"I'm only doing it because it'll look good on college applications."  I still remember the first time I ever heard this rationale said aloud. Walking back to class, my friend and I started discussing the club meeting we'd both attended the day before, realizing a commonality: we both hated it. It...

Ever since the Sputnik launch in 1957 and the first moon landing in 1969 with Apollo 11, scientists have been increasingly ambitious with their galactic goals, especially as the plausibility of moving human life to other planets has become more and more serious. Not many years ago space was a very poorly...

Just a decade ago, the idea of using phones in classrooms was unimaginable. Fast forward to today, phones have become an indispensable part of our everyday lives, even when it comes to school. Despite a heavy dependence on phones, the majority of students agree with placing restrictions on phone use...

Throughout the 2023-24 school year, the WA community was faced with the looming threat of budget cuts that would cut certain classes and increase class sizes. As May began, things began to grow more concerning with the failure to pass the override at the annual town election. Later that month, the...

Growing up, I always dreamed of what my perfect prom dress would look like. Would it be floor length? Would it have rhinestones and sparkles? And as WA’s version of Junior Prom, Cotillion, approaches for me, I realize there was a thing my dreams did not include: the stress-inducing, almost toxic, culture...

On Saturday, Oct. 14, registered Westford Academy students took the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) digitally, the first time in more than 30 years of Westford Academy administering the test. This major conversion has greatly altered the test-taking experience, with both positive and negative...

“You’ve finished up your free practice test. Upgrade to Quizlet Plus and get unlimited practice tests for this set.” I stared at the screen, and my confusion lasted about two seconds before being replaced by a cold, resigned understanding.  It was a few weeks ago when I was studying for the...

Throughout the past few years, the phrase “unprecedented times” has been repeated more than any person wants to hear in their lifetime. However, it’s not an inaccurate statement. From a global pandemic, to national social reform movements, and now a war in Ukraine, our world is facing complications...

I was sitting at my kitchen table, tears in my eyes, as my father and I yelled at each other about CP Geometry my freshman year. I had studied for over twelve hours for each of my seven classes and I had finally felt prepared for my midterms. I was evidently not. The stress of midterms, just my freshman...

It took all afternoon to get ready. Your makeup is gorgeous; your hair is curled to perfection. You’re wearing the shimmery dress that you bought last school year at the mall with your mom and the heels that will sparkle in the moonlight. You arrive at the football field and take pictures with your...

As the end-of-class bell rings, everyone starts to shift, and the halls are filled with students and teachers going different ways. Getting to the restroom or taking a mask break becomes hard even if you can make it out in time. Some teachers switch classrooms and prepare for their next class in only...

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the town of Westford and many others have had to cancel many large student gatherings in order to adjust to the new lifestyle. This year, WA juniors had to postpone the annual junior cotillion to September of their senior year due to the rise of cases, one of which of the...