The Student News Site of Van Nuys High School

The Mirror

vnhsMIRROR.com

The student website of Van Nuys High School
Van Nuys, California
The Student News Site of Van Nuys High School

The Mirror

The Student News Site of Van Nuys High School

The Mirror

Abigail Kim

Abigail Kim, Staff

The most magical thing to do in this world is to escape it. This is the power of reading, and it is a force I readily succumb to. A delectable story fills me with the greatest joy, and inventing extravagant tales offers a luscious meal to my hungry brain. My greatest wish as a beginning journalist is to communicate the wonderful quirks of the world through my perspective and to share the divine opinions of every viewpoint. In the eccentric witch’s brew of my mind, I weave characters, conflict, and emotions in fictional writing and dancing, or, as I like to call it, storytelling with the body. On a separate note, if I’m not hunched over my computer, you may find me chomping away on dark chocolate or shrieking at the top of my lungs at a KPOP concert. 

All content by Abigail Kim
This illustration depicts the weight on those with fears and expectations that come from perfectionism.

Perfectionism is far from perfect

Perfectionism has proven to be a pervasive issue among students that has deleterious effects on their mental health.
By Abigail Kim, Staff
Jun 6, 2024
CLASSICAL CONCENTRATION Even though many teenagers dismiss casually reading literature, reading these novels stimulates the mind far more than any movie.

Retro reads: They’re called classics for a reason

Readers of classical literature believe it contains educational elements missing from modern works. Studies have also shown that reading classic novels may strengthen cognitive abilities and reduce age-related cognitive decline.
By Abigail Kim, Staff
Jun 1, 2024
The Mirror earns seven finalist spots from the L.A. Press Clubs SoCal 66th Annual Awards

The Mirror earns seven finalist spots from the L.A. Press Club’s SoCal 66th Annual Awards

The Mirror The Mirror is a finalist in seven categories in the L.A. Press Club’s SoCal 66th Annual Awards, contending for top website against the Hollywood Reporter and Variety.
By Abigail Kim, Staff
May 19, 2024
 Characters like Gojo, Kageyama, Levi and Zuko are among the most beloved fictional icons in pop culture, notorious for feeding into fictophilic tendencies.

The pitfalls of having fictional crushes

Fictional crushes aren’t all fun and games. By generating unrealistic expectations in relationships, fictophilia can leave us unsatisfied with our lives and bring rise to loneliness.
By Abigail Kim, Staff
May 15, 2024
Act Like You Care by Susi Vasquez-Lara, Milbridge Elementary, 5th grade.

Quiz: Are you smarter than a fifth grader?

The average fifth grader can answer at least 10 of these questions. Can you match their score?
By Abigail Kim, Viktoriya Khanliyan, and Joel Nam
Apr 20, 2024
The peculiar nighttime spectacle of dreams continue to confound us with their fleeting, mystifying images.

Dreamland discoveries: The secrets behind our dreams

Dreams are a bizarre phenomenon that continue to puzzle humanity with their elusive nature, but research shows that dreams may contribute to memory formation and other forms of psychological healing.
By Abigail Kim, Staff
Apr 17, 2024
Donna Hubbard fue la primera directora femenina del preparatoria de Van Nuys High School. Se unió a la facultad como profesora de español en 1920 y  continuó trabajando su camino hasta convertirse en la vicedirectora de las estudiantes femeninas en 1924, antes de ser la directora de toda la escuela en 1935. Aquí es la vicedirectora de las chicas en 1929.

LA HISTORIA DE ELLA: El legado de Donna Hubbard en el instituto Van Nuys

En este Mes de la Historia de la Mujer, Donna Hubbard destaca como la antigua directora del colegio, madura, sabia y compasiva. Tras incorporarse como profesora de español en 1920, fue ascendiendo hasta convertirse en la primera mujer directora del centro y dirigió a los alumnos durante la Gran Depresión y el comienzo de la Segunda Guerra Mundial.
By Abigail Kim and Maya Diaz
Mar 31, 2024

HERSTORY: Biddy Mason’s Los Angeles legacy

Born enslaved in Georgia in 1856, Bridget "Biddy" Mason was the first African-American woman to own property in Los Angeles. After receiving her freedom, she would go on to found one of the largest Black congregations in Los Angeles. 
By Abigail Kim, Staff
Mar 25, 2024
Students measure the distance between the doll and the ground.

Barbie girls in the AP Stats world

AP Statistics students in period 5 drop Barbie dolls off the 300s building on Wednesday, March 20.
By Abigail Kim and Marcello Chester
Mar 21, 2024
Donna Hubbard was Van Nuys High Schools first female principal. She joined the faculty as a Spanish teacher in 1920 and worked her way up to becoming girls vice prinicipal in 1924, before becoming principal of the entire school in 1935.

HERSTORY: Donna Hubbard’s legacy at Van Nuys High School

This Women’s History Month, Donna Hubbard stands out as the mature, wise and compassionate former principal of the school. Joining as a Spanish teacher in 1920, she worked her way up to become the school's first female principal and led students through the Great Depression and the beginning of World War II.
By Abigail Kim, Staff
Mar 18, 2024
Feel the love: Valentines Day trivia that will make your heart beat with pride!

Feel the love: Valentine’s Day trivia that will make your heart beat with pride!

Do you yearn for days of romance yore? Take our Valentine's Day history quiz to see how much you really know about this special holiday.
By Joel Nam, Abigail Kim, and Viktoriya Khanliyan
Feb 14, 2024
Selfies spread the illusion of self-empowerment while placing social media users at risk and feeding into narcissistic behaviors.

The “self” in selfie: Empowering or dangerous?

The reign of social media and the increasingly self-admiring attitude of society has heightened the peril of today’s selfie culture.
By Abigail Kim, Staff
Feb 5, 2024
As virtual media continues to dominate the world, WEBTOONs digital comics are revolutionizing the comic book world through an immersive reading experience and captivating art styles.

WEBTOON: Out with the old and in with the new

Comic culture has remained unchanged for decades. Now, WEBTOON’s free digital comics are ushering in a new era of graphic novels for modern audiences.
By Abigail Kim, Staff
Jan 22, 2024
Gawrsh! Which Disney character are you?

Gawrsh! Which Disney character are you?

See where you belong in the Disney universe with this musical quiz.
By Joel Nam, Abigail Kim, and Viktoriya Khanliyan
Dec 15, 2023

K-POP a K-FLOP: La Occidentalización del K-pop será su caída

El K-pop solía tener un sonido y estilo únicos que se adecuaban a su país de origen. Ahora, con nuevos mercados para conquistar en Occidente, todo eso se está desvaneciendo.
By Abigail Kim, Staff
Dec 6, 2023

K-POP to K-FLOP: The Westernization of K-pop will be its downfall

K-pop used to have a unique sound and style befitting its country of origin. Now, with new markets to addict in the West, all of that is being washed away.
By Abigail Kim, Staff
Dec 6, 2023
RE-AWAKENING The Christian entertainment industry has surprisingly eclipsed various mainstream Hollywoods releases.

Christianity offers redemption at the box office

The light of the Christian entertainment industry is growing brighter amidst Hollywood’s profane productions.
By Abigail Kim, Staff
Nov 26, 2023
 MISUNDERSTOOD  Fictional villains get stereotyped far too often as bad guys, when in fact, many have admirable qualities and consciences.

Villains don’t deserve their bad reputations

While our favorite villains are often malicious in their actions, society has ignored their righteous morals for far too long.
By Abigail Kim, Staff
Nov 20, 2023
 DRAINED AND DEPRESSED  According to the National Institute of Health, increased social media use among teens results in sleep deprivation and heightened anxiety.

Unfollowing social media will be the best decision of your life

For far too long, teens have been bombarded with anxiety and depression caused by social media use. Hopping offline is the best solution to this rising issue.
By Abigail Kim, Staff
Nov 20, 2023
No comprendes la sensación de estar vacío hasta que la experimentas por ti mismo.

Salto de fe: Encontrando propósito en lo invisible

Familia, fe y sentimientos llenan a una joven de un renovado propósito. Su transformación redefine su visión del mundo y define vivir la vida al máximo.
By Abigail Kim, Staff
Oct 9, 2023
You don’t understand the sensation of being hollow until you experience it for yourself.

Leap of faith: Finding purpose in the unseen

Family, faith and feelings fills a young girl with renewed purpose. Her transformation reshapes her view of the world and defines living life to the fullest.
By Abigail Kim, Staff
Sep 18, 2023
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