1st Place, Feature Columnist
2021-22, Division 1, News Writing
By Aarthi Amarnath
The Wildcat Roar
Novi HS
According to my brain, there are two times of day when it is appropriate to fall into a deep bout of existentialism. One is at three o’clock in the morning. The other is in … math class.
Now, I would like to make it known to any adult reading this that I 100% pay attention in class all the time. But there is something about numbers and science that has me spiraling into a thought that eventually leads to the question “Is anything truly worth the investigation and classification of mathematics and science?”
I’m sure that is a question that you’ve had before. It’s not an ideal one to have when you’ve got 10 minutes left on your integrals test, though.
But this “existentialism” is my favorite aspect of mathematics and science.
Like the concept of zero and infinity, for example. They’re two polar opposites. Objects can be measured to be a length of zero and infinity at the same time (theoretically – forget about practicality for a second, after all our goal here is a mini-existential crisis).
Take us, for example. You and I are utterly, utterly gigantic compared to a carbon atom. For all intents and purposes, you measure infinity and the atom measures zero. But you, who we have already established to be infinity, are nothing compared to the size of the Sun. In this scenario, you are zero and the Sun is infinity. The Sun is nothing compared to the Milky Way, which is nothing compared to the observable universe.
You and I are capable of being nothing and everything at the same time.
Infinity is the biggest concept to exist. Infinity is Infinity. And yet there can always be another infinity bigger than it. Zero is the smallest absolute value to exist. Zero is Zero. And yet there can always be another zero smaller than it.
But eventually something has to be the smallest zero, and something has to be the biggest infinity … Right?
I have no idea. But it is fun to think about.
Another example that always gets me is the concept of time, and how it goes on forever. It’s probably the most cliché scientific-philosophical concept to think about, but that doesn’t mean it’s not interesting.
Like how, even after everything in the universe is dead and gone, when the last of the stars and galaxies fizzle out into nothing, there’s still time. There’ll be nothing to reference it off of. Millions and billions of years will slowly become insignificant. But time is forever. Even if space isn’t.
With that, you may consider the fact that perhaps space did not exist prior to the Big Bang. Space is not “nothing”, it’s “something,” and before the Big Bang there theoretically was nothing. That right there leads to another few days of wondering what may have existed before the universe.
This is the way I sometimes like to think about math and science.
You and I as thinkers are forced to entertain the idea that maybe some of the known information in math and science could be wrong and some of the obscure thought processes could be right, while also retaining some semblance of logical thinking. It’s a huge challenge, but more than that it’s fun to simply think about and figure out your own theories.
So catch me thinking about the inside of black holes and the existence of a fourth dimension in my math class. If you see me staring off into the distance looking slightly panicked, now you know why.
NW-09. Feature Columnist
Each entry must:
- have two (2) columns (feature or opinion) from different publication dates
- have both columns submitted together in the same entry form
- have the same standing head
- be authored by the same writer(s) (both columns in the entry should have the same byline)
- carry bylines or other writer identification to indicate the personal nature of the content
FOR ONLINE ENTRIES, submit the URL to one column in the URL field and the other in the Additional Information field.
Judges want to see the writer’s consistent quality in more than one column. A student media outlet may submit a second entry in this category, but it may not be written by the same columnist. Columns related to sports must be submitted under the Sports Columnist category. Submit a PDF of the print pages on which the columns were published or the URL to the columns on an online news site.
JUDGING CRITERIA
- Sharp attention-getting leads
- Expresses personal opinions; uses consistent style
- Reflects thought/research, freshness, individuality
- Effective use of facts/quotes or supporting material
- Informative, interesting, entertaining
- Upholds journalistic integrity
- Sentences, paragraphs of varied length; written clearly, concisely and vividly
- Proper diction/grammar