January-February Issue IV

2
Editorial
Design by Sanae Hagino ‘21
Editorial
Co-editors-in-chief PRESLEY DAGGETT ‘21 and
AVA OLSON ‘21 reflect on the beginning of 2021 and
New Year’s resolutions
For the entire first month of 2021,
it felt like the world was nervously
holding its breath, waiting for
something else to go wrong. Between
the insurrection at the Capitol, Kim
and Kanye’s divorce, and the stock market
frenzy, 2021 has gotten off to a chaotic
start.
There have been a couple of recent
wins for humanity, such as the production
of effective COVID-19 vaccines and
Lady Gaga’s immaculate rendition of “The
Star-Spangled Banner.” Still, everyday
life as we know it has been wholly flipped
backward and turned upside down since
last March.
Additionally, the commotion of 2021
combined with the physical barriers we’ve
constructed—masks, social distancing,
self-quarantining—between ourselves and
the world around us has been mentally exhausting.
Many of us are still struggling to
adapt to our new and confusing day-to-day
routines.
Despite the general loss of order in our
lives as 2021 unfolds, one big thing remains
the same: creating New Year’s resolutions.
Ah, yes—the societal obligation to set
goals for oneself. The re-downloading of
fitness apps, the weekly meal-prepping,
the monitoring of our daily water intake.
Regardless of what your New Year’s resolutions
may be, it appears the need for New
Year’s resolutions persists in this unusual
year.
Perhaps New Year’s resolutions are like
diet soda: we might think their low-calorie
promise is better than their sugar-loaded
counterparts, but in reality, their supposed
health benefits are but an illusion.
While New Year’s resolutions might
inspire us to pursue healthier lifestyles, we
often set our expectations too high, promising
ourselves more than we are realistically
capable of achieving. What follows
is the “letdown”—the inevitable period
of self-loathing after breaking our resolutions.
To us, the COVID-19 pandemic felt
similar to one big New Year’s resolution
we are ditching the traditional
New Year’s resolutions this year
and focusing on manageable,
productive change in a time of
uncertainty.”
failure. Going into 2020—the start of a
new decade—our spirits were high. As
the year progressed, however, we found
ourselves unable to achieve our goals. We
were forced to put our lives on pause; we
abandoned our plans and often sacrificed
our ambitious goals for others’ health and
safety.
After the drastic lifestyle changes
we’ve made due to the COVID-19 outbreak,
we feel that the last thing we need
right now is more disappointment. Thus,
we are ditching the traditional New Year’s
resolutions this year and focusing on manageable,
productive change in a time of
uncertainty.
The Hourglass challenges our readers
to think long and hard about what changes
will really benefit their mental and physical
well-being. We’ll give you a hint: the
answer isn’t to lose 10 pounds or drink less
coffee.
In 2021, we suggest that you be kind
to yourself. Recognizing your small successes—making
your bed, taking a walk,
or eating a good breakfast—is just as important
as celebrating your significant accomplishments.
Taylor’s tips
SPRING CLEANING
Here are some spring cleaning
tips to help you organize
for the warmer season right
around the corner.
By TAYLOR LEVINSON ‘21
TIP 1: Make a schedule
Having a plan can help you stay
focused on what you want to accomplish
that day. Also, scheduling
which spaces you’ll clean
and when to clean them can help
break up an impossible-looking
task into more manageable
chores. Make a list of what you
want to get done and prioritize it.
Tip 2: Set the mood
It’s beneficial to make the task
at hand stress-free. Dress in
comfy clothes, open the blinds
(and windows if it’s nice out),
and maybe play some music.
Tip 3: Always clean
from top to bottom
This way, any debris will fall
so that you can catch it at the
bottom. (If you clean bottom
to top, debris will fall onto the
surfaces you already cleaned.
Tip 4: the pile method
When tackling clutter, it’s best to
embrace the pile method: separate
your things into four piles: trash,
give away, store, put away. You
should actively think about what
you want out of the objects you’re
cleaning--keeping what you need
and discarding what you don’t.
Also, donating clothes, books, or
furniture is a great way to eliminate
clutter while helping others.
Tip 5: storage
Store clothes that are worn in the
opposite season somewhere else in
your house; this will open up space
in your closet and make it feel
roomier.
[ CONTINUED on the WEBSITE ]
The Hourglass
The Baldwin School
january/february 2021
Volume 60 Issue 4
701 Montgomery Ave.
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
Co-Editors-in-Chief Ava Olson ‘21 · Presley Daggett
‘21 Creative Director Maggie Song ‘21 Junior
Creative Directors Anna Wang ‘22 · Sophie
Cai ‘22 Layout Editor Hana Ahanger ‘21 Photography
EditorS Melody Hao ‘22 · Izzy Antanavicius
‘22 News Editor Grace Halak ‘22 Features Editor
Rhea Jain ‘21 Opinions Editor Kaitlyn O’Malley ‘22
Sports Editor Lavender Huang ‘22 Arts and Culture
Editor Melody Gui ‘21 Media Content Editor
Elise Kait ‘21 Website Editor Krissy Bhargava
‘22 FACULTY ADVISORS Ms. Janice Wilke · Ms. Alex
Greco
The Hourglass is The Baldwin Upper School’s newspaper dedicated to
publishing student articles. The views expressed in The Hourglass do
not necessarily reflect those of the school or the editors. All content published
in The Hourglass (including but not limited to articles, designs,
graphics, photographs, and illustrations) are created by Baldwin students
for the exclusive use of The Hourglass unless otherwise indicated. The
Hourglass aspires for its content to be fair and correct, and regrets when
it is not. If you have questions or comments about our coverage, contact
the Editors-in-Chief at aolson@baldwinschool.org or pdaggett@baldwinschool.org.
The Hourglass is made possible through the generosity
of the Ruth S. Hochberger ‘68 Hourglass Sustainability Fund. The Hourglass
is affiliated with the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.