1. Save Money: At many brand name stores (i.e. Hollister, Free People, American Eagle, Vans, etc) a simple T-shirt can cost about $20. One trip to the mall can result with an empty wallet and maybe one full outfit. Thrift shops offer more for the same amount of a shopping trip to the mall.

2. Unique Style: How many times have there been when someone else wore the same exact outfit? That is the problem with shopping. Most retail stores stock up on the same piece of clothing, increasing the chance of twinning with a complete stranger. However, in thrift shops, there are many different articles of clothing to choose from, decreasing the chance of twinning with a stranger.

Tips to Remember While Thrifting:

1. Try Clothes On: Some pieces of clothing tend to look better on the racks or on the mannequin, but it might not look flattering on the body.

2. Thoroughly Browse the Racks: Unlike popular retail stores, thrift shops won’t be organized by the same shirt or style. There are many different styles and brands to choose from that might not catch the eye the first look through the racks.

3. Wash the Clothes: Most places will have washed the clothes, but it is unknown as to who tried them on before, or if they are even washed in the first place. This is a tip for hygiene.

Toy Story 3: Although this isn’t the original Toy Story, “Toy Story 3″ has made the best animated movie list because of the emotional and feel-good plot. Andy is grown and is about to leave for college, and he is going to leave his toys destined for the attic. The toys are mistakenly brought to a day care center where they face an enemy, Lots-o’-Huggin bear. The toys, who are extremely loyal to Andy, try to escape in order to get home to Andy before he leaves for college.The movie is filled with plot twists which keep the audience entertained. There are several situations the toys get themselves in which are relatable to the first two “Toy Story” movies. Although this movie is a comedy, it is filled with emotional scenes about growing up and a toy’s loyalty.

Up: “Up” represents how one should always try and fulfill their dreams, even if they need a little help. In this story, a retired 78-year-old named Carl makes a promise to his deceased wife to travel to South America. He puts thousands of balloons on his home and starts to fly away when he realizes Russell, a young boy scout, has become a stow away. Although Carl doesn’t want an accompanist, Russell proves to be the person he needs the most. Together they embark on the adventure, where they encounter talking dogs, evil villains, and an endangered bird named Kevin. This movie depicts how one can become friends with people they would never think of and how sometimes all one needs is a true friend. “Up” makes viewers  feel uplifted.

Monsters, Inc.: “Monsters Inc.” is a timeless film about true compassion and the bond of friendship. Sully and Mike are two monsters working at a facility which scares children to power for their parallel universe.  When a young girl named Boo escapes from her door and befriends Mike and Sully, their world is turned upside down. They develop affection towards Boo and try to get her home safely, but there are many people trying to take Boo for their own cruel intentions. Through quick-wit and the great bond of friendship, Mike and Sully beat the odds and get her home and break the ideology of scaring children to get power for their city. “Monsters, Inc.” is of the more popular Disney-Pixar movies, and it’s funny and silly plot always entertains.

The story follows the life of Burt Wonderstone (Steve Carrel) as he follows his dream of becoming a magician. With his friend and co-magician Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi) they eventually rise to the top and are regulars in a Las Vegas hotel. They meet there first obstacle, though, when new street magician Steve Gray (Jim Carrey) comes on the scene with some unique ‘tricks’.

The overall feeling of the film is more of a funny story rather than a comedy with the normal joke-after-joke. The actors and the story both do not take themselves too seriously.

That said, the movie was extremely well done and with a fairly large budget of around $30,000,000 they spared no expense in costumes, locations, props and cameos.  Lastly, aside from the famous leads, there were also a few real celebrity magicians such as David Copperfield who made an appearance.

Jim Carrey was unfortunately not seen as much as one might expect. When he was onscreen, though, he and Carrel played off each other very well. All of the talented actors worked with a script that perhaps did not compare with their own abilities.

This is one of those movies which will get a lot of views and make a ton of money because of the famous faces in it, but if it weren’t for those big names, it would not be that good of a movie. If you are not a fan of Carrel or Carrey, or are looking for more of a laugh, look elsewhere.

The historical drama “Emperor” proves this while telling the story of the investigation of war crimes of Emperor Hirohito in post- WWII Japan. The film is inspired by true events as General Douglas MacArthur (Tommy Lee Jones) and General Bonner Fellers (Matthew Fox) try to undercover facts from several sources about the role Hirohito played in the war.

It’s the end of WWII after Japan surrendered, and General MacArthur is on assignment to rebuild Japan. After they land in Japan, Fellers is assigned the impossible task of finding evidence to determine if Hirohito should be hanged or not. Fellers is given his own personal translator and an assistant, to whom he assigns a mission to find a Japanese woman, Aya.  Fellers previously had a relationship with Aya, but they were torn apart and haven’t seen each other in five years. Throughout his investigations, Fellers constantly has flashbacks of his times with Aya, which actually helps him to concur findings about the emperor.

The target audience for “Emperor” isn’t necessarily teenagers. The theater will most likely be filled with adults around 40 and over. However, the storyline is one which can be enjoyed by all. History buffs and romantics will both find something to appreciate in this film.

The movie depicts the real-life events of searching for evidence to incriminate, try and hang Hirohito, with its own added twists along the way. An underlying love story throughout gives the film more of an angle. The idea of searching for a long-lost love adds a romantic and heartwarming feeling to an extremely depressing time in history.

One of the most impressive aspects about the movie is the setting. The set is incredible, with believable recreations of what post-war Japan would’ve looked like. Everything from bombed ruins to the cars the Japanese drove and the buildings they worked in are all carefully mimicked to create as authentic a set as possible.

As for the acting, the entire cast does an incredible job portraying their historical figures. The personalities of the famous wartime men shine through the actors. One noticeable aspect of the characters is that the movie isn’t filled with young and popular Hollywood actors. A majority of the cast is Japanese actors making their American film debuts, and they all certainly left a mark in the industry. Jones is the most famous actor out of the bunch, and Fox has had a few large roles, but ultimately, the cast is relatively small and unknown.

Like many history movies, “Emperor” has its slow parts, but overall it is an entertaining adaptation of real life events with a unique perspective to a WWII film.

“Oz”, a sleazy self-serving man obsessed with money. One day, he escapes trouble in a hot air balloon and lands in the magical land of Oz. There he is greeted by the witch Theodora (Mila Kunis), who believes he is the wizard who will come to rule Oz,. According to the prophecy made by the late king. They travel to the Emerald City and meet Evanora (Rachel Weisz), the sister of Theodora, who tells Oz he cannot inherent the throne (and all its riches) until he kills the Wicked Witch. He reluctantly agrees and sets out on his adventure, meeting some friends along the way.

There are many allusions to original “Wizard of Oz,” including the poppy fields of sleep and the yellow brick road where the journey begins. Thanks to the technology of the 21st century, the film entirely relies on CGI for its visual effects, and for the most part its pop-out color and brightness fits in with the world of Oz, though it can sometimes be a bit too much. Recreating the world of childhood is a tall order; luckily the over-the-top scenery and CGI works for the film and helps bring Oz to life. Like its predecessor, the film begins in black and white while Oz is on Kansas, a nice touch. Some of the characters in the land of Oz are also seen in the Kansas scene as well, including Zach Braff in the form of Oz’s assistant (and the monkey Finley in the world of Oz) and Michelle Williams as Annie (better known as Glinda),  yet another element seen in the ‘39 version.

The film is also surprisingly comical, coming mostly in the form of Finley the monkey, who never fails to provide comic relief for the film. Franco fits the bill as well as Oz. Starting out as a sleazy character, Franco’s Cheshire grin works for the film and his trip down the road of redemption is enjoyable to see over the course of the film. Michelle Williams does justice to Glinda, capturing all the doe-eyed goodness of the character. Franco and Williams share many scenes, and the duo works well together throughout the film. Her character isn’t over the top and her subtle acting is just what is needed, especially with the theatricality of the two witch sisters. Out of the two, one is better actress than the other, however the film missed one mark: the terror of the Wicked Witch of the West. It’s a surprisingly weak interpretation of a role which could have been the highlight of the film.

Regardless, “Oz: the Great and Powerful” still manages to capture the charm and magic of Oz, and most of its actors leave their mark in a positive way. The clever lines add to the charming aspect, and the welcome return to Oz by moviegoers proves there truly is no place like home.

Type of Music: Pop Punk

Album: “Dedicated to Deadlines EP”

Background: In 2009, Dalton Wixom (lead vocals/rhythm guitarist) and Brady Szuhaj (bass guitar/harmony) started working together. Since then, they have recruited Drew Cottrell (drums) and Clayton Collins (lead guitar). The band has been touring with Bryan Stars and have been posting covers on their YouTube page. They will soon push their way through the music industry with their young but mature style.

Name: Before You Exit

Type of Music: Pop Rock

Album: “A Short Story Long EP,” “I Like That” (Single)

Background: Brothers Riley (vocals) and Connor McDonough (vocals/guitar) started working together a few years ago. The two recently recruited their younger brother Toby (vocals), Thomas Silvers (drums) and Braiden Wood (guitar). The band have been posting covers and other videos on their YouTube page. With their young pop-rock sound, the group will be around for a while.

Name: Hollywood Ending

Type of Music: Pop Rock

Album: “Always 18 EP”

Background: The band formed summer 2011. These boys came together from all over the world- Maryland, New York, and the UK- to hit the music industry hard. The boys got their start on Radio Disney’s Next Big Thing. Tyler Wilson (vocals), Cameron Byrd (guitar/vocals) and Dan Geraghty (guitar) are still going strong even after Chris Bourne (bass) left the group.

“We’re a very high-functioning school, so we wonder what will change in the near future,” Spanish teacher Susan Chandler said. “I hope the school retains continuity once he leaves.”

Administrative assistant Sue Henderson said she has learned to appreciate to the positivity Meier brings to the main office and will miss it once he leaves.

“It’s been a pleasure to work with him for the past five years because, 99.9 percent of the time, he has a smile on his face when he comes in,” Henderson said. “It’s only something pretty bad that will stress him out so that he isn’t smiling, but he comes around.”

IB Coordinator Lisa Green said Meier has never restricted his cheer to the confines of the main office, but has introduced encouragement into each of the classrooms he visits on a daily basis.

“Him having a positive attitude about change and new ideas helps teachers stay excited about what they’re teaching and really encourages them to think outside the box with new ideas,” Green said. “He is everywhere and really sends the message that he’s not a distant leader.”

History teacher Michael Van Wambeke said another facet of Meier’s leadership that helped him transition into the school last year was his interest in staff members and their careers.

“The thing that most impressed me about Mr. Meier was how welcoming he was; he had a Staff Orientation Day for all the new teachers and introduced me to the assistant principals, the secretaries and custodians,” Van Wambeke said. “The fact that he was accessible and really mingled with us was impressive. The fact that he also knew my name within a few months of my arrival here was something that I thought really showed his attention to detail and knowledge.”

“The most important job is to hire outstanding teachers and supervise them, to hire quality people. I’ve always believed in a team mentality, that every single job at school is important. I treat everyone as an integral part of our mission.”

IB Coordinator Wendy Vu said she remains optimistic that the legacy Meier is leaving behind will continue guiding the school in an ideal direction.

“Robinson is successful because teachers feel empowered to share ideas, and that’s from Mr. Meier; that’s the type of culture he’s created,” Vu said. “Robinson is not broken; the new principal should be someone who knows this and provides a vision on how to move the school even further forward.”

Upon reflection, Meier said one of his most crucial duties as principal was to hire outstanding teachers, and that, through his collaboration with such teachers, he has created a team atmosphere he is confident will remain present at the school for years to come.

Meier said, “Because of the strengths and talents of these professionals, I know the school will flourish without me. We always go forward, and I certainly know I’m leaving it a better place.”

“When I got to Robinson all the other schools were either just built or had received money for renovations.” Meier said, “I felt as though we were behind all the other schools.”

When Meier first got to the school there were no telephones in every class room, there were not any smartboards and the school did not have as many computers as it does now. Since the school never received any money for renovations, the computer and technology were added in increments.

“Whenever money was found in the budget, we would add computers.” Meier said.

Other accomplishments that Meier lists is when ABC’s 20/20 came to the school to do a piece on academic accomplishments. Former host Charlie Gibson came and interviewed teachers about the website turnitin.com.

Meier has also served as the President of Farifax County High School Principals association; he was the president from 2007 to 2009. As well as serving as the president he also served as the Chairman for the Northern Region Council from 2005 to 2006.

“When serving as the president of the high school principals you are in charge of the academic side of high schools.” Meier said, “Whereas the Northern Region Chairman is in charge of the athletic part of high school.”

Before Meier became the principal of the school, he was a coach at Chantilly. When he was offered the position at the school he decided that he would not become the principal of the school unless his kids were willing to come to the school as well.

“Robinson was a great school when I got here,” Meier said “All I did was polish and enhance the school.”

“Since I was really young, this has always been an issue; I have a lot of family members and very close friends who are part of the LGBT community and, my whole life, we have been very involved in civil rights issues,” said senior GSA president Hannah Selz. “It’s nice to finally see our personal civil rights issue, our personal fight, in the forefront because you know that what you’re doing is creating progress. It’s not just talk or wishful thinking anymore, but actual change being made, and we know that we are part of history.”

Senior GSA member Brianna Burford said she attends GSA meetings partially to discuss current events, including the Supreme Court’s upcoming LGBT rulings, as well as to spend time with friends in the club.

“I go to GSA pretty much every week, where we discuss current events that relate to LGBT rights, such as Prop. 8, or do activities like ‘How to Defend Gay Rights’ logically if you’re in an argument,” Burford said.  “Everyone is a friend here, even if we didn’t know each other before GSA, and it’s tons of fun. Everyone is supportive to each other and there aren’t just LGBT people, there are straight people here too; that’s a common misconception about the club. It’s just a really fun club that anyone interested in LGBT rights should join.”

Freshman GSA member Kayden Ortiz said club members make efforts to discuss gay rights with peers, aiming to share the club’s message of tolerance and increase awareness of its nation-wide progress. Ortiz said some of these efforts have paid off exponentially.

“I had a bisexual college friend last night on Twitter, and she was really upset and wanted to kill herself, and I talked to her and kept talking to her and she actually said I saved her life,” Ortiz said. “I’ve had a lot of wonderful experiences with different people outside of GSA, some who support LGBT and some who don’t. I love talking to people about LGBT rights and I’m really adamant and passionate about it. I’m always following the ‘It Gets Better’ project, posting stuff on YouTube and letting kids know ‘it really does get better.’”

Though sophomore GSA member Anna Gaskill said the GSA’s efforts may change to adapt to future Court verdicts on gay marriage, she believes the club’s core platform will remain the same.

Gaskill said, “I think the GSA is going to keep fighting for equality until people feel that they can openly be themselves, because, in the way that racism is still around, there’s still going to be bullying and homophobia, so we’re still going to fight for our rights and to feel safe everywhere.”

Career Center Administrator Eileen Doyle said the balloon board has been a tradition since before she arrived here five years ago and, to her knowledge, earlier than 2004.

“It’s a big tradition here and the students have always loved it, so I’ve continued it,” Doyle said.

Sometime around third quarter, Doyle e-mails all of the seniors inviting them to put their name on a balloon. The students can list themselves under the college they will be attending, military service, work or a gap year. The balloons stay up from early third quarter until the seniors graduate in June.

At this point Doyle said she only has 10% of the senior class, but students do not necessarily have to do it. Doyle does not display the information unless the student comes to her, even if parents ask.

“The balloons are for every student, no matter what they’re doing after high school,” Doyle said. “The students can see what all of their friends are going on to do, or who they’re going to school with.”

The balloons’ separate parts include people and baskets that are all recycled and reused every year and kept in a filing cabinet. She said she has about 300 to 400, so she is often stunned when she finds a college that does not already have a balloon.

“It actually takes a lot of time to organize each balloon and put it up, so I have my volunteers help me most often,” Doyle said.

She said she was brainstorming with the Career Center volunteers for a new post-high school board, but it has been difficult coming up with a shape which fits names and has meaning to the students.  ‘Up and On’ balloon theme will remain until she has a new way to update it, Doyle said.