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Claudia Chen

Claudia Chen, Features Editor

From the time she could talk, Claudia Chen ’16 was always keeping herself busy whether it was scoring points on the tennis court or writing stories and poems.

At a young age Chen ’16 knew she wanted to be a writer. She would write poems and stories on whatever she could get her hands on.

She said, “One time I tried to write a novel and I was so excited”, Chen ’16 said while laughing, “70 pages into it and I swear it made zero sense.”

This her second year writing for Inklings and she couldn’t be more excited to bring her love of writing to Inklings. She believes that Inklings is a great opportunity to practice her writing skills in a realistic sense.

When Chen ’16 isn’t writing you can find her on a tennis court. She hasn’t played for Staples tennis but she’s hoping to in the spring. She likes to de-stress on the tennis court and have a good time.

She sounds like your all-American girl but that’s not the case. Her parents were born in China resulting in Chen’s first language being Chinese. It doesn’t just end there; her grandparents come from Austria. She loves the idea that she comes from so many different cultures.

As hard as Chen ’16 works, she wants to make the most of junior year and have a good time being an upper-classmen.

As hard as she works on her serves in tennis and critiquing her writing skills she says what she hopes to get out of life is, “It sounds cheesy but I want to know that I made a difference in at least one person’s life.” That’s a goal we should all strive for.

Claudia Chen ’16 could not be more excited for what her junior year holds.

All content by Claudia Chen
Course additions expand Staples’ curriculum

Course additions expand Staples’ curriculum

Claudia Chen, Features Editor November 30, 2015

On Nov. 23, the Board of Education unanimously approved nine new courses at Staples High School for the 2016-17 school year. The courses are AP Music Theory, Mandarin Chinese 5, AP Chinese Language and...

Community rallies to save library funding

Community rallies to save library funding

Claudia Chen, Features Editor June 11, 2015

Connecticut’s House Appropriations Committee unveiled its most recent Democratic budget proposal on April 27, reducing cuts to state library funding to only $400,000. This is a drastic change from...

Supreme Court debates same-sex marriage

Supreme Court debates same-sex marriage

Claudia Chen, Features Editor May 8, 2015

This past Tuesday, May 28, the Supreme Court heard arguments about whether or not the Constitution protects same-sex marriage. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy said that he was worried about changing the...

Top three Super Bowl commercials

Top three Super Bowl commercials

Claudia Chen, Features Editor February 5, 2015

On Super Bowl Sunday, there are two types of people in America: those who watch the biggest football game of the year to actually watch the biggest football game of the year, and those who stick around...

Measles spreads to New York

Measles spreads to New York

Claudia Chen, Features Editor February 4, 2015

On Jan. 25, a Bard College student with measles travelled on a New York train, possibly exposing other passengers to the virus. New York is now the 14th state involved in a current nationwide measles outbreak. News...

Some find their spotlight outside Staples

Some find their spotlight outside Staples

Claudia Chen, Features Editor January 10, 2015

Fairfield College Preparatory School’s theater was pitch black. In the darkness, the audience members’ eyes sparkled with anticipation. Then, a spotlight flashed onto the stage or, more specifically,...

Photo dramatization by Fritz Schemel ’17

Celebs inspire creative cuts

Claudia Chen, Features Editor October 28, 2014

As toddlers, most little girls have donned short ’dos. Since then, their hair may have grown longer, been braided, had hair tinsel added or gone through the cycle of lather, rinse, repeat numerous times....

Nerdfighters Club "decreases world suck"

Nerdfighters Club “decreases world suck”

Claudia Chen, Features Editor September 19, 2014

Staples students have a variety of options for helping out their community. They can buy toys in other countries, provide care to an- imals in need and much more. But if students are looking...

Students fold and crease their stresses away

Students fold and crease their stresses away

Claudia Chen, Features Editor September 19, 2014

Chai Kim ’15 can create a majestic crane, a sharp star, a practical box, and an intricate flower simply by moving her fingers. This is not Harry Potter’s world full of magic, or even a fantastic dream....

Students debate wifi policy

Claudia Chen, Features Editor May 30, 2014

Scrolling through her Facebook news feed during lunch, Emily Flood ’16 came across a picture of Iggy Azalea and Rita Ora dressed in revealing clothing. Intrigued, Flood almost clicked on the link. Almost. The...

Five tips to stay motivated

Five tips to stay motivated

Claudia Chen, Features Editor May 29, 2014

Let’s face it. We’ve all done that thing where we close our laptops, shut our notebooks, zip up our pencil cases, and tell ourselves that it’s time to get some sleep, even when our homework has yet...

Rest in peace simple Snapchat

Rest in peace simple Snapchat

Claudia Chen, Features Editor May 4, 2014

On May 1, Snapchat released an update that included the highly-requested “Snapchat Chat.” Now, Snapchat can not only be used to send unattractive selfies to friends, but also to send messages and live-chat. “Until...

Seniors say goodbye to Y-Drives

Seniors say goodbye to Y-Drives

Claudia Chen, Features Editor April 28, 2014

Many years ago, the polished stainless steel of refrigerators was a rare sight; numerous quizzes and art projects hid any shiny surface. Now, instead of refrigerators, students’ Y-Drives hold their...

P.E. shrunken class sizes have mixed reviews

Claudia Chen, Features Editor April 14, 2014

Normally, P.E. class is vaguely reminiscent of a World Championship game, testosterone levels high. Today, classes feel more like Rec or Little League. "It feels a bit like when the seniors go out on...

To wear or not to wear spring clothing

To wear or not to wear spring clothing

Claudia Chen, Features Editor March 27, 2014

To wear or not to wear spring clothing   For the past four months, students have donned cozy Patagonia fleeces and strolled the halls in Steve Madden combat boots. But now that March has rolled around,...

Spring springs new diets

Spring springs new diets

Claudia Chen, Features Editor March 11, 2014

As snow starts to melt and temperatures start to rise, spring brings cheerful thoughts of flowers, sun, and people not having the fear of getting pneumonia every time they step outside. The new season...

Poetry Out Loud slams Staples

Poetry Out Loud slams Staples

Claudia Chen, Features Editor February 12, 2014

From posters tacked on classroom walls to the poetry class, poetry is present all around Staples. At 2:30 p.m. in the library on February 11, the Poetry Out Loud competition shed these works of literature...

When followers become friends

When followers become friends

Claudia Chen, Features Editor December 20, 2013

Sarah Bookbinder ’16 walks out of Bow Tie Royale 6, laughing and chatting with her friend about Catching Fire, the box office-topping blockbuster that they just watched. The discussion moves on to Urban...

Instagram takes over Facebook

Instagram takes over Facebook

Claudia Chen, Features Editor December 9, 2013

When waiting for the bus in the morning, walking in the halls during passing time, or taking breaks while doing homework, many Staples’ students tap and scroll away on their iPhones. Recently, they may...

Trash Talked on the Field and Court

Trash Talked on the Field and Court

Claudia Chen, Features Editor November 26, 2013

Dayna Gelman ’14 is racing around the basketball court, her eyes darting from her teammates to her opponents. She can hear her heart pounding, her sneakers squeaking on the floor, and the ball bouncing...

First Quarter Impacts GPA

First Quarter Impacts GPA

Claudia Chen, Features Editor November 5, 2013

The first report card of the year can be stressful to receive as new concepts and teaching styles are introduced to students in this first quarter. These grades impact a student’s Grade Point Average...

Stress gets the best of Staples

Stress gets the best of Staples

Claudia Chen, Features Editor November 4, 2013

Coffee, sunlight, and stress. In moderation, all can have benefits. But can there be too much? For Staples students already stressed out, that’s the question. Stress is very prevalent within the Staples...

Pushing to finish first quarter

Pushing to finish first quarter

Claudia Chen, Features Editor November 2, 2013

The last few days of the quarter are often filled with more tests, essays and homework than usual. Although some teachers do this for the benefit of the students, it often results in more stress for everyone. “This...

Textbooks Break Backs

Textbooks Break Backs

Claudia Chen, Features Editor October 18, 2013

If you see someone walking around the halls of Staples High School with a backpack that resembles a giant cube, it’s fair to assume that that person is a freshman. Just last year, I was that hunchbacked...

Blown Away: A glass blower demonstrates how to create a lobster ornament.

Lobster Fest Comes to Town

Claudia Chen, Features Editor September 24, 2013

When teeth start to chatter at the bus stop in the morning and pumpkins adorn the entrances of many homes, everyone knows that summer has come to an end. But the end of anything comes with a celebration...

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