How to Have the Best Camping Trip

By ALICIA WALTER

    There are a few essential things that you must do when going on a family camping trip:

1. You must stay in a tent, not in a camper.

    When camping, you should always stay in a tent. Staying in a camper takes the fun away from being outdoors. If you hear rustling outside your tent, it’s probably a deer, or it’s someone trying to play a joke. Either way, it’s equally exciting to know you’re braving the outdoors.

2. You must always bring enough chocolate for s'mores.

    Make sure you have a campfire wherever you set up camp. It’s a real shame if you don’t, and you miss out on the goodness of s’mores. You will always have a great time catching up with your family over roasted marshmallows, melted chocolate, and graham crackers. You can tell ghost stories around the fire, sing songs, and just have a great time in your family's company.  

3. You must fish for at least two hours even if you don’t catch anything.

    It’s never camping without fishing. You should always pack your fishing rods and some bait. Even if you forget the bait, you can definitely find some worms or grasshoppers to use. Some days you, won’t catch anything. You’ll stand there for a half an hour, get discouraged, and want to call it quits. You can’t do this. Sooner or later, you will catch a fish, so you have to keep trying. That moment of reeling in that first catch makes the waiting worth it. Don’t give up!

4. If you see a rope, you should definitely swing off of it.

    There is almost always a rope dangling over most lakes you might camp by. Whether it’s sturdy, or not, is another question... All you have to do is swing off of it one time. That’s all it takes, and already you’ll be braver than all the kids that didn’t. You may be scared at first, but remember, if a bunch of eight year olds can do it, you can too! All you have to do is take a risk.

5. If you see a cliff, you should NOT jump off of it.

    Don’t try this at home, kids!

Worst Summer Jobs Ever!

By CAMI RILEY

If you have ever had to work a job during the summer, then you know that there are some pretty bad jobs out there. Sometimes, however, some of the hardest jobs pay the best, so opinions can be in the eye of the beholder. I took the initiative to go out and ask people what the worst job they ever had were .

One of the horrible jobs I was told about by Autumn Cusino was weevil crew. When working weevil crew, you have to wear thick jeans and tennis shoes while sweeping the fields in the heat of the summer sun. The goal of the weevil crew workers is to check the bug population and report back to their advisor to see whether or not the field needs to be sprayed. One of the workers talked of how she was stung by bees five times in one week while working on the weevil crew. Another worker talked of how they once had to sweep almost a whole field by themselves on one of the hottest days of the year, saying that she was pretty close to succumbing to heatstroke.

Another horrible job that Mac-Hi students told me about was working as a Quality Assurance Analyst for Smith’s. A typical day working as a QA analyst entails waking up at 8pm, eating dinner with the family, and getting to work by 9 p.m. Once at work, the workers must type in their number and scan their hand to clock in, sort of like in spy movies. Next QA analysts must sanitize their elbows down and put their hair up in a hairnet and orange bump cap (which is a little helmet). They also wear white lab coats, and you can’t forget about the earplugs that save the QA analysts’ hearing on a daily basis. After all of that, the QA analyst are be able to start their actual job. First, they take a pitcher and dunk it in a sanitary solution, then the analyst would go to this tunnel where it rained frozen peas (frozen peas are painful like hail pellets when they hit you in a 10 degree room), next their job turns absolutely scientific when they test the color, appearance, and maturity with all kinds of crazy scientific gizmos that explode your mind with wonder. Once that is done, they must repeat for eight hours. All in all, this job has got to be at least in the top five of the most horrible jobs, especially when you realize just how monotonous and sometimes painful it can be.

Last but not least is the glorified baby sitter: the lifeguard. Before going on shift, lifegaurds must make sure to absolutely slather themselves completely in sunscreen if they have any hope of not burning to death during the time they work. While most people think that lifeguarding is the cushiest job ever, I am afraid they are severely mistaken. Far from the cliche, lifeguarding is full of discomfort, ickiness, and for what seems like the majority of the time, janitorial work. Lifeguards at the Milton-Freewater aquatic center have to be at work by 11:00-11:15am if they are working the morning shift. Once at work, they are expected to set out the mats, check over and/or clean the locker rooms if they are dirty, prime and start the slides, clean the guard room, and prepare for their shift of guarding. The lifeguards must be in position by 11:30 and ready to save patrons from drowning. Hours in the hot sun trying to get people to follow the rules is a monotonous and boring job, but hey, at least you can get a tan while doing it, and in truth the pay is pretty good.

6 free (or cheap) things to do in the summer!

By SANDRA PEREYDA

With college right around the corner for many of us seniors and money being a huge concern, I have decided to make a list of free and cheap things to do to help you enjoy the summer!

1. GO TO THE FREE MILTON PLAY AND FREE BBQ! There’s a fun and free thing you can do and it's at the beginning of the summer as well! The Milton play will be June 16-19 @ 7pm and June 18 and 19 @ 2pm! Sign up for a ticket at Super Milton, Burger Hut, Conoco or Sub Shop! You could also call (888-854-5698) The free BBQ will be on Saturday at 5 p.m. before the show!
2. Build a fort and invite your friends! Bring some nostalgia into your backyard with some of your closest friends this summer. A fort could be a fun way to keep the summer heat out and the coolness of your friends in! Alternatively, you could build a fort by yourself and read a book or watch some movies by yourself! Either is fun!
3. Make some popsicles! Fun summer treats could be consumed at any time during the summer! You could make enough for all of your friends or just a few to hide in the freezer for yourself. One of my favorite things to make is a fruit and gummy bear frozen popsicle. You will need Sprite, some fruit such as strawberries, kiwi, raspberries and blackberries or other fruits you like. Next add some sprite into a cup or popsicle maker, throw some fruit and gummy bears inside, freeze for a few hours and, Voila! You have yourself some Instagram-worthy popsicles.
4. Ride your Bike around! Riding your bike around and finding a new trail could be the best thing you've ever done! My favorite place to ride my bike is the trail at Harris Park. Not only is there nature around, but the satisfaction of the fresh air and the feeling of freedom is pure bliss! Not to mention the nice calves you can get!
5. Start a Garden! Gardening could be something that you could be interested in. Growing your own fruit and vegetables could have many benefits! For one, you know what goes into your fruit and vegetables AND you can save money! I personally grow strawberries, peaches, green beans, tomatoes, and peppers, and it’s not that hard to do! You can also just walk outside and grab a nice snack!
6. Explore Milton-Freewater! Grab a couple friends, buy some snacks and find yourself a new chill spot for the summer! Last year, our go to spot was our “ Waterhole,” a pool like area in the river by the bridge that is both fun and safe! Make sure to take some sun screen and river shoes because you’ll have to walk for some time in order to get to a good river spot! In the end, it’s all worth it.

All these are some fun suggestions that I have done before or will do in the summer! Just remember that whatever you do, make sure to have fun, even if it’s staying inside and binge-watching your favorite shows on Netflix! Have a great summer everyone!

Summer Reading Recommendations

By BRIANNA FOX

Ever find yourself bored out of your mind with nothing to do during the summer? Looking to pick up a new hobby? Well fear no more, because I have a list of books to keep your mind busy.

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey:

Rick Yancey’s, The 5th Wave is for readers that love a story with a paranormal twist. In this book, the Earth is invaded by aliens, known as “the Others.” It’s told from the perspective of sixteen-year-old, Cassie Sullivan. She loses her family due to the waves of alien attacks, all except for her younger brother, Sam. Cassie sets out to find him at Camp Ashpit, the place where every surviving child is sent. This book is a great read for anyone who likes a new twist on stories about aliens invading the Earth.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater:

Maggie Stiefvater's, Shiver is a different take on the supernatural world of werewolves. When Grace was a little girl, she was attacked by wolves. She would have died if one of the wolves hadn’t saved her, and from then on, he became her guardian , always watching over her. As Grace grows older, she realizes that the wolves in the forest behind her house aren’t just ordinary wolves. Now Grace has to convince the people of Mercy Falls not to hunt the wolves after a boy, Jack is killed by the wolves. This book is great for anyone who enjoys reading books about werewolves and is a refreshing new take on that subject.

Chasing Forever Down by Nikki Godwin:

Nikki Godwin’s, Chasing Forever Down is a great for those that enjoy books about romance and chasing your dreams. When seventeen-year-old Haley Sullivan meets a mysterious stranger, she doesn’t know he will end up changing her life forever. They have a fun night together, and then he disappears without a trace. Haley is determined to find him, but comes to find out from a local newspaper, that he’s been dead for years. However, Haley doubts he is  dead and sets out on the adventure of a lifetime with her best friend, Linz. They find themselves in Crescent Cove, California where the mysterious stranger is professional surfer, Colby Taylor. Don’t miss out on this light-hearted read that with leave you wanting more.

Summer: The Season for Adventures (Opinion Column)

By: TABITHA HECKMAN

Why stay home and watch Netflix all summer when you could be going out and having crazy adventures? Last summer was almost completely wasted for me, binge watching too many T.V. series on Netflix. I have realized that there is more to experience in life than watching characters act on a small screen.

In the last few months, I have climbed on top of both of the water towers in Milton, gone to the middle of nowhere in a truck standing on it while it was moving 50 mph, I have eaten watermelon at midnight at the View Point, and had many other random crazy adventures. I did all of that stuff because it is a lot better than simply staying at home doing nothing.

I used to go home home every single day to take naps, but why waste your life away sleeping? You won't remember the nights you stayed home and did nothing, but you will remember the times you went out and did wondrous things that are worth remembering. I promise you that.
There has been some factual information that actually shows why teenagers tend to make stupid decisions. Their prefrontal cortex isn’t fully developed until about the age of 21. The prefrontal cortex it the part of your brain that helps you choose what is right from wrong. So there is actually a reason as to why teenagers tend to do stupid things at times. Teens like to take risks because it is exhilarating. They like to take chances and to be free.
Parents and friends tend to be quite worried about their teenage family members and loved ones.  They wonder to extent they might go. They worry about teens doing extreme crazy stuff.

Here are better ways to take less-risky risks. Just go out for a drive late at night. Go with some friends to sit somewhere, simply look at the stars, and talk for hours. Go exploring. Go camping. Do everything your heart desires, but just make sure that you are safe.