Vivitrol: Treatment for alcoholism

     There is a good chance that relatives and friends of those afflicted with alcohol and opioid addiction have at least heard of a drug called “the shot,” given its growing popularity and effectiveness. Naltrexone, the formal name for the drug, is used to stop addictive cravings for both drugs and for overuse of alcohol; Vivitrol is its main manufacturing brand. Its description reads, “NALTREXONE helps you to remain free of your dependence on opiate drugs or alcohol. It blocks the 'high' that these substances can give you.”

     It’s still unclear as to how Vivitrol treats alcoholism, though doctors know that it changes the way the brain responds to alcohol. It’s important to know that when drinking alcoholic substances while using Vivitrol, nothing happens. The drug reduces cravings for alcohol to the extent that it makes drinking unfun. Unlike other addiction treatment medications, drinking while using this won’t make a person sick. While the Vivitrol isn’t directly impacted by drinking, it can have other side effects, which include: allergic reactions (itching or hives), anxiety, depression, dark urine, pain in upper stomach, dizziness, fevers, chills, sweating, chest pain, and many more. “Most medicines have long lists of side effects that rarely occur. I think if it helps, people should still take them,” said one student when asked what they thought about the long list of side effects.

     Physicians generally prescribe Vivitrol to patients who have stopped the use of opioids and have stopped drinking. They require that they go through a detoxification process first; following that, the shot is given to patients once a month. The reason Vivitrol has become so popular is because it is one of the first craving drugs that is completely nonaddictive.  “I think it’s a good thing that Vivitrol is non-addictive. It never made any sense to treat addiction with an addictive drug,” said Patty Miller, responding to questions regarding Vivitrol.

     Vivitrol has been proven to reduce heavy drinking days by 92% for those dependent on alcohol. Though Vivitrol does help with alcohol cravings, it is not meant to be used alone. Doctors recommend that using it along with some treatment plans like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and SMART Recovery.

Buckhannon's marching band ends season with Christmas parade

     On December 1^st, 2017, the Buckhannon-Upshur High School Band kicked off the Christmas season with their last parade of the year. “The B-U band is a very high-spirited group, and during the holidays, the band room can become cringe [worthy] and very hectic,” said Larissa Bennett.

     While this final showing of the band’s talent was the one of the coldest parades of the year, it is among the most beloved by students. “I really like it because we get to decorate our instruments and wear Santa hats. The Santa hats are a really nice change from our regular helmets,” commented Emily Fox. Decorating the instruments was also one of Bennett’s favorite parts. She liked it because “they were lit (pun intended).”

     Since this was the last parade of the year, the marching season is officially over. While the marching band goes on hiatus, they transform into a beautiful concert band. Part of the band is somewhat sad to see marching band go, but it’s also welcomed as a nice break.

     “I am very excited because now I get the chance to play instruments I’ve never tried before and learn music I haven’t ever seen before,” said Titan Ballinger, a Junior who is new to band this year.

     “I’m excited for concert season because we work very hard and the final product at band festival is always fun to hear,” said Fox when speaking about concert season.

     If marching season is over, that mean the band will be spending less time with beloved band director Garrett Friend. When asked what he would like to say to Mr. Friend, Titan said, “I would tell him to let the drums have more parts.”

   The marching band will be back in action at the Strawberry Festival in May of 2018.

B-U to travel to Robert C. Byrd for drumline expo

     On October 28th, 2017, the Buckhannon-Upshur High School drumline will be traveling to Clarksburg, WV, to participate in the 5th annual Robert C. Byrd High School Drumline Expo. This will be Buckhannon’s 4th year attending the event, where drum lines from all over the state come together and present their drumline shows. 

     Senior and Captain Alex Edwards has helped to make 3 drumline shows during her time at the high school. "This is my senior year, and I want this show to be really good. I want it to look and sound awesome," Alex said when speaking about her hopes for the show this year.

     Every drumline has the option to wear whatever they see fit. Some drumlines opt to wear their regular band uniforms, while others wear matching t-shirts and jeans. This year, Buckhannon’s drumline is going in a different direction. "We're wearing our band uniforms, but we're going to wear bandanas and do cool face paint with it," senior and Center Snare Jeremiah Cochran commented. While costumes are important, the most important part is the show. The music and movements are vital to the show, as they are at its forefront.

     "The bass line sounds cleaner this year. Our runs sound decent," said junior (Bass 3) Larissa Bennett when talking about how the music is going for this year's show.

     "We have some pretty cool forms in the show. The visuals are pleasing. I came up with a couple of the ones that Alex ended up putting in the show," Bennett responded about the moves and formations.

     "This year's show is going to be amazing if we can get it cleaned up. We have some things we need to work through, but I think we can have a pretty freaking cool show," Edwards talked about the show's progress.

     The B-U drumline will perform their show on October 28th at RCB in Clarksburg. In the past, the drumline has gone to the mall for dinner after the performance, and band kids have had the option to ride the bus to watch their drumline at RCB. Whether or not that will happen this year has yet to be determined by band director Garrett Friend, who was unavailable for comment.

B-UHS library hosts Mark Twain impersonator

Throughout the school year, Buckhannon-Upshur High School’s library has held different activities for students. These events have kept students engaged, shaken up their school days, and have taught them valuable lessons. The presentations, open to the majority of the student body, range from ghost story tellers, academic lectures, and a visit from Mark Twain—sort of.

Not long ago, a historical character impersonator came dressed as famous author Mark Twain, who was most celebrated for his books, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.   “I’ve toured his house and I’ve read his books. I have a pretty good idea who Mark Twain was,” Patty Miller said, talking about her familiarity with Twain before the presentation. 

Mark Twain sauntered onto the stage and promptly poured himself a drink. He gurgled and introduced himself, then delved into an explanation of “his” life story with a drawn out Southern twang.

“I think he did a good job staying in character; he was really authentic,” Lexie Dalton commented on the performance’s quality. 

Throughout the performance, there were numerous references to Twain’s writing. For example, he’s infamous for stretching the truth in his stories; he’s also known for his unbelievably adventurous stories. The actor pushed the truth in his story of Mark Twain, exaggerating much of what he said. 

“I don’t like his writing at all. It’s basic and it reminds me of elementary school writing. I don’t understand why it’s such a big deal,” Miller stated.

Toward the end of Mr. Twain’s performance, students were given the opportunity to ask questions. The students didn’t take it very seriously. Questions like “Do you brush your mustache?” and “Why do you look like Colonel Sanders?” were tossed around. Twain’s impersonator was a good sport about it, responding to every question exactly as Mark Twain would have.

“People were being very rude and disrespectful to him when they asked those stupid joke questions,” Shelby Daugherty stated. 

He wrapped up the presentation by finally breaking character and introducing himself. He continued to talk to the crowd and when the bell rang, everyone left happily chattering about the presentation. “The presentation was pretty good, and I didn’t think it was completely boring,” Lexie said, sharing her final thoughts on the overall presentation.

America's new sweetheart

     Ashley Frangipane, more commonly known as Halsey, celebrated her 23rd birthday by kicking off her Hopeless Fountain Kingdom tour. So far, the singer has had a short lived but exciting career.  

     Halsey has released one EP and two full-length albums. Her debut album, Badlands, was released in August of 2015. The second album, which she is currently on tour performing, was released in June of 2017.

     "My favorite album is definitely Badlands. It's the first thing I heard from her, so it will always be one of my favorites,” Kristin Young said when asked which Halsey album was her favorite.

     "Bad at Love was my favorite song on the album. I love the way the chorus builds, and I relate to the message," Taylor Cain said when asked her favorite song on the Hopeless Fountain Kingdom album.  

     Halsey is known amongst her fans for many things, among them tattoos and wild hair colors.  Halsey has had every color under the sun, from blue to platinum blonde. Halsey loves to change her hair color almost as much as she loves to show off her plethora of tattoos. Frangipane has been quoted saying that she likes to wear revealing clothing to show off her tattoos.

     "My favorite Halsey hair color is definitely Badlands Blue. It's such a unique shade of blue; it's so aesthetically pleasing," Lexie Dalton answered.

     "I absolutely love the rose tattoo on her shoulder. It's simplistic but beautiful," Young commented about Halsey's multiple tattoos.

     Frangipane is a very interactive celebrity. She is constantly intermingling with her fans and tries to inspire them daily. Her fans are very invested in her personal life and have input on her relationships.  

     "I totally ship her with [Fifth Harmony's] Lauren Jauregui. They would be so cute together, and they already take bomb pictures together. [They're] way cuter than she and [rapper] G- Eazy are,” one student stated.

     "I love Halsey's attitude and her legs. She teaches girls to not care about societal standards and she has great legs," Young once more stated.

     Halsey is currently on tour for her second album; she started touring on September 29th as a birthday gift to herself. She’s been tweeting nonstop about the tour and is very excited about the work she has put into it. The album itself was based off Baz Luhrman's version of Romeo and Juliet. The tour will most likely have a theme of that effect. Fans have reported that the show is as beautiful as an art exhibit. Halsey's next show will be in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on October 10^th, 2017.