It seems a bit absurd to contemplate writing a life story after only having lived 17 or 18 years. However, Mason seniors have a year long project to prepare so they can share their lives so far.

One might think, "How hard is it to write your life story?"

The answer: Pretty difficult.

Not only do seniors have to dig into their memory banks, they must think of an extended metaphor to connect their stories together. Some people have used music, trees, key chains, calendars and even balloons. There are various steps to create the overall presentation.

Seniors start working on it a month or so after they start school, and it lasts all year in preparation for the final event. Choosing a metaphor to describe one's life isn't always easy. No one really thinks like that until given the question. Then comes thinking of events that can be easily connected with that metaphor and creating an outline on how to present it to the class for 15 to 20 minutes.

Stressful? Very.

Worth it? Some people think so. Other people think it's a little too intimidating and pointless. Senior Patrick Lee said, "It's irrational."

But to those who think that it was worth all the effort, it gave them sentiments of newfound closeness to their peers, as they all opened up and found the courage to admit to some stressful pasts, and rejoiced with uplifting stories.

Miles Butler, senior, thought it was a fun project because, "you have to reveal stuff about yourself and step up to the plate and be there for your friends when they give their capstones." Butler then added, "I also found out that you need more than ten minutes to teach seniors how to dance."

The participants of the Mr. and Ms. Mason competition are required to show a talent of some sort. These talents were somewhat...unconventional. Announcers Eddy Marshall and Karen Hamill started off the night with a few quirky jokes and puns but quickly moved on to the first contestant.

Sterling Askin performed a perfect reenactment of "Napoleon Dynamite's" famous dance. "I thought it was very impressive, especially because he seemed to be focused and completely serious," said Judge Karishma John.

Next up, contestant Dan Abel and his brother, Matt Abel, dressed up as...females and sang "Sisters" from the great American classic film, "White Christmas." This was a particularly interesting song, seeing as it was about their sisterhood, although they didn't appear to be sisters.

Junior Dane Warner was to be the next contestant. He was however, competing for the Mason soccer team at the time and was unable to perform.

Third, senior Caleb Barrett and his band (including the still very feminine Matt Abel) performed. Barrett began with a rehearsed rap but eventually dropped his lines and free styled which was met with huge applause.

A hilarious lip synch performance followed by senior Miles Butler. He "Rick rolled" the audience for his talent. Accompanied by Liz Nystrom and Liz Morrison Butler, Miles looked quite the part with his red sunglasses and trench coat.

Another lip synch song followed by senior Sam Atkeson. This song however, contained a more electrifying element. The fog machine, '80's music, flashing lights and unusual clothes of Atkeson's rocker band was the reason for this. Atkeson performed the very fitting song (for seniors anyway) "The Final Countdown."

The last male competitor was senior Yates Jordan. He performed a double-dutch-dance to the Lion King song "I Just Can't Wait to be King." This particular talent even earned a standing ovation from the crowd.

After the male competitors came the ladies. Courtney Ready performed first for them with her talent of Quidditch. She was able to wipe away the opposing team with a win for Gryffindor.

Next up was Kelly Frank with a frankly hilarious newscast. This newscast focused on things happening in and around George Mason High School.

After Frank, Becca Ward performed a song with her up and coming boy band. The lyrics featured problems in this school as well as a section dedicated to praising Mr. Snyder's...figure.

Nicole Mitchell was up after that. She also performed a lip synch. This song was however, extremely out of character for the basketball loving Mitchell. Her song was designed to "show a different side of me." This is obvious when one hears that the song was "Barbie Girl."

Lastly, Hannah Gann performed a song on the "foot piano" and also executed a lip synch to the song "Small Town Girl."

After each of their talents, the contestants had to move on to the question and answer portion of the competition. They were each asked a question and judged according to the creativity of their answer.

After six seasons of what can only be described as madness, including smoke monsters and time travel, ABC's hit fantasy drama, LOST, came to its shocking conclusion last Sunday. For the avid LOST fans this meant three things: first that there would be plenty to talk about when it was over, second that almost anything could happen, and finally that there better be some gosh darn answers.

For everyone else in the world-- the haters, the doubters, the dropouts, and the frustrated since season four watchers-- Sunday's two and a half hour finale meant that once and for all the most ridiculous show on TV was finally over.

Although LOST seemed to lose its way over the last two or three seasons-- twisting and turning down what seemed like never ending dead end paths-- the finale gave it one chance to redeem itself and cement its legendary status in television history. Since it had been such an open ended show, viewers really should have seen it coming when the writers deserted us with a very arguable conclusion. In a show that is almost indescribable to non-viewers, came an ending that confused even the most dedicated fans. Fortunately, I am here to break it down for you.

Everybody died. Seriously. Even Jack Shephard. There is the simple conclusion, read no further if you don't want to get confused.

The finale was stuffed full of action, commercials, passionate reunions and sad farewells. While Jack faced off with the smoke monster, landing a fierce jump punch but taking a major knife wound to his side, the majority of the other characters were attempting to get off the island (an under-attempted move for the last few seasons). Kate eventually came to Jack's aid and finished the evil smoke monster once and for all, with one of her patented surprise gun shots into the back of the newly-human monster.

After the fall of the big bad smoke monster, things got a little panicked. Jack made a move with Hurley and Ben to try and save the island while Sawyer and Kate attempted to make it to the restored plane on the other island before their friends took off. Back in the sideways world, the characters were starting to put the pieces together much quicker than the fans, meeting up with each other and reuniting with their lost loves.

Hurley helped Sayid reconnect with Shannon, while Sawyer and Juliet, Claire and Charlie, and finally Kate and Jack all did the same. The island story came to a close with Jack sacrificing himself to save the island, leaving Hurley and Ben in charge while Kate and Sawyer made it on the plane just before takeoff. Back in the alternate world came the final twist of the twistiest show ever made. They were all dead. Not the whole time like some people had predicted, but at different times. Jack died on the island, like many of the characters, but the viewer is left in the dark on the futures of Kate and Sawyer, and Hurley and Ben. Together almost all of the beloved characters of LOST gathered to move on together, ironically similar to what many of the fans did Sunday night.

While fans of LOST will likely never all agree on exactly what happened, or why everything happened, I believe that is part of what makes it a great show. Because the scope of the whole thing was so large and fantastical, and it had been from the very beginning, there was no way to know the why or how for everything. In the end it was all about bringing everything to a close, just like the characters needed some time to figure out and reflect on what they had been through, it is now important for LOST fans to take a hint from Jack-- close your eyes, take a deep breath, smile and move on.

Last Friday, the students in the Gourmet Cooking class at George Mason battled one another out for title of "Iron Chef." Students were separated into groups of three each, and together they had to make the most delicious dish in the allotted time of 90 minutes.

The groups were told to prepare recipes for three different main ingredients: carrots, cheddar cheese, or sour cream. However, when the students got to class, the main ingredient was chosen as carrots.

Team One, consisting of Emily Bell, Chantal Thomas and Hadleigh Rhodes, made a dish that included browned honey-marinated meat with carrots and spaghetti stir fry. Team Two consisting of Joe Rund, Najah Lawal, and Leah Thurkhill made a carrot soup.

For an interesting twist, both teams made carrot-apple muffins for the dessert, adding the suspense of who could make the same muffin better.

When it came time to present, Judge Pepper found that he could not taste the chili in Team One's dish, and was worried that the soy sauce found in the meat would be overpowering, but was impressed that the sweet honey was able to tone it down.

For the soup, some judges found that the ginger was too strong, but Judge Whitlock thought it was a nice addition.