has held up a spoon to their nose, that player is protected. Additionally, educational spaces such as classrooms and the library are considered “safe zones” to prevent distractions while learning.
Some NCSSM students go to great lengths when playing Spoons. Antavious Ashe, a Community Coordinator (CC) on 2nd Hill, chimed in regarding some of the Spoons stories he had heard of. A member of 2nd Hill went as far as carrying his spoon in the shower, preventing another hallmate from tapping him out.
Chloe Harnphanich ‘26, from 3rd Beall, echoed a similar story. While walking out of the PFM, Harnphanich kept her spoon to her nose. Near her, her eliminator lurked, waiting until the moment Harnphanich took the spoon off her nose. Despite her elimination from Spoons, Harnphanich seemed satisfied regarding her participation in the game.
What Spoons Means to the NCSSM Community
When asked why she participated in Spoons, Harnphanich stated, “[I] wanted to collaborate more with the student body [as a Junior Senator] and I think in general, [this game] is a very fun, engaging way to have a stress relieving aspect in… life, especially with such rigorous coursework at school.”
As a former student and now as a CC, Ashe responded, “At first, I thought [Spoons] was really random, but in a way, it seems to bring the campus together… I think [the competition] can be taken to extremes, but for the most part, [Spoons] is a good thing.”
To Keep or Not to Keep?
While the winner for Spoons this year is yet to be declared, the student body seems to be in consensus: the sense of community, friendly competition, and camaraderie the game creates is what makes every participant a champion. The annual game is here to stay, and hopefully be embedded into the rich history of NCSSM.
At almost any other library, one would imagine the academic environment as a reserved intellectual harbor, a collective haven for students to hone in on their work and reach an optimal state of focus. In nearly every other circumstance, libraries are equated to silent reservoirs of studying, enforced by a constant need to keep one’s voice down. From the moment one usually walks through the door comes a shift in the atmosphere, of conversations softening, the mind preparing to sharpen for the day’s load of assignments. However, at the Borden Mace Library, many NCSSM students experience quite the opposite phenomenon.
Especially at the beginning of the year, many members of the junior population have fallen victim to finding the school’s arguably loudest landscape, expecting to find a familiar space for concentration. Of all places, the scene at the Borden Mace library has ironically turned more social than studious. But how did this come to be?
Through a spatial perspective, the NCSSM website states how “the Learning Commons design of our Library creates a warm environment for interaction, inspiration, and creativity with spaces designed specifically for individuals and groups,” emphasizing the school’s importance for students to foster relationships with one another to academically succeed. The library has incorporated many openly-spaced design elements for groups of students to work together in, whether that be the multiple yellow study rooms built along the left wall of the space, or the many circular tables, some of which are embedded within the not-so-soundproof glass lounges. By incorporating friendly architectural designs to bring people together, Borden Mace has allowed positive community building to prosper–though, often with its downsides.
Because the library has majorly devoted the working space for groups of people, a lot of students are naturally inclined to hang out with their friends, leading to an avoidance of accomplishing the objective at hand: Their assignments. As one junior complains how “all of my friends are there and I can’t lock in…there’s no quiet rule”, the social restrictions of the library–or lack thereof, have allowed noise levels to get extremely high without consequences. This has contributed to the development of an unbounded gregarious workspace with little to no “work” getting done. One senior notes how “a library is a social place, not a study place”, highlighting the reality for many other students how the design features of Borden Mace have strayed far from its original purpose.
However, the bustling scene at the library is not inherently bad for those who need to finish their work. One student states, “The library is a place to socialize and interact, but it has areas where you can lock in, like the little cubbies at the sides and the quiet rooms”, showing how while much of the area has been mapped out for groups of people to collaborate (or socialize), there are still individualistic spaces for students to meaningfully their work–one just has to make sure to not overlook them, and create real action in finding a spot with less social distractions.
While strife with socialization with its people-friendly architectural features, the Borden Mace Library has not necessarily become a doomed place for studying. The flexible grounds for academic collaboration do not automatically lead to collective loss of concentration among students, but could instead allow the enhancement of it as long as one takes initiative in how to approach their work, and where to mark the line between studying and socializing.
As the spooky season comes upon us, ghouls are fueled by fall fun, pumpkin spice, and midterm stress. To keep you aware of the recent hauntings, the Unicorn Paranormal Team has put together another guide on ghosts and how to handle them.
The Book Whisperer is a ghost that can be found in all parts of campus. Said to take on the forms of various assigned readings, it softly whispers into the victims’ ears that they don’t need to do their reading and that it’s all common sense anyway. This ghost is rampant, and we have not found a 100% effective way to deal with them. The current conjecture is to throw the reading at the figure, although that has seen expensive fallbacks.
The Hill Haunted is a particularly interesting ghoul; a former S’math student who went into Haunted Hill was scared to death. Some say that an actor tripped him, and others say they buried him in the volleyball court beside Hill. All we know is he shifts the position of the ground to make unsuspecting victims trip and fall in odd places such as up the stairs. If found, fall gracefully and strike a cool pose; he will be so frustrated that his attempt failed he will retreat to his resting place.
Please keep yourself safe this Halloween, and remember: be on the lookout, and if you see something, report it to the Unicorn Paranormal Activity Team.
