As I was sitting watching, you guessed it, "Spring Awakening" yesterday, the full glory of watching live performance dawned on me. Now that sounds a little bit hokey, but please bear with me.

All of my life, I've enjoyed watching movies. They're escapist pleasure. But this year, I really got into live performance. It's not exactly easy to describe why I prefer seeing things in person, but I do. I think I can mostly attribute it to an indescribable energy that exists in the venue. No matter what it is I'm seeing, it's always there. I think it's the energy of the artist wanting to do it, whatever it is, right, of him or her not wanting to mess up, and of the audience not wanting him or her to mess up. This creates a very positive but still almost tentative environment.

But there is also another indescribable feeling that accompanies live performance. This is what the performer feels afterwards. I've felt it the most strongly when I was doing my bows for "Beauty and the Beast" last year. Even though I had a bit part, I had this incredible pride inside of myself for being a part of something that had pleased so many. This feeling, which can be rare, touches the audience, too. I know when I see a show where the cast is extremely proud of themselves afterwards, their glee rubs off on me and I get a little bit of the post-show high. Don't think that this can be limited to theater, though. I've also noticed it after some concerts.

The euphoria that follows a live performance is just one of the reasons I believe that everyone should try to see more events in person. While TV, movies, and YouTube are adequate at capturing emotion (and some media are more effective than others), they still cannot replicate the pure, unadulterated joy that comes with being a part of something special. There is a collectivity with live performance-the knowledge that you shared this experience with others makes the emotional impact even more powerful.

So before you spend $11 on another movie ticket, consider saving that money to go see a live performance. In our area, there is an abundance of affordable live performance. There are plenty of inexpensive concerts put on by good artists. You may not have heard of them, but they're still talented. For theater, many area theaters are trying to reach out to youth and have student discounts. It is not uncommon to find tickets to a professional production for $25 (or even less).

Midterm and final exams have marred the grades of countless hardworking students in this school. A person can receive two A's each quarter and get a C on the exam, leading to a B for the semester. Or if a person gets one question wrong on an exam it can lead to a full letter grade lower. These high stakes leave students with high stress levels which are actually detrimental to both learning and memory, and leaves students prone to minor illnesses.

Of course, exams do serve a purpose and although it may not seem like it to students, they can even be helpful. They encompass everything taught and learned over the semester. English teacher Mrs. Tooze says, "Semester exams are supposed to be a summative evaluation of what you have learned over the year. We ask students to draw on and ask you to extend what you have learned throughout the semester."

Exams are not only important to review material learned over the past semester, but also help teachers see what their students are not retaining and what they need to change for the upcoming year. "I do think exams have a place, especially for midterms, to review for material in the next quarter," says Spanish teacher Sra. Larisch. Not only that, but according to Tooze, "For juniors and seniors who are in the IB program, two hour exams are in preparation for the two hour IB exam at the end of senior year."

Despite the many useful applications of exams, their harshness and heavy weigh end up being detrimental to the students who work hard all year and who are perhaps not the strongest test takers. In contrast, students who are inconsistent have the opportunity to save their grade by cramming for a test that they know is worth a large portion of their grade. "I study right before an exam that I don't know anything about, but if I study I still can do well. It doesn't mean I know the material," says senior, Leidy Baldwin. "For the kids who try hard their grade can go down, and for the kids who don't try their grade can go up if they study hard before the test. It's a misrepresentation," says Baldwin. This sends a bad message to students and shows that students who slack don't have to work hard and can be rewarded while those who are well rounded and industrious are penalized for one high-stakes mistake.

"In general, exams (skill based classes are prone to this) are hard to do well on when they are over a semester worth of material. In my perception over my years of teaching, students tend to drop from half a letter grade to a whole letter grade after taking exams," says Spanish teacher Sra. Larisch. In a school as competitive and highly ranked as George Mason, why have a system in place where our well above average students regularly perform poorly?

Exams do help prepare students for college. In college, there will be classes where there may be only three or four major tests and projects where the grades students get on those assignments become the grade they get for the class. If students went to college without being prepared to take a summative midterm or final exam, their grades in college would suffer. However, if every element of college was applied to high school in order for students to "be prepared" for college, high school would be entirely different. There are obvious differences; high school students have many small grades, more assistance, smaller classes, less independence, do not study their areas of interest and have grades based on homework and participation.

Clearly it is important to know how to take tests because a large portion of a college education is focused on high stakes papers and tests, however there is more to a college student then being able to take a test. Semester grades demonstrate that a student can maintain good grades through hard work and good time management.

Standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT are high stakes tests that are another form of college qualifiers that show a student's ability to take tests. If these mandatory standardized tests enforce the same skill sets as the principles of end of semester exams do, then it is important to end redundancy and allow semester grades to be worth 90% or 85% of a student's overall grade with exams worth only 10% or 15%, allowing colleges to fully see two different education assets with a definable line. Blurring the line between academic diligence and test taking ability creates a preference for students who excel in only one area of studies and gives these students an edge while applying to competitive colleges.

We are never going to get rid of exams, but why not try to make them more worthwhile and less stressful to everyone? Of course teachers want to see what students remember and want to see how students make connection to things they have learned throughout the year, but should one test overshadow two quarters of sweat and blood? These life or death exams are supposed to summarize everything students have learned for the semester, but shouldn't quarter grades, which are taken from homework, tests, quizzes, class participation, and organization, have a greater weight on our grades instead?

The obvious solution would be to continue having biannual exams, but that are worth only 15% or 10% of an overall semester grade. Like this idea or think it makes sense? Try to make a difference by contacting an SCA or PTA member to enact change for the better in your life, and the life of everyone at George Mason.

It was an odd sight on Monday night. In the 55 year history of the storied Tonight Show, there have been only four hosts. The most recent one, Jay Leno, had held the post for 17 years, which is longer than the amount of time that many of his viewers have been alive. On Monday night, history was made as the fifth host took over. After years of preparation, Conan O'Brien was finally ready to take over the job he had dreamed of his entire life. Just like when he took over for previous gig at Late Night, there was some concern about whether O'Brien was ready for an earlier timeslot, and a show whose audience may not be as receptive towards his zany antics which made him a talk-show legend. Could O'Brien once again prove the doubters wrong?

Conan answered the skeptics by showing that after 16 years of his own show and five years to prepare for the Tonight gig, not only was he ready, but he would excel at the job. O'Brien has been off the air for three months in order to make the transition from New York and Late Night to California, but it seems that he hasn't missed a step. The opening sketch saw Conan brushing his teeth 20 minutes before his debut show was supposed to begin, after which he checked off a list full of mundane activities, with only one goal left unmarked. Unfortunately, that one goal was move to Los Angeles, as Conan looked out the window to see that he was still in New York. A cross-country run then followed, as Conan passed numerous landmarks all across America, but upon arriving to Universal Studios in California, he couldn't get into the locked doors of his show, as he left the keys back in NYC. O'Brien then decided at that point to simply commandeer a bulldozer, and enter the studio on his own.

That opening sketch firmly stated that O'Brien was going to retain the same zany, absurd humor that made him so famous in the first place. And quite frankly, that is exactly what O'Brien's fans were hoping. Coming onto a beautiful new set designed specifically for the show, and joined by the same band that had accompanied him for his 16 years on Late Night, O'Brien was introduced to the crowd by announcer Andy Richter, who was O'Brien's sidekick for the first seven years of Late Night, before leaving to pursue a career in acting. O'Brien did not appear to be nervous at all, and gave an opening monologue that delivered general jokes regarding O'Brien's new job in lieu of topical humor. O'Brien's opening act, which went on for nearly 25 minutes without a commercial, included stealing the "D" from the famous "Hollywood" sign, rewriting the lyrics of the song "Hollywood" as such (Richter would later comment that "Holly-WOO!" sounded much catchier,) and having the top portion of the letter obliterated. He also showed a video of him giving a tour on Universal Studios, which gave O'Brien the chance to improvise and be his funniest. This included having the customers on the tour chant for the bus to go in a circle, where Conan said "If we get this thing fast enough, we can go back in time; we can save Abraham Lincoln!"

O'Brien's first guest on the show was coincidentally his final guest on Late Night three months ago. Will Ferrell came on the show to promote his newest movie. Ferrell stated that he didn't want to upstage Conan's first night, so he came out lying on a bed being carried by four men dressed in ancient Roman attire.

If O'Brien can have shows that are as consistently funny as his debut performance, then The Tonight Show will be a success for years to come. It is rare for a talk show host to be confident instead of nervous during his debut, but when you consider that the entire hour was filled with laughs, O'Brien seems to have created a talk show that will only get better in the coming months.

Surfing off a wave of anticipation, Grizzly Bear rode into spring with the album of fall 2009. Even if the album is two seasons off, people aren't complaining on the odd timing for Grizzly Bear to deliver their tightest, most thought through effort to date.

Like most classic albums, it begs to be listened to as a whole. Songs bleed into each other effortlessly and stick to each other like peanut butter and jelly. Grizzly Bear even manages to keep the sweet taste of jelly with their pitch perfect harmonies which are most perfectly executed on the synth-based epic, "I Live With You" and their first single, "Two Weeks."

Grizzly Bear even manages to throw in some tropical island guitar on the song, "About Face"; a move being masterfully executed by smaller acts of the year such as Black Dice and Abe Vigoda. Where Black Dice twist their melodies in alien psychedelics and Abe Vigoda bury their guitars in distorted delay, Grizzly Bear soaks in the sun with warm acoustic guitar, soft vocals, and chugging percussion.

"About Face" is about as close to the "summer vibes" as the album gets. After all, Grizzly Bear flourishes on their more moody efforts. Ready, Able is the sure standout for "the moody track" of the album. Complete with organs and the repeated phrase, "They go we go, I want you to know what I did," it's as if Droste has that aching pain to tell the truth but can't muster up the courage. It's a powerful statement that many people have struggled with before in life. Yet that's what makes Grizzly Bear so inviting; the fact that they provide honest, human lyrics with irresistible instrumentation make Veckatimest an album that can't be overlooked.

The National Tour of Spring Awakening is coming to the DC area this summer. It will be in Baltimore June 9-21 and at the Kennedy Center July 7-August 2. Musician Kyle Riabko will be playing the lead role of Melchior in Baltimore and actor Jake Epstein ("Degrassi") will be premiering as Melchior in DC.

One thing I really love about Spring Awakening is its (relative) affordability. Tickets for Baltimore can be purchased for Tuesday through Thursday nights for $25 ($37 with fees, but you'd be paying those fees no matter what price level you chose). There are also on-stage seats available in Baltimore if you go to the Hippodrome Box office (12 Eutaw St., Baltimore) in person. They are also relatively inexpensive. Similarly, the Kennedy Center is offering $25 seats, and it is likely that people between the ages of 17 and 25 are going to be able to buy other discounted seats though the Ken Cen's Attend program. Also, there will be a "look-in" July 15 at the Kennedy Center where guests can talk to the artists and so forth (for more information, please see this link: http://kennedy-center.org/calendar/index.cfm?fuseaction=showEvent&event=PJPTG )

To contact the Hippodrome (Baltimore):
http://france-merrickpac.com/tickets/index.html

To contact the Kennedy Center (DC):
Spring Awakening page: http://kennedy-center.org/calendar/index.cfm?fuseaction=showEvent&event=TJTSH#schedule

The following article was originally posted to Lasso on November 4, 2008:

Spring Awakening
By Katie Buenneke (November 4, 2008)

If you're wondering why this review is titled differently from all my others, you may be very surprised to find out that words fail me. If you've ever met me in person, you know that I am a rather vocal individual, so the fact that I can't even start to describe this musical should say something. The word "amazing" is the only thing that comes to mind, but to me, that word is too bland and overused to even begin to describe "Spring Awakening."

"Spring Awakening" first opened at the Eugene O'Neill Theater on Broadway on December 10, 2006. It proceeded to make a verifiable sweep of the 2007 Tonys, bringing home eight, including Best Musical. I was first introduced to the soundtrack a few weeks after its release, but recently, I purchased the entire album and was stunned by the musical mastery composer Duncan Sheik and lyricist/adapter Steven Sheik show in the stripped down songs. Even taken out of context, they are completely relevant to a teenager's life in some way or another. Seeing the musical, however, and how they fall into the storyline really enhances everything.

The musical is set in a small German town in the 1890s (it's based on the Frank Wedekind play of the same name from that era). It revolves around the extremely sheltered youth of the town, namely Melchior, Wendla, Moritz, and their friends. Their lack of knowledge about certain parts of life leads to a lot of trouble, and seeing this resolution is truly jarring. Melchior is a freethinker and revolutionary of sorts, who is attracted to the naïve but intuitive Wendla. Moritz, Melchior's friend, is going through a really rough patch in both school and life, and does not know where to turn for help.

Spring Awakening takes every concept the viewer has ever had about a Broadway musical and completely turns it around. The staging is the most unusual I have ever seen, and the music is unlike that of any musical I have ever listened to. However, this unusual approach pays off, resulting in the most innovative and touching musical I have ever seen. The cast I saw is extremely young and new to the Broadway scene - 16 out of the 20 cast members were making their Broadway debut, a fact that makes the events of the musical quite believable. The cast, led by Hunter Parrish ("Weeds") as Melchior, makes the production feel very private and intimate. The pure, raw emotion Parrish gives off in one of the closing scenes is so heart wrenching that, days later, I am still moved thinking about it.

I only had one problem with the entire musical, and it is an easily remedied one. Some of the sung chords did not quite "lock," and while Parrish's voice was spectacular at the end, I could tell he was a bit shaky at the beginning. If you, reader, take my advice to see just one movie or play I have ever recommended, see "Spring Awakening"!

Surfing off a wave of anticipation, Grizzly Bear rode into spring with the album of fall 2009. Even if the album is two seasons off, people aren't complaining on the odd timing for Grizzly Bear to deliver their tightest, most thought through effort to date.

Like most classic albums, it begs to be listened to as a whole. Songs bleed into each other effortlessly and stick to each other like peanut butter and jelly. Grizzly Bear even manages to keep the sweet taste of jelly with their pitch perfect harmonies which are most perfectly executed on the synth-based epic, "I Live With You" and their first single, "Two Weeks."

Grizzly Bear even manages to throw in some tropical island guitar on the song, "About Face"; a move being masterfully executed by smaller acts of the year such as Black Dice and Abe Vigoda. Where Black Dice twist their melodies in alien psychedelics and Abe Vigoda bury their guitars in distorted delay, Grizzly Bear soaks in the sun with warm acoustic guitar, soft vocals, and chugging percussion.

"About Face" is about as close to the "summer vibes" as the album gets. After all, Grizzly Bear flourishes on their more moody efforts. Ready, Able is the sure standout for "the moody track" of the album. Complete with organs and the repeated phrase, "They go we go, I want you to know what I did," it's as if Droste has that aching pain to tell the truth but can't muster up the courage. It's a powerful statement that many people have struggled with before in life. Yet that's what makes Grizzly Bear so inviting; the fact that they provide honest, human lyrics with irresistible instrumentation make Veckatimest an album that can't be overlooked.