The pressure to be perfect
Riley Cosgrove, Executive Online Editor
May 1, 2013
The college admissions process is a lot like eHarmony. You create a summary of yourself and who you are, send it out, and hope to find a match. Both processes, on the surface, promise everlasting happiness. And in both processes, there is an overbearing pressure to appear perfect. With online... Read More
The Way I See It: St. Patrick’s Day
Riley Cosgrove, Executive Online Editor
March 17, 2013
I’m pretty Irish. My dad’s family is straight out of Galway, Ireland and I’ve got the red-cheeked tinge and 3 layered Irish name (first, middle, and last) to prove it. So, believe me when I say that St. Patrick’s Day is a pointless holiday as celebrated in the U.S. Really, what are... Read More
Rejection 101
Riley Cosgrove, Executive Online Editor
February 28, 2013
It’s that time, seniors. College decisions are coming back in March, and we’re all a little on edge about the influx of life-changing mail. For some of us who applied to far too many schools, nearly bankrupting our families and losing our own sanity, we will be receiving a substantial amount... Read More
The Way I See It: Second Semester Seniors
Riley Cosgrove, Executive Online Editor
February 20, 2013
The fact that it’s taken me two months to write this story is a testament to how strong my “Senioritis” is. To teachers and underclassmen alike, nothing is more annoying than disruptive, defiant seniors who sleep in class and refuse to do work. In certain classrooms, even... Read More
Review: 2013 Langley Fashion Show
Riley Cosgrove, Executive Online Editor
February 3, 2013
Before I went to the Langley Fashion Show, I was confused as to how the theme of a Masquerade would work, considering the last thing anyone wants when they’re onstage is to be unrecognizable (unless you dance like I do). I have to say, though, I found the theme to be both inventive and fairly... Read More
Letter from the Editor
Riley Cosgrove, Executive Online Editor
January 18, 2013
If you wake up each morning to the smell of freshly-brewed coffee and peruse a crinkled newspaper, congratulations: you’re both in the minority of our generation and over forty years old. The way we produce and receive news is changing. You can clutch that newspaper in your hands all you... Read More
Langley Boys Varsity Basketball defeats McLean
Riley Cosgrove, Executive Online Editor
January 16, 2013
The Langley Boys Varsity Basketball Team defeated the McLean Highlanders 47-46 at a game held at McLean High School. The Saxons next game is against the Thomas Jefferson Colonials on Jan. 18 and will be held at Langley. ... Read More
Riley’s 2013 Oscar Picks
Riley Cosgrove, Executive Online Editor
January 11, 2013
2012 was chock full of fantastic films. From “Lincoln” to “Les Misérables,” we were moved, incensed, and shocked at movie theaters this year. There weren’t too many surprises in the recently released nominations list, except for Ben Affleck not being nominated for Best Director... Read More
New Year’s resolution tips
Riley Cosgrove, Executive Online Editor
January 2, 2013
Executive Online Editor Riley Cosgrove gives celebrities tips on their 2013 New Year’s Resolutions: 1. Lindsay Lohan needs to stop acting. Even when acting as Liz Taylor, someone Lohan could somewhat relate to, she was terrible. Lindsay, your acting days were over after Mean Girls. It’s... Read More
Is it the end of the world as we know it?
Riley Cosgrove, Executive Online Editor
December 20, 2012
Editors Note: This story may or may not be updated on Dec. 22: The Mayans supposedly predicted the end of the world would come Dec. 21, 2012. This Friday. Even though NASA has discredited the claims, who’s more reliable, NASA or the Mayans? It’s a toss-up, really. I think it’s wise,... Read More
Fairfax County emphasizes school safety procedures
Riley Cosgrove, Executive Online Editor
December 17, 2012
Update Dec. 18: Langley’s Principal Mr. Matthew Ragone sent an email detailing changes to Langley’s school security plans in the wake of the shootings in Newtown, Connecticut. Door access at Langley will be restricted. Door 1, the front door, and doors 4 and 5, the doors... Read More
Merry Christmas?
Riley Cosgrove, Executive Opinion Editor
December 14, 2012
I love Christmas. Roasting chestnuts on an open fire, watching Elf and Home Alone, wondering what color socks I’ll be receiving from my grandma– the whole holiday season really makes me feel like a little kid again (minus the whole fat and socially awkward thing). But my love for Christmas... Read More
Teacher of the Year: Ms. Bonafide
Riley Cosgrove, Executive Online Editor
December 12, 2012
When you think of a teacher who’d win “Teacher of the Year,” you probably think of a teacher who makes effective handouts, a few jokes in class, and assigns fun projects. Only a few teachers at Langley can encompass all of these traits, and one of them is Ms. Jennifer Bonafide. Jennifer... Read More
Blackout Bullying week
Riley Cosgrove, Executive Online Editor
December 9, 2012
You walk into school and you’re greeted with taunts and stares. You go to your first period and you’re met with whispers and insults that your classmates pretend you can’t hear. You want to crawl into your skin and never come to school again. This is what a typical day of school can be... Read More
Spanish honor society holds “Zumba” class
Riley Cosgrove, Executive Online Editor
December 5, 2012
The Spanish Honor Society held a “Zumba“class in the cafeteria on Tuesday. Students, teachers and members of the Spanish Honor Society danced to the beat of Latin music during the dance class that was held after school. ... Read More
Opinion: Black Friday, A horror story
Riley Cosgrove, Executive Opinion Editor
November 25, 2012
This Thanksgiving break was one of many bad decisions for me: from the three pieces of pumpkin pie to Black Friday shopping in New York City, I’ve got a lot of regrets. Shopaholics like myself might be salivating at the thought of Black Friday bargain shopping in the fashion capital... Read More
Procrastination nation: Methods to prevent chronic procrastination
Riley Cosgrove, Executive Opinion Editor
November 9, 2012
It’s 6 p.m. on a Thursday night, and you’re thinking it’s probably time to start your homework. But first, you put out a quick tweet about how annoying your assignments are. You “favorite” enough Tweets that you’ve reached the limit of acceptable stalking, so you move on to Facebook,... Read More
Great Falls in chains
Riley Cosgrove, Executive Opinion Editor
September 16, 2012
Great Falls has chains. Not the diamond-encrusted dollar sign chains worn by rappers with nothing better to spend money on, and not the actual rapper 2 Chainz (you know you’ve made it big in the industry when you can include both a number and a “z” in your name): but chain restaurants. It... Read More
Prom 2012
Riley Cosgrove, Opinion Editor
May 22, 2012
After hours of primping, a process I could liken to peeling back the layers of an onion, Le Cirque finally arrived. This year’s prom was, at least for me, an adventure at every turn, but an adventure I naturally would never want to have missed out on. The dance itself was extremely well put-together... Read More
Hello Great Falls, and welcome to my crib
Riley Cosgrove, Opinion Editor
April 26, 2012
The new mansion being built in Great Falls is ridiculous. From this opening sentence, I have both already failed to shock 80 percent of my audience and reinforced all stereotypical notions of what living in Great Falls is like. But when I say “ridiculous,” I don’t mean ridiculous in a... Read More
Tanorexia: the epidemic
Riley Cosgrove, Opinion Editor
March 27, 2012
According to Web-MD, a website I use frequently to diagnose myself with a slew of severe illnesses, “Tanorexia” is a disease in which a bronzed girl looks at herself in the mirror and sees Casper the Friendly Ghost looking back at her. Said girl thus feels the need to continually apply... Read More
Online overload
Riley Cosgrove, Opinion Editor
February 9, 2012
I love social networking as much as the next guy—and if you’ve seen my Twitter, you can attest to that. But the problem with social networking sites in general is the curse of over-sharing. Ever been on FaceBook or Twitter and someone posts something way too personal? Like “just ate another... Read More
Reali-TV
Riley Cosgrove, Staff Writer
January 21, 2012
Reality television is probably the best thing ever created (I mean, next to Twitter or Chipotle, of course.) You probably assumed that I’m a lot dumber than you thought since I actually said that. In reality, though, (a pun, cue the phony laughter) reality television is probably better than... Read More
True Life: “Why yes, it is designer”
Riley Cosgrove, Staff Writer
January 13, 2012
They say admitting to yourself that you have a problem is the first step to recovering from an addiction. Though disagreement abounds over this, namely from Charlie Sheen, I will do so in the interest of experimentation. So, here goes: I am addicted to shopping. Was that anticlimactic? A little.... Read More
New year, same old me
Riley Cosgrove, Staff Writer
January 5, 2012
At midnight on January 1, 2012, I felt an electrifying change in myself. Suddenly, I became a different person, content only with the simple things in life, uninterested in selfish pursuits like shopping and appearances, and desiring only to help those less fortunate and live a happier life.... Read More
To give or not to give
Riley Cosgrove, Staff Writer
December 25, 2011
We are now coming upon my favorite season: the season of receiving. If you think that’s a typo and I selflessly meant to say it’s the “season of giving,” you are wrong, and think too highly of me. The holidays bring out my inner Scrooge, which is ironic, since it’s supposed to bring... Read More
Better safe than sorry
Riley Cosgrove, Staff Writer
December 19, 2011
You’re racing around your house in at 7 a.m. on a typical school day, desperately trying to make the 7:20 start time. On your way out, you’re grabbing your backpack, keys, and maybe some breakfast. You run out of the house and slam the door, thinking about how much trouble you’ll be in... Read More
Introducing: The Way I See It
Riley Cosgrove, Staff Writer
December 9, 2011
Starting this week, staff writer Riley Cosgrove will be writing a weekly column entitled “The Way I See It.” Cosgrove, a junior, will be sharing her unique and entertaining take on all aspects of life at Langley, from academics to activities to social life. Hungry Like a Pack of... Read More
XOXO, @LHSproblemz
Riley Cosgrove, Staff Writer
November 10, 2011
For the #tweeps out there who can’t get enough of their friends ranting about problems at Langley, there is now a new Twitter account that organizes all their problems into one place (#saxonsunited). The Twitter addicts at Langley have probably already heard of this new account, @LHSproblemz,... Read More
Social network faceoff
Riley Cosgrove, Staff Writer
October 20, 2011
Ever since I joined Facebook, I was hooked. It has pictures, statuses, wall posts, chat, messaging- basically whatever you want, Facebook has. You can learn anything you want about a person from their profile without going through the trouble of actually talking to them in person(#stalkersparadise).For... Read More
Summer love: CON
Riley Cosgrove, Staff Writer
June 14, 2011
There’s just something about the summer season that sets up new breeding ground for relationships. Be it the tranquil sunsets, carefree outlook or beach setting, the summer makes us all in the mood for love. But, more obstacles exist in the summer than those apparent during the structured... Read More
Teacher appreciation luncheon
Riley Cosgrove, Staff Writer
May 6, 2011
In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, the PTSA organized a dessert buffet, which included a chocolate fountain, fruit, and brownies, for the teachers and staff at Langley. ... Read More
A royal affair
Riley Cosgrove, Staff Writer
April 29, 2011
Marrying a prince–it’s every girl’s dream. Or at least, every girl who grew up watching Disney classics and The Princess Diaries. Today, this dream came true for Kate Middleton, the new wife of Prince William. The bride looked radiant in a stunning Alexander McQueen wedding gown,... Read More
Battle of the Bands
Riley Cosgrove, Staff Writer
March 1, 2011
Langley students attending the annual Battle of the Bands competition on Saturday were treated to a concert-like experience featuring bands comprised of their very own peers. Different methods were used to get the crowd hyped up, including interesting hats and the lead singer of one band taking... Read More
Sign on the dotted line
Riley Cosgrove, Staff Writer
February 23, 2011
The time of course selections is rapidly approaching. With it comes a new AP contract for the 2011-2012 school year that could sway undecided students who are considering adding AP classes to their course load. The major difference in this contract and the one used in past years is that now... Read More
Matchmaker Results Are In
Riley Cosgrove, Staff Writer
February 16, 2011
Do you think you’re a perfect match for Trey Songz? How about President Barack Obama, Lord Voldemort, or Donald Duck? If you said yes to any of these options, you may want to consider purchasing your Heart to Heart survey results, which are being sold at all lunches this week by the SGA for... Read More
The Price of an Education
Riley Cosgrove, Staff Writer
December 3, 2010
During the first week of December, Langley students taking AP courses can expect to receive a bill from FCPS for the AP exams in May. The fee is $75 per exam, and the exams are mandatory for students enrolled in AP courses. Parents and students are advised by FCPS to wait to pay the $75 fee... Read More
Kids Helping Kids
Riley Cosgrove, Staff Writer
December 3, 2010
Even though “’tis the season to be jolly,” it’s difficult to be jolly at all when you are an underprivileged child and will be receiving few gifts this holiday season. However, it is also the season of giving, and we at Langley can be responsible for creating memorable holidays for... Read More