Phoebe Vo (12) is in her third year as part of The Nexus. If ever in pursuit of a Phoebe, you can almost always find her in L104, either engrossed in silly conversations with her fellow Nexans or stressing out about the next issue. And, if she runs, you can most certainly catch her (she’s wearing heels). In her free time, she loves to read (a range from classical literature to philosophical texts to fanfiction), play chess at Peet’s, and sleep!
Orbital
“Inexpressibly trivial and momentous”
The ocean is boundless, its surface hazy and smooth, shimmering blue far beyond my sight. The sun pierces through gathering clouds. It reflects through...
The pounding footsteps. The cheering crowd. 10 seconds left on the clock. Team Black player Ayden Moore (9) had the basketball, Feb. 4. His coach, Trevor Roland (11), nervously clasped his hands together,...
Tiffany Luu (12) opened her yellow fans as she radiantly smiled at her peers who watched from the Westview Quad, Jan. 28. She continued to ripple the brightly colored fans, which beamed in hues of pink,...
[Left to right] Matteus Juza (11), Emerson Budde (12), Anuja Jayasundara (12), Michele Nuguid (12), Cory Nguyen (12), Maya Lopez (12), and Pierce McMurry (12) line up for the change of command ceremony...
Officer Sophia Sands (11) begins with her hands pointed downwards, Jan. 19. Her limbs hang loose alongside eight other dancers, all in beautiful alignment with one another. From the depth at which their...
Dancing Through Life
“Why think too hard?”
Happiness. Joy. Excitement.
Emotions that are usually never present in this somber column have finally made their appearance in my...
Stoicism
“You have power over your mind”
I’ve never been much of a stoic.
I cry over the inevitable, obsess over the past, and drive myself crazy, ruminating the countless...
Delicate footsteps entered a dark stage on the first night of the winter dance show, A December to Remember, Dec. 4. Christmas light bulb necklaces are the audience’s only reference points, their multi-colored...
Tightly clutching the small black buzzer in his hands, Anvit Watwani (12) stared intensely at the moderator as they read a question from this round’s Quiz Bowl packet, Nov. 16. Asking for the name of...
Calvin and Hobbes
“Life is like topography”
The day of the election, I hosted a small gathering. My friends and I sat around my little firepit, taking in the cool November air, with my...
Shayna Mehta (12) tried her best to keep her hand steady. She picked up a narrow tube, slowly and carefully placing it into a giant laminator in her company’s laboratory. Millibar by millibar, degree...
Amidst one of the most intense, devastating conflicts in U.S. history, just before the Confederates seceded from the Union, subsequently splitting apart the young nation, Abraham Lincoln, in...
Even though I am currently experiencing my last year of high school, I just can’t seem to view myself as a senior. Of course, I’ve changed and grown as a person; I’ve abandoned the tennis shoes,...
Solipsism
“The self is all that can be known to exist.”
As of late, I’ve felt a profound sense of disillusionment. Perhaps, in reference to my earlier columns, this discontentment,...
Taoism
“Take on the interests of other people”
Recently, I confided in my mother about my existential dread for my future and my desperate attempts to search and create meaning in my life....
I’ve never been one to approach a stranger. Perhaps that might be because the word most commonly paired with the term is “danger,” constructing a catchy rhyme that has been used to scare kids for...
Vedant Maheshwari (9) knew his loss was imminent, Dec. 6, 2023. Black and white pieces intertwined with one another on a chess board in front of him, each previous move having sculpted a display of careful...
Connor Pietsch (11) felt a faint tremble in his hands as he shifted his Sony a6700 camera ever so slightly to capture the first play of Friday’s football game, Sept. 13. Surrounded by a crowd of Westview...
Dostoevsky
“Beauty will save the world.”
The sky is bleak against the bright, artificial lights that emanate from nearby houses. It's gray, tinged ever so slightly with the undertones of a...
As the familiar sound of the scanner permeated the quiet of the library, Librarian Teacher Jennifer Radosevich smiled as she picked up a copy of the “Patron Saints of Nothing” and handed it to the...
It’s been three years since I stepped foot on Westview’s brutalist concrete. Trees have been planted, benches have been painted, and the budget has thoroughly decreased. Yet, I cannot help but wonder...
Absurdism
“To live without appeal”
As I approach the precipice of adolescence, leaning on the very cliff before adulthood, I find myself in quite the unnerving position. Usually,...
As Shayna Mehta (12) steadied the softball bat in her hands, gripping intensely to prepare for the pitch, the grassy field that usually lay beneath her feet was nowhere to be found. Instead, the soft surface...
Dawn Hester was recognized during Teacher Appreciation Week and received $5,000 worth of school supplies from Honda, May 6. Disguised as a celebration for the Option 16 team’s participation at World’s,...
Vamsi Maganti (11) listened carefully to the singer next to him, closing his eyes to feel the gentle rhythm of her voice as he tapped softly on his drum, blending the two sounds together, April 13. Dressed...
Construction for a new building on campus with amenities specific to engineering’s Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways and the robotics program is slated to begin in August 2024 and will be completed...
Alex Kun (9) doesn’t know exactly when he stopped reading books. With childlike excitement, he used to derive wondrous enjoyment from skimming his hands over the spine of a book, flipping its pages,...
Hozier’s extended play album Unheard is a beautifully composed set of four songs, which had me utterly enthralled from its very first note. Like a siren’s call, Hozier’s voice is enchantingly alluring,...
PUSD has made its own fiscal projection following governor Gavin Newsom’s announcement of the state’s $68 billion deficit: a district-wide $28 million shortfall.
Multiple factors have contributed...
For the 2024-2025 school year, all PUSD High Schools will implement a new bell schedule, shifting the 3:45 p.m. end time to 3:35 p.m..
Principal Ernie Remillard said that due to the California-mandated...
Today is finally the day. I know I can do it. A foe that has so long evaded me will finally meet its end. Its very existence has taunted me so, pervading my life, a constant in my thoughts and dreams....
Yes
Zeina Nicolas
I couldn’t tell you the number of times I’ve been in class and could see someone near me on their phone playing a video game or scrolling on social media. Whether...
The ASB Interclub Committee launched a new Canvas page, Feb. 3. Kai Synder (11), Alexia Johnson (9), Valerie Hsu (11), and Landan Karetny (9) put together the system in an attempt to better manage the...
Science teacher Dawn Hester has always had enthusiasm for learning. Whether it was watching her robotics students build and program machines out of nothing more than loose parts or teaching her physics...
From Dec. 26 to Jan. 4, Arthur Chung (11) participated in the International US Youth Futsal competition in France. Competing in a series of four rounds against the top teams in the country, it was a showcase...
Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled the first draft of the 2024-2025 California budget, Jan. 10, which had been projected by the Legislative Analyst’s Office in December of 2023 to have a $68 billion deficit....
There was an air of blissful carelessness that permeated the elementary school playground as 6-year-old Kailyn Donnelly (11) giggled, her face stuck in a wide grin, watching her three friends...
Sabrina Carpenter’s album fruitcake, released on Nov. 17, is the perfect record to get you ready for the Christmas season. A mixture of pop and holiday music, its six songs are the perfect accompaniment...
UNARMED EXHIBITION
Haven Reed (12) could not contain her excitement when it was announced she had been chosen to be Unarmed Exhibition captain last year. Having been participating since her sophomore...
Positioned at the tee box of the 18th hole at Torrey Pines golf course on the morning of Nov. 1, Samantha Song (12) grasped her driver tight in her hands as she tweaked its position ever so slightly behind...
Westview Dance Troupe performed the song, “Thriller,” by Michael Jackson, in the Rancho Penasquitos Halloween Community Festival, Oct. 21, at Hilltop Park in the event’s local flash mob. Coach...
Claire Choi (11) always felt at home in California. It’s the place where she was born, where she grew up, and where her fondest memories of childhood took place. So, when she found herself sitting...
Vivian Roberts (10) leaps into the air to strike the volleyball that was set by Ava Zamora (11), scoring a point for Westview, Oct. 20. The team was celebrating their senior night together at their latest...
The recently implemented Chinese Language curriculum, teaching Mandarin, having started this year, is a new option for language and culture acquisition at Westview. The class kicked off with an auspicious...
Mackenzie Huynh (12) prepares for next week’s Homecoming rally, Oct. 1. ASB is preparing Spiderman-themed decorations and props for the Homecoming dance.
Westview’s official accompanist for the Musical Theatre class Andrew Reynolds played the piano for the very first time at the age of six; a simple action that would become his lifelong pursuit. He was...
As Westview’s official student newspaper, The Nexus aims to bring light to intriguing stories about our students and campus.
Publishing every three weeks, the press cycle begins with the staff...
Thousands of miles away from the suburbs of San Diego, having traveled for 15 hours over land and ocean alike, Nirja Trivedi (12) found herself in the crowded, metropolitan city of Dwarka, India, June...
From July 30 to Aug. 4, Shayna Mehta (11) and eight other runners from the cross country team attended summer training camp in the mountains of Big Bear. Coach Amanda Sandstrom began hosting the camps...
Lighting:
In contrast to the dark room that Thomas Hurd (12) sat in, the stage in front of him was lit with vibrant colors. He watched Beauty and the Beast unfold in front of him, his lighting controls...
Nine hours. Six questions. Two days. Infinite pressure. Daeho Lee (12), Justin Zhang (11), and Eric Shi (11) sat at the shiny desks of a USCD classroom, March 21-22. Their demeanors were calm, but their...
Mia Tran (11) scrambled to retrieve her phone after being woken up at seemingly the dead of night by her blaring alarm, March 8. The sky was still pitch black outside and her illuminating phone screen...
Spoiler alert: I absolutely love spoilers. Whether it be for movies, books, or television shows, I love being able to know what is happening beforehand. Knowing a crucial part of the story or a plot...
Jaden Nisperos (11) could feel an intense stare directed at him as soon as he stole the soccer ball. When he glanced up, his eyes caught hold of a college recruiter, who scribbled down notes on his...
Kyla Ho (10) yawned as she retrieved the pan out of the oven, having woken up at 6 AM to bake the dough she had made the night before. As the smell of freshly baked bread overwhelmed her senses, she...
To continue on my saga of procrastination, I was again on my phone, scrolling through Instagram posts. I noticed video after video of people trying this new “AI art generator,” which allows users...
The talent of binging shows non-stop for hours, even days on end, takes drive and motivation. Call it a lack of self-control, and perhaps even sleep, but fixating and consuming one TV show over a matter...
As the boys cross country team’s first-place win in the CIF League Finals was announced, captain Adrian Welton (11) felt extremely proud.
This was the first time in eight years that the boys team...
Jaden Nisperos (11), Autumn Kelly (11), and Mina Hurt (11) perform a comedic bit at GOLD's Winter show, Dec. 13. They entertain the audience while giving stage crew time to set up behind the curtain for...
Homecoming night entails many things. Dressing up, going out to eat, dancing, hanging out with friends—but most time-consuming is picture-taking. It is an essential part of the event, and to honor...
The sun burned on Ryland Arciaga’s (12) skin as he stepped onto the starting line beside the other runners. His eyes focused on the long path ahead of him as he took a deep breath, trying to calm...
San Diego Superior Court judges are an essential part of our legal system and who we choose to endorse with our votes in the midterm elections has large implications for the future of our county....
Running unopposed, Summer Stephan will continue serving as San Diego’s district attorney. Having served since 2016, she plans to continue her career with another four-year term, focusing extensively...
Scrolling through the depths of TikTok, as one does when procrastinating on school work, I came across an audio that had recently become popular. The song was called “Attention,” and it was from...
Winning three doubles and three singles games against CCA, on Sept. 1, proved to be not quite enough as Westview fell to the Ravens, 12-6. The loss was the team’s first of the season, dropping them...
In the midst of another late-night search for good web novels and comics, I came across a psychological-thriller-horror-romance story. Among this handful of genres, the word romance seems out of...
![Andrew Porter (10) [left] tracks Ayden Moore (9) [right] at the Unity Basketball Game, Feb. 4. Moore went on to score the tying shot.](https://wvnexus.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/basketball-1-e1739486170266-1200x1115.jpg)
![[Left to right] Matteus Juza (11), Emerson Budde (12), Anuja Jayasundara (12), Michele Nuguid (12), Cory Nguyen (12), Maya Lopez (12), and Pierce McMurry (12) line up for the change of command ceremony outside the NJROTC classroom, Jan. 30. The program currently has 50 members.](https://wvnexus.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/rotc-color.jpg)
![Dance Troupe members [left to right] Cece Canty (11), Bela Henderson (11), Anika Siddiqui (12), and Calista Nguyen (11) perform "Somebody I Used To Know," Jan. 19. The routine was choreographed by Sophia Sands (11) won first in the Small Contemporary category and the Troupe's performance across the whole competition garnered them the Best Technique award.](https://wvnexus.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/R62L0758-1200x800.jpg)
![Shayna Mehta (12) [front] and Dylan Deng (12) [back] work in a glove box, filling cartridges with hydrogel, Monday. They both work at Solutions Matter.](https://wvnexus.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/IMG_9401-1200x800.jpg)
