By Christian Lopez

I’ve been an avid fan of the Just Dance series ever since a fateful night at a very good friend’s house. My friend’s sister had some of her friends over playing Just Dance 2 on the Wii. Naturally, the guys and I had to bug them, but what we didn’t expect was to be dared into playing the game, and loving it.

Thirty minutes and a bunch of humiliating songs later (four guys dancing to It’s Raining Men by The Weather Girls? Yeah, let me pick up the shattered remains of my masculinity…) we were all laughing at the absurdity of the situation and having more fun than ever.

Skip ahead a few years to the present and I picked myself up a copy of the latest iteration, Just Dance 4, for my Xbox 360 and Kinect Sensor.

I love it. It’s not perfect, but its fun is undeniable.

I used the game as a bit of an icebreaker for my Partypocalypse 2012 on December 20th, but lo and behold as it became the catalyst to huge group dances, fantastic videos, and ultimately… the best party I’ve ever thrown.

Now, as I said before, it isn’t perfect. The Kinect sensor does a good job of keeping track of who’s who and what they’re doing, but the game’s jump in, jump out gameplay has a tendency to pick up people sitting in the background and to the side as extra dancers. The sweat mode is also a big let down for owners of previous editions. Although they’ve added exercise instructors to guide a routine between songs, the ability to choose what songs to exercise to has been removed and only specific workout sessions are selectable. Previously, it was possible to dance to any song, as long as you wanted, with Sweat Mode activated.

On the plus side however, the game features a plethora of entertaining songs from artists such as P!nk, Stevie Wonder, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Elvis Presley. The large variety appeals to a wide audience and ensures that no music tastes or age groups are left out. The pictograms, accurate recording and (mostly) simple dance routines, lead to a great, accessible game with a small learning curve.

4.5 out of 5. In the end, Just Dance 4 is simply good, clean fun. Although not particularly groundbreaking, it follows the successful formula of its predecessors and delivers a well tuned dancing experience. Take it from me, it’s great game, great for parties.

By Kyra Ferguson

Valentine’s day is considered a day of love and friendship. However, more often than not,  singles find themselves alone and surrounded by gushing couples.

Junior Shannon Lefaire said the worst part about Valentine’s is “not having anyone to share it with.”

Sophomore Carly Beemster said, “It is a holiday that people who had love decided and they were like single people can go be single by themselves.”

Many people, including Beemster and her friends, call the upcoming holiday “Singles’ Awareness Day,” which is a humorous holiday created to mock the romantic holiday it shares it’s date with, or remind couples that anyone can enjoy life without romantic attachment.
On Valentine’s Day is expected to be very busy and possibly very distracting when celebrated in school. Large, romantic gestures often flood the hallways and classrooms.

“All the gifts that people give are distracting,” Beemster said, “because there are giant teddy bears everywhere.”

Even singles can find an advantages to the holiday though.

Junior Charlie Navarro said, “The best part is that all the chocolate is on sale.”

Even though the chocolates are on sale, Valentine’s Day is still not the happiest holiday around for anyone. However, just like all other holidays, it shall draw to a close by the end of the day.

by Julia Scott

Justin Bieber is well known all over the world. From his first hit song ‘Baby’, to his current hit song ‘Boyfriend’, most of the teenage girl population loves him.

Recently however, some of his adoring teenage fans have crossed the line.

On the fourth of January, celebrity news website TMZ published pictures of the teen pop star sensation enjoying a good blunt at a party inside a Newport Beach hotel room.

The news eventually went viral. Some of his most dedicated and dependent fans (ranging from girls age ten to age sixteen) felt immediate heartbreak at their idol’s “slip up”.

Thus, the slicing began.

Certain fans began to harm themselves by cutting on their wrists and sending pictures to Justin Bieber via twitter claiming “we won’t stop cutting ourselves until you stop smoking weed”. They beliebed that they would catch his attention, he would cease to smoke, and they could continue in their fantasy lands of him being the perfect human being.

… Okay really?

This is the most absurd and outrageously overdramatic reaction to a publicized celebrity occurrence I have heard of since girls shaved their heads because Britney Spears did so as well (granted circumstances were different).

It is understood that self-harming has been found as an unfortunate phenomenon to deal with pain and suffering that someone may go through on a daily basis.

I don’t know about you, but I think that your idolized celebrity enjoying an evening smoke doesn’t fall under the category of “pain and suffering”. If his fans depend so much upon his well-rounded morals and perfect public performance to base themselves on as well, they seriously need to rethink their priorities.

“Justin why did you make me do this?”   “Look what you made me do!”

He didn’t make you do anything. You immature peasants decided to follow “what’s in” and cut because he smoked. So what if he smoked?! It’s his flipping decision. If he wants to go party with Usher and get hammered, that shouldn’t matter. It’s not affecting any of us in any way so who cares?

I don’t understand why people do such graphic things, just because a celebrity does something.  It’s their decision. Let them do what they want with their lives, and do something with your own.