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[Centerfold] Because of you, I have to write this column. Yes, you. You awkward, silent romance-blocker. There you are, standing behind the couple, never speaking a word, making any and every situation awkward. People have a right to shun you. Who wants a third wheel?—Alvin Man

[Centerfold] The Sadie Hawkins Dance, also known as the Snowball, Coming Home and T.W.I.R.P. (The Women Is Responsible for Paying), originated from the comic strip, Li’l Abner. In the comic, the main character, Sadies Hawkins, waited for suitors to sweep her off her feet. But by the time she was 35, no man knocked on her door, and her father became desperate. He declared Nov. 13 Sadies Hawkins Day and started a foot race. —May Wu & Alice Yu

[Centerfold] It all begins with a spark. “You get butterflies in your stomach,” sophomore David Chang said. “You think about her and you can’t wait to see her again. You feel light-hearted and giddy and every moment you share with her feels like you’re invincible and on top of the world.” The feelings of love are universal, but few know about the chemistry that lies behind them.—Monica Cai

[Centerfold] I love you. Those three words form the world’s most sought-after phrase. Almost everyone desires to feel love, but few know what it truly is, making “I love you” one of the most misused and overused phrases today.—Emily Zheng

[Centerfold] The bus back from Camp Everytown was full of emotion. Most of us—students and teachers—were impossibly ecstatic, singing together and bonding with the friends that we had met a mere three days ago. There was also nostalgia for the close-knit utopian community that we were leaving behind in the forests of Camp Harmon and the Santa Cruz Mountains. But beneath it all, every one of us had to take the time to process both the joyous and disturbing experiences of those soul-searching days.—Andrew Liu

[Centerfold] As a remnant of centuries of past racial prejudices, racial profiling is a tough weed to uproot. “Racial profiling is attributing certain behaviors to a particular subsection of society just because they happen to belong to a certain group,” Principal Noreen Likins said. “I sincerely hope there is no racial profiling at Gunn because it is simply unacceptable. However, interactions between people are inevitably colored by one’s culture and beliefs and each of us has to work hard at overcoming the biases that we learn as small children.”—Hannah Plank-Schwartz

[Centerfold] Since childhood, kids are taught that everyone is different in many aspects, and one of those differences is race. “I think [race] is the classification of humans based on characteristics that are inherited,” junior Mor Albalak said. On standardized tests, students are asked to fill out what race category they belong to: Pacific Asian, Native American, African, Caucasian or whichever other category they fit in. —Sophia Jiang

[Centerfold] ‘Tis the season to be jolly… and racist? That’s certainly what I thought two years ago, when a bout with blatant racism not only ruined my family’s holiday spirit, but also irreversibly destroyed my parents’ opinion about an entire race. —Wen Yi Chin

[Centerfold] Classical music is quite a creature. It always stays one step ahead of where I’m trying to go, pulling me to the edge of my seat. I feel like I’m searching for something as it’s dangled before me and beckons…—Linda Yu

[Centerfold] Technology has its perks and its problems. People are able to send messages to someone halfway across the world and can access the latest news at a click of a mouse. However, technology will not save people who cannot sing.—Alvin Man

[Centerfold] Auto-Tune, a proprietary auditory processor, is a growing phenomenon in the music industry that has introduced controversy over its ability to “make talent.” With the help of a phase vocoder that modifies digital sound files, Auto-Tune is used to correct pitch in both vocal and instrumental performances. Many musicians have begun to use Auto-Tune to improve or simply change the effect of their music. Junior Will Escher finds Auto-Tune helpful as an electro-acoustic musician. “I personally like Auto-Tune,” he said. “I think it puts artists in a different genre than mainstream. The effect gets a lot of harsh criticism from many listeners and artists, and I can see where they are coming from, but I would tell people that Auto-Tune is an effect, not a cheat. If you cannot hit a certain note, Auto-Tune isn’t going to be able to magically know that note and produce your voice to it. It’s going to take whatever note you are hitting, regardless of if it is the one you are aiming for, and produce that one.”—Hannah Schwartz

[Centerfold] The term “classical” is somewhat of a misnomer. With its roots in early European culture, classical music has evolved to become something quite different today. The genre actually consists of four main styles or chronological periods: baroque, classical, romantic and contemporary. Baroque music, Bach’s work for example, is very architectural and ornamental in structure, while the style of the classical period is reminiscent of powdered wigs and Mozart. Romantic music is expressivo, full of lush, heart-throbbing melodies or the famous intensity attributed to Beethoven’s music and wild hair. Contemporary music ranges from pieces written in 1900 to pieces written today, including Schoenberg’s atonalities, Gershwin’s popular jazz melodies, Phillip Glass’s minimalist music and the orchestral score of Harry Potter written by composer John Williams.—Regina Ahn

[Centerfold] Hip-hop today has gone a long way from its simple roots over 40 years ago in South Bronx. Many credit the invention of hip hop to DJ Kool. He began hosting parties by playing hard funk on two turntables. Talking and shouting to his dancers, lead to accompanying verses, or rapping, to the beats.—Kevin Gao

[Centerfold] The idea behind the Reject is the reversal of the 1980 move "Running Man."—Joseph Lin

[Centerfold] Turkey trotting started in 1909 and it was one of the first dances that allowed couples to dance close together.—Divya Shiv

[Centerfold] One would probably think Homecoming a decade ago consisted of dresses and waltz-like dance moves. Think again; past Homecomings capture the exact same mood as recent Homecomings. “I have to admit I was not the most school spirited student… but [Homecoming] was a very memorable moment,” English teacher Justin Brown said. Brown attended Gunn from 1992 to 1995 and experienced a relatively similar Homecoming week as the current one. —Alice Yu

[Centerfold] Since Gunn’s first Homecoming in 1965, logistical changes have occurred, but according to AP English teacher Tim Farrell and AP Art History teacher Wayne Hoy, Gunn’s school spirit has always been abundant. “People always dressed up during Homecoming, and when I went to the football game, the stands were always packed,” Farrell said. “It was good reconnecting with everyone.”—Tiffany Hu & Annie Shuey

[Centerfold] Homecoming is a tradition across the United States in both high schools and colleges where there are events to promote school unity and spirit.—Yilin Liang

[Centerfold] Many games and activities share similarities worldwide. However, children and adults also play a variety of unique games for amusement. This cultural entertainment lets us experience a medley of happiness. The Oracle highlights some cultural games around the world as a way to nurture happiness for people of all ages. —Jazreel Cheung

[Centerfold] Many people say “ignorance is bliss.” I beg to differ. Sure, you may feel “happy” when you are not faced with the woes of the world, but that is certainly not bliss, which means “complete happiness” according to trusty old Webster’s. “Ignorance is bliss” simply connotes that by staying ignorant, one is only escaping the truths in life, and as daunting they may seem, one can coexist with these realities and still keep one’s happiness.—Joyce Liu