Dear Tina…

Dear Tina,

All my friends are going to beach week after graduation and no one invited me. I’m really confused about this because I always thought I was really popular. No one hates me and I’m always with them anyway. Should I just invite myself or rent my own house? I’m really upset about this.

On My Own Beach

Dear Beach,

I think you may have gotten mixed signals from your friends. Maybe they just assumed you were going and did not mention it to you. Ask them about it and if they are awkward and fumbling then no, it wasn’t a mistake. If that is the case then don’t worry about. You’re going to college soon anyway, where you’ll meet tons of new people.

Dear Tina,

Summer’s coming up and I want to break up with my girlfriend. I think summer is a time to be free and not have any commitments. I talked to her about it, but she doesn’t think it’s a good idea. I really like her but I won’t be here a lot and I don’t want to put myself in a bad situation. What should I do?

Single in the Summer Read more

Sarah Ball: Navigating the Media

Newsweek, a popular magazine that covers everything from business and politics to movies and music, employs a talented former Titan.  Sarah Ball, a 2004 T.C. graduate, graduated from Duke University as a political science major just last May.  Now, she is covering arts and entertainment for the Newsweek online magazine. Her articles range from the slightly serious to the absurd, including a list of “guilty pleasure” movies and a commentary on the state of Lindsay Lohan.

During her time at T.C., she was a three-year writer for Theogony. Ball was also editor-in-chief her senior year. Sarah credits her time as a staff member for Theogony with a lot of her current success in the difficult business of journalism. “I never went to a professional [journalism] school, so my experience with Theogony and the [Duke University] magazine is where I learned to be a journalist,” said Ball. “My work with Theogony got me internships throughout college,” she said. “It was a great way to get employment.” Ball thinks that the wide variety of characters at T.C. had a big impact on her writing. “You are exposed to a lot of different types of people and backgrounds,” said Ball. “I benefited from the wide variety of personalities at the school.” Read more

Teachers Who Coach

Jason Perkins, a physics teacher and the wrestling coach at T.C. Williams, seems to balance both jobs perfectly. Perkins said, “It definitely does [get difficult being both a teacher and a coach] but in the end it always seems to work out.” Perkins said that he does get behind on his work sometimes, but he always has time to grade and that his students do not complain as much as they should about returning their graded work a long time after it was turned in. When his students need extra help he recommends they go to earth science tutoring taught by other earth science teachers. He said, “I think it is good to be a teacher and a coach because I am more involved with my students.” Read more

Cool Teacher: Meet Todd Koren

Being a teacher is not always all smiles. Some people underestimate what teachers go through, the hardships they face in everyday classrooms. Two of the biggest concerns that teachers have are students not being able to understand their lesson and not being able to connect to their students is pretty simple.

Koren started off as many other people do, working at many retail shops before actually pinpointing what exactly he wanted to do for his life. From Subway to Dollar General, you name it, he did it all. “When I was a kid I worked in ten different jobs,” said Koren. “I have worked everywhere.” Subway, for Koren was probably the most tempting job offer yet. “[The manager] at Subway did not care about how much food we ate,” said Koren. “So, I basically gained like thirty pounds. It was well worth it though.” Read more

From the Pump to the Plug

The Washington D.C. Auto Show in February showcased the future of the car industry. Electric cars such as the Chevrolet Volt and electric-gas hybrids such as the Toyota Prius stole the show. The Chevy Volt in particular excited the crowd, with its sports car style and eco-friendly nature. With the current economic downturn and the failure of American auto companies, the idea of a future for a new type of car, without the dependence on foreign oil that has plagued this country for decades, was very appealing to all of the people crowded around the Volt. Read more

Appreciating Mr. Trout

 

Few do more for T.C., or are as dedicated to their job here than Bob Trout, who has been teaching graphic communications at T.C. Williams for 28 years. Trout grew up in Alexandria and graduated from T.C. in 1977. He went on to attend Elon University in North Carolina on an athletic scholarship, setting a record in the 800-meter race for track and graduating in 1981 with a BA in graphic communications. Read more

TC Cheer strikes a pose–see more in Titan Photo Gallery!

Dear Tina…

Dear Tina,

I have been going out with this guy for a few months now; we have gotten really close. Recently, he has not really been focusing on me or even acknowledging me. His attention seems to be on something or someone else and I am worried. I think he is cheating on me. One of my friends told me they saw him with another girl at the movie theater on Saturday and he told me he had a family reunion. Should I confront him about it or let it be. I really really like him but I do not want to be with someone who obviously does not want to be with me. Help me out please!

Once Loved Read more

Dear Tina…

Dear Tina,

There’s been so much stress in my life, especially now around the holidays. I have to get all my school work done before break, buy presents for all my friends and family and I need to keep my appearance up for my boyfriend. All this stress has caused me to eat in excessive amounts and I’ve gained some weight. I started throwing up after I eat. I think its getting serious because I can’t stop. What should I do? Should I tell my parents or try to get help on my own? I feel alone.

Not Hungry Anymore Read more

T.C. Welcomes a Hairy Winter with No Shave November

The colors of the leaves won’t be the only thing changing around T.C. this fall. Keep an eye out for brand-spanking-new beards, mustaches, fu manchus, goatees, soul patches and any other facial hair arrangement this month. That’s right, No Shave November is once again upon us, the unofficial, somewhat dubious holiday that seems to happen right around this time every year. Read more

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