Editorial by the Editors

            We’d like to take the opportunity to welcome you all to the Summer 2008 Edition of Graffiti. Now, those of you who have been following Graffiti for the past few years might be surprised at this, asking “I can remember Fall, Winter and Spring issues, but Summer?” You’d be right. For the first time, this year we will be publishing four issues of Graffiti. Since its humble beginnings as a small, stapled-together magazine publishing student poetry and artwork, Graffiti has grown enormously. This year, we have over fifty writers and thirty photographers on our staff lists, as well as an eighteen-member editorial board. Graffiti has become a large part of the North Toronto community, and with our extra fourth edition we hope to continue Graffiti’s trend of expansion and improvement.

            We created this issue to show you what NT students (and teachers!) were up to this summer. So often our experiences and memories fade come September. While the leaves drop, the weather turns cold, and the work piles up, we hope that this Summer edition will bring back fond memories of warmer times to inspire you.     

            Featured inside are stories of summer jobs, volunteer experiences and various voyages around the globe as well as the Graffiti staples; that is, student opinion and reporting articles. Also new this year is Graffiti Online, or GO, as we like to call it. Graffiti Online is what it sounds – this newspaper, but on the web. Here we will host issue archives and photo galleries, and also publish information for prospective and current contributors. In addition, here we’ll post content that didn’t appear in print issues due to limited space. You’ll be able to print out what you please, and follow links that are related to what you’re reading. Be sure to check out graffiti.ntci.on.ca!

            We’re very excited about all of these changes, but when it comes down to it, the paper is only as good as you are. To fill four issues, we’ll need more of your fabulous work. So write then submit, and we’ll put your thoughts in print.  

            Producing this first issue has been an experience to remember. From the appearance of mysterious fridges to malfunctioning computers, we’ve faced a whole host of unexpected occurrences. In fact, looking back at the beginning Grade 12 year as a whole, there was a large number of surprises, good and bad. Here are some things we wish we’d known before finishing Grade 11:

1.   A spare period is necessary for the preservation of your sanity. Just trust us on this. The only people taking a full schedule are either a) insane, b) art students, c) desperate, or d) any combination of the above.

2.   Scholarship applications wreak havoc on your work schedule. If that’s what you’re interested in, start preparing for scholarships at the end of Grade 11. Or 10. Heck, write them in middle school.

3.   Don’t wait till Grade 12 to get involved. The more you do in younger grades, the richer your high school experience will be. High school doesn’t last long enough.

4.   University Fair pamphlets are useless. Unless you already know what you’re looking for, university handouts all look great but say the same things. The only way to get useful information is to talk to people.

5.   Volunteer as much as possible, as early as possible. By Grade 12, you’ve got other things to worry about. If you can keep volunteering, brilliant, but make sure you’ve got at least the 40 hours under your belt before your final year.

6.   You’re not allowed in the school past 6 PM. Wherever you are, whatever you’re trying to do - the caretakers will find you.

7.   Become a class rep. Two words, folks: free Timbits.

8.   Go to leadership weekend! It’s four days of delight. Make sure you go at least once.

9.   Kiss up to your teachers. They’re the ones who will be writing your recommendation letters. Make sure at least three of them know how to spell your name correctly.

10.   Convince your parents to go into the furniture industry. Everybody likes a free grad couch. Instant popularity.