Ask Athena - March 2025

Ask Athena features the enigmatic and anonymous person behind The Pillar’s very own advice column. Athena will respond to questions submitted by members of Athenian’s community about anything from advice on AWE to fashion trends. Hopefully, these responses will provide some helpful advice and clarity on Athenian community members’ interesting lives and suggest some new perspectives.

Do you think we should do a "rate my professors" at Athenian?

The short answer is no. Athenian is such a welcoming environment, so we do not need a space that raises unnecessary divisions. If you want to decide what course you should take, I advise you not to decide on teachers based on “how strictly they grade” but based on what topics interest you. Our school provides a wide variety of courses, from The Food on Your Plate seminar to Filmmaking, so you should not feel compelled to take one particular teacher’s courses. If you want to know more about the teaching style of a teacher, talk to that person or to one of their students. You can get to know a teacher so much more than if you are looking at ratings by other students, when you don’t know if they are biased or not. I feel like “Rate My Professors” is something that colleges could potentially do, but not for high school, and especially not for Athenian.

How long does an Athenian student spend on homework?

The time that it takes to finish your homework varies primarily based on what classes you have the next day. For example, if you have a math, science, literature, and language class all in one day, the homework load may be greater compared to a day where you have a free period followed by only three academic classes. Additionally, the time it takes to finish each homework assignment really depends on the difficulty of your homework assignment. For instance, in literature class, it might only take me about 30 minutes to finish reading a chapter, while it would take almost an hour to finish writing a paragraph about something. I would aim to spend about 45 minutes per homework assignment, but given the varying factors above, take this estimate with a grain of salt.

Do you think that there is unconditional love?

While this is a complex question hotly debated by philosophers and psychologists from Plato to Freud as long as human civilization has existed, my inclination is to answer a tentative no. I think that romantic love, no matter how strong or healthy, is always conditional because it is typically based on certain qualities, actions, or expectations we have of our partner, needs that, if violated, can strain or eventually quell your love for them. For instance, some people report that after they have discovered their partner has cheated on them they swiftly feel their love for them sour, though emotional responses are difficult to predict and depend on the person in question. Additionally, people fall in love with another person at a specific point in their lives, and because people change—subtly or radically—over time, a common cause of breakups is that one or both partners feel that they simply don’t feel the same way for each other as when they first got together because their personalities, paths, or interests have diverged. It is more difficult to answer the question of whether unconditional love exists when you consider the uniquely intimate bond between parent and child, as numerous parents report that they still and will always love their children no matter what they do, what actions they take, or the pain they cause to others. However, there are also parents who feel that they can completely sever ties with their children if they have transgressed a serious moral boundary of theirs, such as committing extreme acts of violence or abuse, displaying abnormally cruel or sadistic personality, or even leaving a religion or belief system they consider a core part of their identity. It is almost impossible to know, however, without reading a person’s mind, if the physical actions such parents take to remove their children from their lives can truly shut off their instinctual love for their children. For that reason, while I am inclined to answer that I don’t believe that truly unconditional love can exist, there are so many uncertainties in this deeply emotional and personal topic that I acknowledge that I am not 100% confident in my answer. Thanks for the thought-provoking question!

Why is Donald Trump removing so many government agencies and how will that affect me?

As of writing this response, the only government agency that Trump has shut down is USAID (the United States Agency for International Development). He has also shown a clear interest in going after the Department of Education. In terms of USAID, there is an argument to be made that cost-cutting and reform is desirable. However, the decision to shut down the agency has left workers stranded and vulnerable, and may have lasting detrimental effects on international affairs. It is unlikely to affect you, on a personal level. The elimination of the Department of Education would not affect us at Athenian on a personal level either, but it would have large implications for the United States. And, you won’t be at Athenian forever.

Is it possible to achieve true democracy in a school setting or are efforts to promote it more symbolic than meaningful?

Most schools aren’t democracies. However, Athenian values democratic thought, which is one of the six IDEALS. There are many ways Athenian promotes democracy. Our town meeting system allows students to submit proposals for changes they want to see in our community. The clubs and affinity groups students can form foster safe spaces for discussion and debate. True democracy is almost impossible to achieve in an institution serving young people, but Athenian encourages students to think about and value democracy.

Why are the conservative people at the school so quiet? I KNOW THEY EXIST, but they don't say anything. They should speak up more and make my classes more interesting.  

The way I see it, conservative students don’t feel comfortable coming forward and expressing their views, especially in classroom settings, because the Athenian community is dominantly left-leaning. Fear of social ostracization, backlash from teachers, or offending someone can prevent conservative students from expressing their views freely. Creating more spaces on campus where the non-dominant viewpoint is acknowledged and considered is important to developing a vibrant political discourse on campus and could potentially change that.

Do you think humans are getting uglier in general? If yes, how so?

Beauty is subjective and every person has a different definition of what they consider beautiful. Beauty standards, however, are constructed by society to decide who to deem desirable and what features make someone so. I wonder why you ask why humans are getting uglier when there is much more evidence suggesting that humans are slowly molding our appearances into the beauty standard. Here’s a case study: South Korean height has greatly increased over the last century. Vox published a video in 2023 analyzing the fact that the average height for a Korean woman was 4’7 a century ago, but since then this has increased by 7 or 8 inches for an average height of 5’2. This is the largest increase of any country. The men’s average height increased by around 6 inches. In the past century, especially in South Korea, quality of life, nutrition, and healthcare have improved and this contributes to how much people end up growing. Let us not forget that all around the world people are encouraged to conform to beauty standards and during this period in South Korean history attitudes towards height shifted. A taller height is globally considered attractive and desirable. Before South Korea became more globalized, shorter height was considered desirable. Now that standards have shifted, along with the environment improving, South Korea has grown (literally). There have also been leaps in technology, healthcare, but also cosmetics. In the U.S. it is widely considered attractive to be tan and have muscle definition. With the recent invention of self-tanner, now anyone can be tan for as little as 15 bucks. Now with discoveries in healthcare, we can calculate how many calories we need to eat and burn and what exercises to do in order to achieve an ‘attractive’ physique more easily. Beauty, now, is not just left up to chance, we can more drastically change the way we look. There are so many cosmetic procedures available to the public. Braces, hair transplants, waxing, contact lenses, eyelash extensions, hair extensions, shapewear, makeup, skincare, and so much more are available all to mold people into conventional attractiveness. Not to mention the invention of the internet has given the average person a wealth of knowledge on how to best use things like skincare, makeup, and clothes to make yourself look more ‘attractive’. But this is where the real answer to your question is. Humans have been increasing in perceived attractiveness yet we perceive ourselves as decreasing in it, and this is because of the internet. Now, more than ever, we are seeing more people through apps like TikTok or Instagram. Apps like these have algorithms to show you one thing: things that are pleasing to the eye, or rather things you want to see. This is true for all media from TV, to movies, to even music artists. It’s rare to find someone in the media who isn’t considered attractive. There is a show that is entirely about pretty women prancing around in cute clothes, wanna know what it is? The Victoria’s Secret fashion show! And these people have been idolized for their appearance and pushed to the forefront because of their perceived attractiveness, from Adriana Lima, to Sabrina Carpenter, to the Kalogeras sisters. It’s no secret that we like to look at pretty people and media utilizes this so they can keep their viewers and stay popular. This is why we think we’re ugly, because nowadays it’s so common to see a pretty person whether it be on the internet or in person. Think about it: in the 13th century BCE Helen of Troy was said to be the most beautiful mortal woman. What was attractive back then? Having all your teeth? Having a full head of hair? If you’re a pyramid builder in ancient Egypt the prettiest person you’d likely ever see would have clear skin, be above 5’0, and not have leprosy. I’m sure if someone from then got a glimpse of Anok Yai they’d think she was an actual deity from above. Our beauty standards have risen so much since then, siren eyes? Plump lips? Small noses? Beauty standards have gotten to a point where now that it is common for humans to have things like straight teeth or good makeup we’ve started creating insecurities out of random things. So, questioner, are humans getting uglier? No! We aren’t, however, we think this because we compare ourselves to humans that are 1 in a million, we compare ourselves to people who have had plastic surgery or have altered their photos. We are not getting uglier, we are getting more insecure.

Ask Athena - November 2024

Ask Athena features the enigmatic and anonymous person behind The Pillar’s very own advice column. Athena will respond to questions submitted by members of Athenian’s community about anything from advice on AWE to old and new fashion trends. Hopefully, these responses will provide some helpful advice and clarity on Athenian community members’ interesting lives and suggest some new perspectives to consider.

Should I go on the Death Valley or High Sierras AWE?

For the AWE course selection process, Athenian students submit a form with their preferred location, which is considered but not guaranteed. Athenian students’ AWE preferences are based on many factors including personal interest and whether you prefer to go backpacking during March Term or summer break. Do you prefer the scenery of the High Sierras or the below sea-level basin? The two locations have different terrain, weather, and wildlife, Death Valley dropping below sea level, and the High Sierras having very high elevations in certain areas. Do your research, but keep in mind that both have spectacular scenery and wildlife.

What’s a fashion trend you wish would come back?

It would be exciting to see the 1970s bohemian style make a comeback. In particular, bell-bottom jeans, fringe jackets, and retro style floral patterns. Athenian’s current students weren’t able to experience the wild fashion trends of the 1970s, but it would be nice to see more than crop tops, pajamas, and hoodies on campus.

If there is one thing you could change about Athenian, what would it be?

I believe that we can do a little better in terms of having school spirit throughout the entire Athenian community. During spirit week, we should hype up and encourage each other to participate by dressing up and having fun! Athenian has many events for athletics, arts, and community building. Go out and support Athenian’s student athletes at their games! At International Night, there is singing, dancing, and opportunities to learn about students’ unique and valuable cultures. Please attend! Athenian’s band and advanced acapella group, hOWLers, performs throughout the year. Go listen to them! You can support the theater department by attending their plays and musicals. Attend the Sophomore Dance and Haunted House in the fall, Junior Prom in the winter, and Senior Ball in the spring. Have you learned anything new? There are many opportunities for us to come together as a community by supporting each other.

Ask Athena: Senior Edition

For this issue, the graduating editors of The Pillar decided to give Athena a break and stepped in to answer readers’ questions. Some correspondants requested that a specific editor answer their questions, while others were chosen by the editors themselves, including one—the first question—that was chosen twice. 

Q: How are you supposed to figure out who you are and what you want to do with your life? (Michael)

Even after finishing the college application process and preparing to embark on a new adventure, I can only wish that I knew the answer to this question. To be truthful, discovering who you are is a lifelong process—there is no certainty to which you can fully say that you have found yourself. For me, I’m entering college with the expectation that I’m going to switch my major or pick up a hobby that may become an essential aspect of my life. I guess that my piece of advice to this question is to continue remaining true to yourself and the belief that there is always more in you that you can discover. You may not figure out exactly what you want to do in your life until after graduating college, or maybe you already have. However, it is essential that you remain open to pursuing any opportunities that may reveal themselves, as they will allow you to connect with others who will mentor you through discovering who you are and what your “purpose” is in life. Furthermore, please don’t set the expectation that you have to follow a path that your parents want you to follow. This is your opportunity to discover who you are and only you yourself will be able to determine that. There will be certain situations where your parents won’t be able to provide you with the specific guidance you need; in that case, you just have to take a leap of faith and trust that no matter where you go, you’ll ultimately find your true happiness. The final piece of advice I want to provide through answering this question is to try not to let your form of defining yourself and discovering who you are revolve around comparing yourself to the success of your peers. Throughout my high school experience, I’ve often felt like I was inferior to my friends, because of all of the accomplishments and extracurriculars they pursued outside of class. While it is helpful to motivate yourself and expand your comfort zone, don’t feel like answering the question of who you are and what you want to do solely comes from whether or not you are above your peers. This is your opportunity to find yourself; explore things at your own pace and have faith that you will be able to discover yourself by being adventurous and challenging yourself on your own accord. 

Q: How are you supposed to figure out who you are and what you want to do with your life? (Everett)

It’s interesting that this question is actually two questions linked together. I think it implies something true—namely, what you want to do with your life is helpful to figure out who you are. The two questions are different due to the fact that “who are you” is somewhat philosophical: it requires an understanding of what constitutes the definition of a person. A person’s life goal may be a large part of that definition, but not all of it. Nevertheless, it’s still very helpful to inform your answer to the first question. Meanwhile, “what do you want to do with your life” is a more practical consideration. It requires trial and error, rather than beginning with speculation. I don’t know how to define a person, but I can try to help you with different approaches of solving the second part of the question, in hopes it helps inform you with the first. And, ultimately, what you do in your life is the only important thing, because no matter what the end goal of human life is, whether it’s happiness or acting morally (or if they’re the same), that can only be actualized by action. Thus, who you are is only important insofar as it informs what you want to do. I’ve always known what I want to do, although what I have wanted to do has changed over time. When I was younger, I was absolutely sure I wanted to be an inventor, but I definitely don’t want to do that anymore. However, throughout each “phase” I’ve been in, my prospective job became my purpose—I was constantly sketching diagrams all the way back in elementary school as practice for the future, and wanting to be involved with politics got me into debate and to try hard in ninth grade history while most people were just trying to get by. The reason these phases were so motivating to me is because I decided to start them due to an inherent drive I have in me to make as much of an impact on the world or history as I possibly could. I don’t know why, how it developed, or what caused it, but it’s been there for as long as I can remember.

Q: Zach Jarvis, can you tell me the meaning of life? (Zach)

Edgy third graders used to confidently tell me the that the scientific meaning of life was to have babies. However, this notion is inherently contradictory; it assumes that meaning must based on our biological nature, but any scientific answer must fall flat because science is definitionally not metaphysical (while this question is). In other words, science can only tell us what we can do, not what we should do. So let's put that silly notion behind us. 

Instead, I would posit that the meaning of life can be found by weighing two concepts that are not necessarily in conflict. First, we should strive to maximize our own being, and second, we should strive to maximize the being of others. To maximize “being” is not merely a material idea. There is also an element of personal fulfillment which must be satiated for one to be as fully as one can. I believe this personal element is unique to each person, and must be discovered through trial and error, although there are some common interests most people seem to share. So to answer your question, the meaning of life is to pursue that which brings you fulfillment and try to aid others in achieving fulfillment too, whether that comes from art, or relationships, or writing. I believe it is imperative that you follow your passions, so long as they don’t affect others' ability to follow theirs.

Q: How do I ask a girl out if she's friends with my ex? (Everett)

Any answer to this question will always be very complex and situational. Because of the nature of anonymous questions, we don’t have much background information to work off of. To solve this problem, I’ve made a flow chart to account for all the possible scenarios. Regardless, take this advice with a grain of salt, given that there are many nuances and complexities in real life that can’t be reduced down to a chart.

Q: Why did Jay-Z cheat on Beyoncé? (Zach)

This question raises a few obvious follow-ups, and those follow-ups beg for further follow-ups. Allow me to explain. First, when did Jay-Z cheat on Beyoncé? What does it mean to cheat? What does it say about modern society that we care whether he cheated? How do we know he cheated? What does it mean to know? What does it mean to know, especially given that—much like Jay-Z’s romantic partners (allegedly)—the world around us is constantly changing? Why is cheating wrong? What does it mean for something to be wrong? Can beings be bad, if being is inherently good? How should we live a good life? Could one use Jay-Z and Beyoncé as a case study for how to live a good life? What does it mean for Jay-Z to have cheated on Beyoncé if the past exists only in one’s mind? I believe these musings should begin to provide some elucidation, though not necessarily in relation to the above question.

Q: What is the connection between Across the Spider-verse and the Bhagavad Gita? (Aiden)

Both the Spider-verse and Gita navigate the tension between individuality and unity. The Bhagavad Gita, a 700-verse Hindu script written in the second half of the first millennium BCE, consists of the dialogue between Krishna, the avatar of Vishnu, and the prince Arjuna. Facing an impending war with his kin, Arjuna vacillates between his personal relationship and his obligation as the state’s leader.

Unable to decide, the prince seeks Krishna’s advice. To Arjuna’s question, Krishna reveals to him the structure of the universe—the caste—and his position within it as Kshatriya, the warrior class. Krishna counsels Arjuna to fulfill his duty from his class thereby being in union with the cosmic order. This submission of individuality to unity is prevalent in various Eastern traditions. 

On the other hand, in the second movie of the series Across the Spiderverse, the protagonist Miles Morales is confronted with a similar dilemma to that of Arjuna. He has to choose between saving his father and securing the canon event, which its interruption can collapse the entire multiverse. Confronting this conflict between individuality and unity, Miles asks the question, “Can we do both?” The answer to the possibility of the coexistence of individuality and unity will discussed in the last chapter of the trilogy, “Beyond the Spiderverse.” 

Q: What was your favorite part of being at the Athenian? Like out of all four years what was the best experience about Athenian for you? (Aiden) 

Undisputably, my favorite part of being at Athenian has been its people. My friend who is an alumnus recalled the the place as “a lovely corner of the earth,” and I agree. In my first year at Athenian, I had to not only live through a foreign culture, people, and language but also through the pandemic. The only reason I was able to not merely survive but experience moments of joy through and coming out of those difficult times is the care and love adults and students on the campus have gifted to me. This was especially a transformative experience for me because I experienced the opposite extreme in my childhood in Korea. Everything went quickly, so everyone was busy trying to catch up with the speed and not be left behind. I worried about getting into colleges and buying houses since I was in elementary school. Like being in a race car, everything except your life fades away when you focus on your future so much. 

Having two more years of life did ease academic challenges and gave me room to breathe, but it was the people, the community Athenian had, that helped me to recognize that there is more in this world than just myself. It was a grounding experience because before coming here I felt like I was trying to walk on water: you cannot, so you sink, ceaselessly shuffling your legs so that you would not submerge. Only after having a ground to rest on I was able to slow down and look around and within myself, and discover things I like from philosophy to ceramics to cooking to simply talking with people. After my four years here, I feel much more calm, grateful, open, flexible, and compassionate, and I would accredit all my growth and joy to those who have supported me through my journey. I have met good people here.

Ask Athena - March 2024

Ask Athena answers questions submitted anonymously by students. Do you need advice about recent TV series, school-related struggles, or how much credit you get in a certain class? Your questions will be answered by the mysterious and completely anonymous writer behind The Pillar’s own advice column. Athena is here to answer your burning questions!

Q: How many credits do I get for being in Theatre Tech? It's never clear from year to year.

A: According to Upper School Director of Studies Gabe del Real, taking Theatre Tech provides .25 Pass/Fail credits every semester. The course is not UC approved and doesn’t satisfy Athenian’s graduation requirements for the arts.

Q: What's your opinion on the latest Percy Jackson show on Disney Plus? Not feeling so hot about abandoning Annabeth?

A: The new Percy Jackson series was well-made overall. Although it skipped over some parts from the books, this was somewhat expected because TV series often exclude content. The special effects for the monsters were quite good, especially for Medusa. As someone who read the books, it was an entertaining and worthwhile adaptation to watch. [Spoiler alert: Don’t worry about Annabeth, she finds her way back to Camp Half-Blood.]

Q: What is the best way to react to provocative views?

A: Everyone is entitled to their opinions. Some may be challenging and present something you disagree with. However, you should try to stay calm and ask questions to find out more about their point of view. Why do they think what they think? Try to remain open minded and learn more about other opinions while sharing your own.

Q: I am in the tenth grade and am really sad because a lot of kids say mean things about other kids in our class. I am not sure what to say when I hear people say mean things. Do you have advice? 

A: I’m very sorry to hear this. It can always be upsetting to hear your own classmates talking badly about other people, and even harder to speak up. If you’ve heard things that could lead to dangerous outcomes, please tell a trusted friend or adult. However, when these comments aren’t directly threatening, it can often be difficult to know what to do. I’d keep two things in mind: first, try to model the kindness you wish to see in others by not going along with these remarks. Second, remember that you can call someone out about these comments without starting a fight. If someone says something mean about a classmate, you could say, “well I’m sure they have a lot going on.” There are ways to create positive change without arguing.

Q: Does meatless Monday lead to malnourishment?

A. The classic meatless monday debate returns. I remember back in ancient Greece people were fighting about this! Rest assured, Athenian’s meatless Monday meals are designed to be nourishing. And if the main entree isn’t enough food, there’s always the salad bar, sandwich bar, and soup station! If 14 million vegetarian Americans can stay nourished without eating meat any day of the week, you can, too!

Ask Athena - AI Generated Edition

For this special edition of Ask Athena, you, the reader, are tasked with finding two imposter responses among these following pieces of advice! Three responses were generated by The Pillar’s own Athena, and two by ChatGPT. Can you tell which is which? (answers at the bottom of the page)

Q: What’s the best gum flavor?

A: While flavor is, of course, subjective, wintergreen is the best gum flavor. It has the mintiness of a regular mint, fulfilling gum’s role as a breath purifier, while not having so sharp of a flavor that it’s hard to chew; it tastes sweeter than actual mints, and this is because the plant wintergreen flavor comes from, gaultheria-genus, is actually not a true mint!

Q: What are your honest opinions on ChatGPT?

A. ChatGPT is an invaluable resource for high school students, offering quick access to information and assistance. However, it’s crucial to use it in conjunction with face-to-face interactions and traditional learning. While ChatGPT can provide answers and ideas, nurturing your critical thinking and interpersonal skills is just as important for personal growth and development. So, embrace this technology, but remember to balance it with real-life experiences and human connections to truly flourish in high school and beyond.

Q: Can you please explain the new grading system?

A. The new grading system is certainly still evolving, but this is how it currently works. On a test, students are assessed on their ability in a variety of skills. Each skill builds on the one before it, creating a learning progression. For instance, one couldn’t complete advanced trigonometry problems without first understanding the Pythagorean theorem. To get a certain grade, a student needs to reach a certain level on the learning progressions. Recently the system was updated, and students no longer lose their position on the learning progression if they fail a skill they’d already completed correctly.

Q: If you were a hippopotamus, what would you think the meaning of life is?

A. Unlike humans, most animals aren’t developed enough to think abstractly about life and its meaning. As such, if I were a hippopotamus, I most likely wouldn’t think life had a meaning beyond finding food, taking naps in the sun, and bathing in ponds.

Q: Is the lower enrollment in Athenian related to unpopular grading and attendance policies?

A. While grading and attendance policies can impact school enrollment, it’s important to clarify that Athenian’s enrollment hasn’t actually declined. Students consider various factors when choosing a school, including these policies, but also the school’s location, extracurricular activities, overall reputation, and tuition costs. Athenian’s stable enrollment indicates that they’ve likely struck a balance that appeals to a diverse range of students, effectively addressing any concerns about grading and attendance policies with other attractive features.

See bottom of page for AI generated answers

[spoiler space] 

AI generated responses: 1. What are your honest opinions on ChatGPT? 2. Is the lower enrollment in Athenian related to unpopular grading and attendance policies?