Lifestyle
Movies to Watch This Year
By Citlali Sandoval
Now that some public attractions are open, movie theaters are officially opening again, but with a few safety guidelines. Many of us have been binge-watching different movies since quarantine began, but now the thrill of watching a movie in a theatre has returned! Many of us watch movies to destress, and now more movies are coming out.
Listed below are just a few of the many movies coming out this year to watch.
Black Widow (2021) Rated PG-13
Black Widow, starring Scarlett Johannson, is a movie based on the Marvel superhero’s life and story, the film features Black Widow in her quests between the films Civil War and Infinity War. When interviewing Julie Diaz, a junior at Diamond Ranch and fanatic of the Marvel movies, she exclaimed, “The best female superhero finally having her own movie is the greatest thing since WonderWoman!” The release date for this shocking movie is May 7th, 2021, so put on your Marvel pajamas and grab some popcorn for a marvelous movie!
Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway (2021) Rated PG
Many of us remember the beloved rabbit books by Beatrix Potter we read as children, and now the sequel of Peter Rabbit has entered theatres alongside the original. Joanna Trejo, a sophomore at Diamond Ranch, commented on the film saying, “I can’t wait to watch it with my little cousin. He loves the books and now the movie!” The plot of Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway is
loosely based on the work of Beatrix Potter, and still under lock and key. However, it’s said that it will involve James Corden’s (the voice of Peter Rabbit) cheeky rabbit causing all sorts of PG-rated trouble. To be released on May 14, 2021, first the garden then the world.
Cruella (2021) Rated PG-13
Emma Stone will star as a cruel character in Disney's latest live-action remake of an old classic. As opposed to Maleficent, Cruella will focus on the enigmatic villain of 101 Dalmatians in her youth, and reveal how she became obsessed with Dalmatian fur. Renee Diaz, a freshman at Diamond Ranch, remarked on the film by saying, “Best villain of all time, I’m so excited.” This jaw-dropping movie will be released on May 28, 2021.
Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021) Rating TBD
Speaking of old classics, the sequel to Bugs Bunny and Lebron James’ long-awaited Space Jam sequel will finally arrive in 2021. This comedy will be released on July 16, 2021, so get ready and grab your carrots!
With all these new and exciting movies coming out this summer, the Summer of 2021 may be different due to COVID-19, but it doesn't have to be dull!
Inexpensive Ways to Decorate Your Room
By Natalia Engdahl
Since COVID-19 imposed quarantine restrictions and online learning, many students are spending more time in their rooms than ever before. Now, students' rooms may double as a workspace for them to attend classes and complete schoolwork. Because of this, it is important to create spaces that encourage students to remain productive and to foster environments that encourage a good mental state. Room decor is one way to help accomplish this. Listed below are inexpensive projects to personalize any space.
Photo Wall Collage
Price: $9.99-$24.99
Photo wall collages are an incredibly popular trend. Pictures for wall collages can be taken from magazines, printed on a home printer, or purchased online in premade packets for prices ranging between $9.99-$24.99. Generally, the pictures are arranged in a grid pattern to cover the wall, but there is plenty of room for creative liberty to be taken. When applying the pictures, be sure to use painter’s tape or an alternative adhesive that will not peel the paint off the wall.
Fake Vines/Flowers
Price: $9.99 and up
Fake vines are inexpensive and can be styled in a number of ways to decorate a room. A package of fifteen strands of vines cost only $9.99 on Amazon. There are plenty of similar products such as strands of fake roses or cherry blossoms to choose from. They can be arranged to hang freely on walls, wrap around furniture, or frame mirrors.
Abstract Mural
Price: Varies
Abstract murals give any room an interesting focal point. Artistic skills are not necessary to do many minimalistic designs that still appear professional-looking. These designs can be done in either acrylic or water-based latex paint. The price for this project will vary based on the kind of paint and amount of paint used.
All of these can be approached in a variety of ways and customized to each individual’s liking. More ideas for any of the aforementioned projects can be found on Instagram, Pinterest, or by simply looking up examples of the project online.
Spring Fashion 2021
By Jocelyn Galvez-Rodriguez
During the pandemic, many have been pushing fashion boundaries. Isolation has allowed people to express themselves through fashion in increasingly unique ways. People have been using different shapes, colors, and materials to reveal how they’re feeling. During the spring, fashion trends typically reflect the idea of flourishing and trying out new things. For example, for this year's spring fashion, some popular trends are funky patterns, wide-legged trousers, printed skirts, and puff sleeve dresses!
Many of the fashion trends that are popular today are highly inspired by popular fashion trends in the 90s, such as oversized shirts and wide-legged jeans. Fun trends like bucket hats and victorian oversized sleeves keep the vintage 80s style alive as well. Today, spring fashion trends promote floral colors and patterns on light fabrics like cotton and linen in order to create beach-ready dresses and shorts. The recent trend of juxtaposing these flowy garments with chunky boots is a carryover from the 90s. Colorful boots and sandals can be seen a lot in early spring when the weather is shifting.
For men, short sets and printed shirts are common this spring, perfect for days spent at the park or beach. Fashion trends for men also involve colored denim, tank tops, and bucket hats. These fashion items are more comfortable and can be matched with almost anything. To keep the style fresh, different colors and patterns are also used. Ultimately, trends like these help people express who they are.
Altogether, these trends place new and bright looks as the fashion trends that dominate the spring runway! These more comfortable looks can help us feel more confident in ourselves and our surroundings. With the different shirts and hats, we express the diversity that lies in who we all are. The flowery season of spring is a great time to experiment with new fashion trends.
How the M1 Chip is Changing Apple’s Future
By Nain Munoz
In early November of 2020, Apple re-released their Macbook line-up with a slight, but impactful, alteration. The older Macbook models had their processors (or the computer’s “brain”) designed and manufactured by Intel. However, instead of the usual Intel processor found in most Macbooks, the newest models included Apple’s newest Central Processing Unit (CPU), the “M1 Chip”. Compared to the older models, these Macbooks show vast improvement in both performance and battery due to the design of the chip and better optimization allowed by manufacturing the chips in-house.
Designed by Apple themselves, the M1 Chip was built upon the foundation of the A-series bionic chips found within the past few generations of iPhones. Both CPUs include a System on a Chip (SoC) design that essentially takes computer parts that would otherwise be separate and compact them onto a small computer chip. In a traditional computer, the CPU, Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), and Random Access Memory (RAM) would be separate components and connected through ports. If any part needs data from any other piece, the information should have to be copied and shared. However, with an SoC chip, all components would have access to the same data, removing the need for individual copying and improving loading times and overall performance. Think of it as sharing a video with your friends. If you are far apart, you may have to copy the link and send it through text; then, your friends would have to open and load the video in order to watch. If you are in the same room, though, you all can watch the video at the same time without the need to share any links. This is possible now because Apple no longer depends on Intel to manufacture the CPUs so they own and manufacture each component on their own terms.
Aside from improvements to the hardware, the new processor brings about change to the software, improving optimization. Apple introduced a three-category system for software including Universal Apps, Rosetta Apps, and iPhone and iPad apps. Universal Apps are completely optimized for the M1 Chip to fully utilize the power and flexibility offered by the chip. As of now, Apple-designed apps (ie. Garage Band, iMovie, and Final Cut Pro) make up the majority of the Universal App pool, but more developers are optimizing their applications for the platform. Rosetta Apps are not yet fully optimized for the M1 chip and are instead emulated through Rosetta 2. The newest and most impressive addition to the Mac software pool is the ability to run iOS applications smoothly. Beyond the running iPhone games on your computer, though, this function has greater implications for Apple’s plans for the future.
The beginning of the Apple-designed CPUs stems from the mobile market with the A-series bionic chips, which then evolved to the M1 chips in the Macbook and Mac mini. The next logical step would be to move onto the desktop market by designing chips for the iMac line. This could create an ecosystem of Apple products that would increase productivity and encourage more to transition from a Windows-based product to an Apple workspace. Removing the dependency on other companies’ components grants Apple full autonomy over the direction of both their hardware and software in their devices, including the seamless integration of every Apple product with each other.
Fall Activities to do During The Pandemic
Fall Activities to do During The Pandemic
By: Kimberly Tobias, Haley Alvendia
Bright orange flames warm the air, as temperatures outside drop below 70 degrees. Young children fling themselves into piles of crunchy yellow leaves, reminiscent of our own autumn childhood memories. A familiar eeriness creeps down your spine while passing lawns with Jack-o-Lanterns and frightening decorations. Fall has finally arrived and given us all something to be excited about. The Diamond Ranch Associated Student Body is sponsoring a Halloween Drive Through Event on campus for DR Students on Thursday, October 29th from 4 PM to 7 PM, but until then, to assist in keeping the fall spirit alive, we have compiled a list of safe fall activities to add to your bucket list!
Top 5 Places To Go for Fall Activities
- Descano Gardens (1418 Descanso Dr. La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011)
Descanso Gardens offers the yummiest autumn bites, acres of perfectly shaped pumpkins, and an army of frightening scarecrows for photo ops, all for up to only $15.
- Mission Tiki Drive-In (10798 Ramona Avenue, Montclair, CA 91763)
The Mission Tiki Drive-in is a safe way to enjoy yourself away from home. From the comfort of your own car, you can watch the spookiest movies for only $10!
- Underwood Family Farms (3370 Sunset Valley Road Moor Park, CA 93021)
The Underwood Family Farms is a pick-your-own and harvest experience with 40+ acres of giant pumpkins, fall harvest decor, photo opportunities, a country store, and rides to and from the fields viewing the animals with tickets ranging from $8 to $15.
- Los Angeles Haunted Hayride (120 Via Verde, San Dimas, CA 91773)
LA Haunted Hayride introduced a bone-chilling attraction featuring scary sets and monsters that can be safely spooky from your car. Tickets range from $49.99 to $199.99 per vehicle.
- The Bite LA: Halloween Food Crawl and Creature Safari (750 Santa Anita Ave, South El Monte, CA 91733)
The Bite offers 8 bites, campfire desserts, your favorite fall beverages, and immersive entertainment that can be enjoyed from the inside of your vehicle with tickets starting at $38.
Top 4 Fall Activities to do at Home
- Bake Zombie Graveyard Brownies
Follow the Zombie Graveyard Brownie recipe on Pinterest to enjoy a Halloween Inspired treat. When taking a bite, watch out for guts and galore!
- Zoom Movie Dates With Your Besties
Cuddle up in blankets, gather some snacks, and pop open your computer to binge-watch all your favorite fall movies over a Zoom call with your friends.
- Fall Inspired Crafts
Mason Jar leaf lanterns make for the perfect house decor. All you need is a mason jar, autumn leaves, matte finish mod podge, and a brush in order to create this elegant art. Wash the mason jar to rid any oils and add mod podge into the jar. After waiting a few seconds add in as many colorful leaves as you want to satisfy your creative aspirations.
- Read a Book
Pop open a classic horror book such as Frankenstein by Mary Shelley or Coraline by Neil Gaiman to dive into the fantasies of spooktacular dimensions.
We encourage you all to abide by the precautions and safety guidelines when engaging in these fall activities away from home to ensure that we all can continue to safely check off boxes on our fall bucket list.