1 . I got the opportunity to pursue an unmatchable educational vision at Stanford University. I was flooded with feelings of relief and excitement. It was a miracle that the American Dream had exposed its colors in my favor.

Upon arrival at the campus, ambition burned within me. I imagined becoming President of the Student Union, a member of Cardinal Calypso, and so on. I wanted Stanford to be a place for me to really learn about the vast world.

I was extremely occupied beyond the classroom. As an active member of nearly twelve VSOs (Voluntary Service Overseas), I could hardly focus on my study. Ultimately, my academic journey at Stanford was characterized by a lack of consistency (连贯性). The letter informing me of my academic suspension (停学) did not come as a surprise. I knew I would have to face consequences.

Fortunately, Infomineo, a research organization, offered me the opportunity to complete a six-month internship (实习) . This experience has done wonders for me, giving me insight into who I am, what I want to do, where I want to be, and how I can get there. I should have known that the freshman year is about testing out courses and extra-curriculars, and that each decision should end up helping me in the future.

Most significantly, I’ve learned big changes are born of little consistencies. This is what I will carry for the rest of my life, especially at Stanford University. Consistently attending professors’ classes or routinely setting aside time to review notes outside the classroom. This is where I stand now, and ready to tackle Stanford again. This time, with clearer sight of how to accomplish my goals, I feel that I have detected and revealed a new power within me.

2 . Napping (小睡) may be part of life for most of us. However, some countries where daytime naps have long been part of the culture, such as Spain, now discourage the habit. Meanwhile, some companies in the US now promote napping as a way to boost productivity. “It’s important to try to reveal the biological pathways that contribute to the reason why we nap,” says Dashti from Harvard Medical School.

Previously, co-senior author Richa Sexena at Massachusett s General Hospital (MGH) and his colleagues used many databases of genetic and lifestyle information to study other aspects of sleep. To gain a better understanding of the genetics of napping, they performed a genome (基因组)-wide association study (GWAS), which includes rapid scanning of complete sets of DNA of a large number of people.

For this study, the researchers used data from the UK Biobank, which includes genetic information from 452,633 people. All the participants were asked to classify their naps during the day as “never/ rarely”, “sometimes” or “usually”. The GWAS identified 123 regions in the human genome connected with daytime napping. Then the participants wore activity monitors called accelerometers, which can provide data about daytime napping. This data also showed that the self-reports about napping were accurate.

Several other features of this study support its results. For example, the researchers obtained similar findings in an analysis of the genomes of 541,333 people collected by 23andMe, a consumer genetic-testing company. Also, a significant number of the genes near or at regions identified by the GWAS are already known to play a role in sleep.

The team also identified at least three potential mechanisms (机制) that promote napping. Some people need more shut-eye than others. A daytime nap can help make up for poor-quality sleep the night before. People who rise early may “catch up” on sleep with a nap. “This tells us that daytime napping is biologically driven and not just an environmental or behavioral choice,” says Dashti. Some of these mechanisms are linked to health concerns, such as a large waistline and increased blood pressure, though more research on those associations is needed.

3 . Apply for the 2024—2025 School Year

We are thrilled you are considering Marist School for your child’s next chapter. Marist has two primary entry points for students in 7th and 9th grades to which we typically accept 150 and 50 students respectively.   

Marist School utilizes Ravenna, an application management system, for all aspects of the admissions process. Through Ravenna, parents can access the Marist application, submit supporting materials, track application status, and view admission decisions. Our application for the 2024—2025 school year will be available late September with a January 22,2024 deadline.

Importantly, Marist continues to require the SSAT as part of the application process. On Saturday, January 6,2024, Marist will serve as a community test site for the SSAT. This is the last national testing day prior to our application deadline when a first set of SSAT scores is due.

Important Dates

6 . A few days before New Year 1944, Patricia Krueger received a telegram from the U. S. Army. She hoped it would contain a belated birthday greeting from her husband, an army flight engineer, Charles Krueger, whom she had not heard from for 2 weeks. Instead, the message said he wasn’t coming home: His B-29 had been lost and he was later declared MIA (missing in action). Their son, John Krueger from Middleton, Wisconsin, is still in tears when he recounts this story.

Decades later, the military continues to work to bring back the remains of soldiers like Charles Krueger. The job of finding them falls to DPAA (Defense POW/ MIA Accounting Agency), created in 2015 after critics charged that the previous MIA search process was slow, and behind on innovations in science and technology. Between 1973 and 2014, the remains of only 1,849 missing service member s were returned to their families; in 2021, the agency accounted for the remains of 141 MIAs; according to DPAA figures.

To accelerate the work, Congress gave DPAA the authority to develop public-private partnerships with scientists and groups outside the government. “Teaming up with academic scientists introduces new ways of thinking,” says military historian Michael Dolski. “Working with partners allows us to tap into their technologies and capabilities in ways that we just can’t maintain.”

For scientists, the work is more than technically satisfying. “It’s the most rewarding aspect of my career,” says Mires, a scientist working with the agency. “In other archaeology sites I’ve worked on, the history is remote,” he says. “Here, you’re doing something not for a thing, but for a person, and all the people they touched.”

8 . Helen Uffner has dressed Broadway, Hollywood and TV shows for more than 40 years. But high-rise developers and Amazon distribution centers are making it impossible to store her extraordinary vintage (古董衫) collection.

Helen Uffner began her love with old clothes as a young teenager, troubling her father, who worried that people would think he could not afford proper clothes for his daughter. With the prospect (前景) of a career in period fashion lacking promise, she joined a management consultancy after college. But soon she decided to monetize (把……转换成货币) her passion.

Over the next 40 years, Helen Uffner established a celebrated business renting out vintage clothes. Initially, she ran the business out of her apartment. By the late 1990s, she moved to a 6,000-square-foot space in the clothing district.

Challenges began in 2006, when the landlord was selling the building and wanted her out. At the same time commercial rents were increasing sharply and the city’s clothing industry had all but disappeared. Eventually, in 2008, Helen Uffner Vintage Clothing moved to Long Island City.

The transition was not easy. But by 2018, Helen Uffner found herself in the same trouble. She ultimately settled into another space only to face the drama all over again—her current building is planned for being torn down to make room for the construction of a high-rise.

While COVID-19 has reduced the price of office renting, vast warehouse space of the kind Helen Uffner needs is at a premium because of the demand coming from Amazon and other e-commerce sites.

Now in her 70s, Helen Uffner has found the prospect of moving for a fourth time especially tough. “I have been making the joke that the emperor has no clothes,” Helen Uffner said, “because who will actually dress him.”

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10 . Feeling a bit less stable (稳定的) than before? Maybe you find yourself holding on to handrails (扶手) more when going down stairs? As we get older, our balance gets worse. But how much does it matter?

A lot, it turns out. If your balance isn’t great, you’re more likely to fall. That can have serious results as we age, when bones often become weak. Research has also shown that balance is important for how long we will live.

A study of 1,702 people aged 51 to 75 found that people who couldn’t stand on one leg for ten seconds were nearly twice as likely to die in the next ten years. Falls could be one reason why, but that’s unlikely to be the whole story. Individuals who were in worse health were more likely to fail the ten-second test.

There are three parts to balance. The first is the visual system which shows us whether we’re losing balance. Then the vestibular system (前庭系统) in the inner ear sends information to our brain about the move of our head. The third one is our body’s ability to sense its location, movement and actions. People with ear problems that cause dizziness (眩晕), or muscle weakness are more likely to have balance problems. If you suffer from dizziness, see your doctor to find out the reason. But there’s a lot you can do yourself to improve physical strength.

If you exercise, you’re ahead of the game. One study found that a group that did 32 weeks of aerobic exercise increased their ability to stand on one foot by 31 per cent. Otherwise, improve your balance by walking, cycling or climbing stairs — this will strengthen muscles in the lower body-or by practising yoga or tai chi.