Junior Jarrett Workman has been fascinated with wolves since he began writing about them at the age of 11. By the age of 12 he had progressed to live action role-playing online. There he met Dallis Sears who “pointed [him] to a few sites.”

From that point on Workman became enthralled by writing his book, “Thowan.” The basic plotline involves the adventures of a spiritual wolf that has the ability to turn into a human.

This concept got Workman thinking about taking his role-playing to a whole new level.

“Recently I’ve had a few friends suggesting I make my own suit,” Workman said.

By “suit” he means that he will literally create a “furry” costume that mimics a wolf. The “furry” subculture is a new trend defined by dressing up as real or imagined animals and wearing life-like suit replicas of the animals.

Although Workman hasn’t officially started making the costume, he already has a blue and white synthetic wolf tail that he frequently wears around school.

While he is comfortable with his new look, one has to wonder how the parents of a “furry” handle the situation.

“My mom has been very supportive,” Workman said. His mother has even offered to help him with fabric recommendations and the tremendous sewing job.

While the suit may look like an animal, the real beast is creating the outfit.

The head requires extensive plastic framing before adding foam to give it a consistent shape. Then, the jaw has to be added. However, this can entail some mechanical work because Workman is hoping to create a moving jaw.

For some, this job is more work than it’s worth, but Workman is excited to “finally do something more artsy with it.”

This freedom of expression also manifests itself every time Workman wears his tail, or plans to wear his suit.

But Workman isn’t concerned about the people who may feel the need to make snide comments over his hobby.

“It doesn’t worry me,” Workman said. “If something happens, I’ll just get out of the way.”

Aside from the skeptics, Workman is confident that “a lot of people are very open to it.”

Junior Jarrett Workman shows off his tail, which is part of his costume.

Before you verbally attack me with contradictions of, “No we aren’t!” and “You’re wrong!” just think about the mere simplicity of those articulate responses.

Articulate. $3 word, meaning to be expressed, formulated, or presented with clarity and effectiveness.

Some may try to rationalize that we have since developed a wide multitude of new words and phrases to define technological advancements.

Oh yes, “Facebook it” is a highly intelligent phrase. The extra three seconds it might take to say, “Get on Facebook and look up this person,” is simply too much effort for the entirely too busy modern teenager.

And for those of you who couldn’t tell, that previous paragraph is called being facetious.

Facetious. $3 word, meaning sarcastic or lacking serious intent.

In addition to the ever flourishing Facebook, Google Chrome has unleashed a new generation of “Google it” research papers.

As the Twenty-first Century has ravaged the generation of books and libraries, Internet sources such as the reliable Wikipedia have emerged to lessen the stress of the dreaded research paper.

Book. $2 word, meaning a written or printed work of fiction or nonfiction, usually on sheets of paper fastened or bound together within covers.

Now, don’t get me wrong, Facebook and Google have their place in today’s society. The untold amounts of free knowledge swirling about our heads at any given moment provide more information than our forefathers had ever dreamed of.

But there’s the problem. This vast treasure trove of new information has turned us into ADD America. The mere prospect on focusing on a specific area is incomprehensible to a generation that has grown up watching television, texting their friends, Twittering, and updating their Facebook status all at once.

We are eternally connected to the entire world at a single click of a button. Click. Click.

And in a world of this much interaction, the Cult of Impersonality has emerged.

With the information surplus destroying today’s individuality, people are all too ready to acquiesce to “talking heads” dictating society’s wants and needs from the thousands of screens we see every day.

We can exchange fashion, fads, and common ideals faster than ever before, thus making the teenage necessity to “fit in” a large driving force in today’s society. Our every move is monitored and cataloged, making it of the upmost importance to follow the trends of each second.

NOT.

It is more vital than ever for people to adopt individual living styles that don’t depend on trends from the past or the latest cultural fad.

In this eerie 1950’s conformity, we run the risk of watching American history repeat itself. I cannot, with good conscience, sit back and watch the creativity and individuality of the American spirit go wasted to laziness and an inability to focus on one’s self.

It’s time to find the time, to end the times. Step up to step out of the box, America.

Aaron Duffy, 17, has decided  to join the Army National Guard.

“I’ve always wanted to do it,” Duffy said. “My family has a lot of military background.”

Senior Lauren Dinkins also has family in the armed forces.

“My brother is active duty,” Dinkins said. “And since I don’t live with my family, it makes me feel closer to him.”

Dinkins plans to make a career out of the Army National Guard, which, due to armed forces rules, can only be 22 years long.

However, other future soldiers have different plans for their careers.

A future police officer, Spencer Mellinger, 18, decided to join the Marines after graduation. He will head to boot camp in August.

“I get money for college to go into the police academy,” Mellinger said. “It’s the most direct route there.”

But while some might think making the choice is the roughest part, they haven’t hit boot camp yet.

The Marines require a mile and a half in 13 minutes and 30 seconds, 44 military crunches in two minutes, and four pull- ups.

“I see the other kids slacking off [in weight training class] and I know I can’t afford to do that,” Mellinger said.

The Army National Guard also has strict standards for sit-ups, push-ups, and a two -mile run.

“All winter I’ve been working out three times a day with a run, some cardio, and lifting weights,” Duffy said.

Senior Bryce Kent, 18, has also decided to join the Army National Guard.

“So far I’ve done some hand -to -hand combat training,” Kent said.

Dinkins has lost 42 lbs. since joining the Army National Guard due to her intense cardio classes. She has been running every day, doing power step classes, and kick boxing.

“I know what I have to do to get where I need to be,” Dinkins said.

The basic training might be physically exhausting, but these future soldiers need to worry about the mental exhaustion as well.

“The hardest part has been keeping motivated to work out,” Kent said.

Dinkins knows the importance of keeping a strong mind and pushing through the physical training.

“I am not weak minded,” Dinkins said. “[The military] will break you down and then build you back up.”

And others have expectations after they break through the basic training.

“I just hope to come out more of a man,” Duffy said. “I want to be more mentally mature.”

Dinkins also has anticipations, but on a bit broader spectrum.

“I want to get women into the infantry,” Dinkins said. “One day they’ll have to use a woman just as much as they’ll have to use a man.”

Luwe, a senior, has been vegetarian for three years with no future plans to become carnivorous.

“I actually enjoy very much how it has opened me to new foods so I don’t have to rely on animalistic sources for food,” he said.

But Luwe isn’t the only student with a heart for animals. Junior Hunter Breen gave up red meat four years ago after watching a video about slaughtering animals.

“It was just the thought of the dead rotting carcasses that turned me off to meat,” Breen said.

While Breen thought about the animals after they were dead, Luwe worried about the animals when they were still alive.

“I tried to think about it from a cow’s perspective. I wouldn’t want to live fenced in on a farm,” Luwe said.

These ideas move people into new lifestyles.

“It was very hard to be able to agree upon meals at my house,” Breen said. 

Meal times for junior Keeli Telleen are a much easier bite to swallow. Telleen has never eaten red meat.

“It was a decision my parents made after they met so I’ve grown up never eating [red meat],” she said. “But I’m definitely happy with the food I do eat.”

However, even with parental support, dining out can be a hassle.

“A lot of times I get stuck with grilled cheese,” Luwe said. “But you just have to be assertive with the waitresses and know exactly what you’re looking for.”

And for those vegetarians who don’t know what they’re looking for, giving up meat can force them to try entirely new foods.

“I had to start actually eating vegetables,” Breen said. “It was horrible for a while, but I grew to really like them.”

For Luwe it was a trip to Alaska to visit his sister when he found his new favorite food. The family went to a vegetarian restaurant, and Luwe’s mom picked out his meal for him: an eggplant burger.

“It was at that moment that I realized how much I loved eggplant,” Luwe said.

And while some take this love and transfer it into a lifestyle, Breen remains uncertain about the longevity of his abstinence from meat.

“I feel like over time I may start to eat meat, but for now I have no plan to eat meat again,” Breen said.

Telleen has much longer reaching goals.

“I don’t think I would ever start eating [red meat] because it’s my lifestyle at this point.”

But for those willing to make the leap, these three vegetarian veterans offer some advice.

Luwe advises all new omnivores to research local restaurants and the proteins and nutrients needed to stay healthy.

“You can’t live on McDonald’s fries and cheese quesadillas from Taco Bell,” Luwe said.

Telleen dishes out her own guidance on making the switch.

“Make lots of substitutions with turkey bacon and sausage and veggie burgers,” Telleen said. “My family makes sure to get organic items and milk without hormones in it.”

And Breen offers his No. 1 nugget of advice.

“You can’t just choose to do it to be trendy; it’s something you really have to want to do.”