The TidePod

Bella and Uma's Breakdowns is back for Season 6 of The TidePod. For this installment, we’re discussing the history behind Halloween and how it became the holiday it is today. When we think of Halloween now, the current traditions come to mind: trick-or-treating for candy, dressing up in costumes, using spooky decorations, and watching beloved Halloween movies. But what is the root of all these traditions? Listen to the episode to find out!

The TidePod is back for its sixth season! For the first episode, we’re discussing an important and controversial topic at RM: the use of ChatGPT and generative AI at school. This year, RM teachers and administration established new rules strictly prohibiting the use of ChatGPT and generative AI for academic purposes or in the classroom. To gain more insights about what this looks like in classrooms and what teachers think, contributor Lincoln Reed spoke with Ms. Eleanor Simpson, and English teacher.  

In the second installment of Bella and Uma's Breakdowns, the two discuss the issues with RM's bathrooms and solutions that have been taken, as well as the countywide attention and responses MCPS bathrooms have been receiving. 

On Sunday, Feb. 5, the annual Grammy awards were held at the Crypto.com arena, honoring artists old and new alike. Hosted by Trevor Noah for the third time, this year’s Grammys featured an array of performances and tributes, as well as some surprising results. We cover the recipients of the biggest awards as well as the standout performances. 

On Friday, January 13th, a lockdown took place at RM due to the report of a person with a gun on school property. Students were in lockdown, and then shelter-in-place from the end of fifth period until dismissal. We spoke with RM students and staff about their reactions to the situation and RM's response. 

The TidePod is back for 2023! We're introducing Bella and Uma's Breakdowns, a new recurring series where we cover something that’s been in the news recently! We’ll give you a quick summary of the events and talk about the opinions surrounding the topic.  Today we’re discussing TikTok, and whether or not it’s a national security threat. 

It’s been a big year in many ways, and the TidePod staff wanted to recap it with a little RM Wrapped, like the center spread article from last year. We cover the top music artists, fashion trends, movies, tv shows, and RM moments from 2022. Thanks for listening this year and happy new year! 

Everyone can agree that the World Cup is one of the most popular and entertaining sporting events to watch, occurring every four years and hosted by a different nation each time. But this year's world cup has been surrounded by controversy, especially pertaining to its location, which is Qatar. We break down all the scandals that have arisen regarding this World Cup, starting with the bidding process and all the way through to the actual event. 

One of RM's many clubs is a chapter of My Neuro Corner, lead by sophomore Jessica Wang. RM's My Neuro Corner has a podcast called Croak, which talks about neurodiversity and advocacy in that field. We spoke with Jessica as well as the hosts of Croak to learn more about what they do. You can find Croak on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. 

RM students are lucky to enjoy the option of open lunch throughout the year. Due to RM's proximity to places like Rockville Town Center and Ritchie Center, students are permitted to leave the campus during lunchtime. We spoke with RM students to learn more about their recommendations and favorite places to eat.