City Magazine 2014

CM CITY MAGAZINE

S P R I N G 2014

Shiver Me Tinder Pg. 22

This will Shock You! LBCC Bathroom Diaries

De Soto the Snipper Pg. 20

Pg. 14-17

Blue Mondays Pg. 04

Writing Staff

Letter from the Editor Dear Readers, This year, we chose to focus more on Long Beach City College as a whole and make it more relatable to you— our fellow Vikings.

It’s hard to believe that this years issue is finally complete and my reign as Editor in Chief is over. The production of this issue has been a difficult one, with a staff almost entirely full of brand new writers, editors, and a very small group of photographers, and I want to thank our advisers, Cindy Frye, Neil Sharum, and Morgan Barnard, for hanging in there with me through all of it.

I also would like to thank the writers for enduring my (sometimes) tyrannical power-trip, including the book report and blog assignments that I made them do. I know the class wasn’t exactly what they expected, but I sure as hell wouldn’t have been able to get through this issue without them.

I especially want to thank the editors who all have done a great job embracing my sarcasm, bad jokes, and, on occasion, my foul language. Ari, Becky, Tyisha, William and Curtis, you guys have done a great job with learning how to roll with the punches of what Ari likes to call “the veterans of copy-editing.” Brandon, thanks for letting me make fun of your beard all year and for being ultra-hip.

“As, also” Sam, you know that I wouldn’t have been able to do this without our late lunches at Thirsty Isle and you stealing my sunglasses every day. Bella and Kristin, thank you for always being the two most attentive, as well as chatty, people in the room at all times. And last but definitely not least, Mattasaurusrex. I want to thank you for being reliably 5 minutes late to every class, arguing with Cindy about where the word ‘also’ should go in a sentence, buying me Lunchables and red Gatorade, and for wearing space pants.

This publication would not have been possible if it weren’t for the talented, very good-looking and brilliant group of writers, photographers, editors, and graphic designers, and I want to thank all of you for making this issue of City Magazine happen.

This magazine has been a staple at LBCC since 1979, and I hope it continues on long after I leave this school.

I hope that reading it will give you a new point of view on the diversity of the people you sit next to in Math or History. Or in my case, the guys I meet on Tinder.

See you on the flip-side, Katie Cortez, Editor in Chief

Thank You Queen Beach Printers!

Editor in Chief: Katie Cortez Alma Carranza Ariana Cadena Brandon Richardson Brittany Aaron Bryan Arreguin Ivette Corral Madison Salter Matt McCutchan Tania Robles Tyisha Ali Viviana Gonzalez Yaritza Alegria

Photography Staff

Photography Editor: Vincent Partida Raul Cortes Carlos Izaguirre Edward “Karl” Rodriguez Adam Roberson Michael Koecheler Shellena Partida David Tran Julie Ann Spangler Rosa Rama

Graphic Design Staff

Art Director: Whitney Mokler Production Manager: Ashley Franks-McGill Photo Manager: Araceli Gutierrez Logo & Cover Design: Cian Abalos Logo & Cover Design: Sameun Nhim Designer: Isaiah Daniels Designer: Richard Nguyen Designer: Thomas Nguyen Designer: Cris Penamante Designer: Osvaldo Perez

Editing Staff

Editor in Chief: Katie Cortez Chief Copy Editor: Kristin Grafft Fact Checker: Marcy Lopez Brandon Richardson Matt McCutchan Samwell Favela William Amelong Curtis Jones Becky Urrutia Tyisha Ali Argyrios Bonias

Advisers

Magazine: Cindy Frye Photo: Neil Sharum Graphic Design: Morgan Barnard Special Thanks: Michael Neal Correction from Spring 2013 issue: Staff Writer: Deborah Hill

2 On Air At LBCC

10 Planet of the Vapes

4

16 LBCC Bathroom Diaries

Overcoming Adversity

12

26

Fragments

6

Experience Needed

20

R U Serious?

There’s More To Fashion

Scholarships and Grants

18

Blue Mondays

8

24

De Soto the Snipper

14 LBCC Bathroom Diaries

22 Shiver Me Tinder

28 #thankgod

O n

A i r

Do you have what it takes to be on the radio?

The DJ rushed in. He set up the discs. Plugged in his headphones. Adjusted the mixer and volume levels.

Grabbed the microphone and pulled it in. The blue lit “On-Air” sign glows.

Are you interested in learning about the exciting career of a disc jockey or a radio personality, but have no idea where to look? Well, Long Beach City College has the perfect radio program.

With two radio stations, KLBC and KCTY, that are managed, organized and occupied completely by students, LBCC has dedicated nearly 40 years to college radio. In recent years, these stations have continued to bring interesting hands-on features to the Visual and Media Arts Department.

“College radio is adventurous, because it’s radio you can’t get from commercial or noncommercial stations,” said Ken Borgers, a part-time professor for the Radio and TV program and the radio adviser.

The radio club KLBC, online at www.klbc.org, is the original station established in the mid-1970s after the spilt of LBCC and the Long Beach Unified School District’s radio station KLON 88.1 FM. It can be accessed in parking lot F, near the G Building on the Liberal Arts Campus, on radio dial 1610 AM.

2

CITY MAGAZINE SPRING 2014

a t

L B C C

STORY BY: TYISHA ALI PHOTOS BY: EDWARD “KARL” RODRIGUEZ

KCTY, online at www.kctyfm.org, was put together during a time when the number of students joining the program exceeded the original accommodations.

This station also can be heard in parking lot F, on channel 107.7 FM. Along with the radio dial stations, there are two full-time internet radio sites and live broadcastings on U-stream.

The radio stations at the LAC are special interest clubs that work alongside the Radio Activity course to help students get a hands-on understanding of broadcasting. The goal of the radio program thrives on three vital functions of college radio.

The first goal is to train the world’s next broadcasters.

For those who are ready to step into the role of a disc jockey and are interested in hosting their own show, KLBC and KCTY offer time slots to students enrolled in the class. The classes for these stations allow students to be properly trained on how to use the equipment.

The second goal is to bring out new music and underground artists.

Unlike commercial radio stations that play limited songs, the entertainment heard depends on who’s in the booth. Listeners can hear new music from underground

“Without us, you’ll be listening to Miley Cyrus the rest of your life.

College radio moves the culture forward.”

RADIO ADVISER KEN BORGERS KEEPS A WATCHFUL EYE AS THE STUDENTS TAKE THE REIGNS IN THE STUDIO.

artists in genres such as reggae, gospel, polka, and urban. They even can hear skits and talk shows.

“Without us, you’ll be listening to Miley Cyrus the rest of your life. College radio moves the culture forward,” Borgers said.

When joining the program, new hosts and guest hosts can experience the real radio atmosphere by connecting with listeners.

Potential DJs can learn what will make them stand out in the competition.

Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Waite, 21, co-president of KCTY and a communications major, uses one of her radio shows as a platform to talk about all different sorts of brain disorders and learning disabilities.

“Have a desire to, like, share something with people, rather [sic] it be a song or something you want to talk about. That is what radio is, it’s for people who desperately what to share something with [other] people,” Waite said.

The third goal of college radio is outreach to surrounding areas.

Keith Huss, 35, Radio and Television major and former KCTY DJ, talked about how LBCC reaches out through promotion.

He talked about events such as the annual “College Radio Day,” where LBCC celebrates college radio all over the world in its own way. Also, Huss spoke of a talent mixer called “Sound Waves,” put on by the radio department to showcase different talents in the music industry.

Jacob Rosborough, 32, a radio host at KCTY, spoke about how the radio stations take pride in reaching out to the community.

“We go out in the communities and we broadcast community organizations to bring light to the broader community through Internet radio in order to establish a better understanding throughout Long Beach,” Rosborough said.

The days surrounding Veteran’s Day, KCTY and KLBC help out at the Long Beach VA hospital by donating money to the Veterans Affairs centers and doing shows in honor of those who fought for this country.

The KLBC radio class meets Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and the club meetings are Thursday during the same time in room G-123. The class meetings for KCTY are on Mondays from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. and the club meets Wednesdays from 8 until 9 p.m. in room G-123.

LBCC’s radio program comes with many perks. If you just want to get a feel of radio culture before leaping into a career, the radio organizations for KLBC and KCTY are free to join with no requirements. Members also get to take part in the events that the clubs are invited to join. There are many shows and interviews listeners can participate in, as well as many opportunities for members to help in the community.

The radio clubs here at LBCC thrive on college radio and encourage people to get involved. These clubs are a way for people with a passion and a love for radio to start promoting and doing fundraisers and express themselves.

-KEN BORGERS, PART-TIME PROFESSOR FOR THE RADIO AND TV PROGRAM AND RADIO ADVISER

SPRING 2014 CITY MAGAZINE

3

JESUS HERNANDEZ, LEFT, AND FLOYD LIVINGSTON RELAX IN THE SECRET SPEAKEASY IN THE BACK OF ROXANNE’S.

BLUE Mondays Former LBCC students take on the challenges of the business world.

STORY BY: MATT MCCUTCHAN PHOTOS BY: RAUL CORTES

Hungover at school on a Tuesday? Whoops!

Must have been Blue Mondays at Roxanne’s.

Former City Magazine editors in chief and now entrepreneurs Jesus Hernandez, 25, and Floyd Livingston, 28, the guys behind community website 562 City Life, were skeptical at first about putting a jazz night together on a Monday. However, they saw it through, and it became their flagship endeavor.

The musicians are anyone willing to step up to the stage and play—if they can keep up.

This may sound intimidating or even disastrous if the musicians don’t mesh together, but somehow each session climaxes into an eargasm.

Located on Wardlow Road near Orange Avenue in Long Beach, the inside of the venue caters well to the music. The layout is simple, relaxed, and feels very much like a lounge. When you walk in, on the left is the bar, with a beautiful backlit white onyx bar-top,

4

CITY MAGAZINE SPRING 2014

and of course a wall of booze. It remains clean and simple, while not trying too hard to get your attention.

Just off to your right is where the magic happens. Another onyx countertop separates the main room from the more atmospheric stage room. When stepping into the intimate space, the ceiling becomes significantly lowered, and the feeling of a time long since passed washes over you. It’s like being in a speakeasy, where handsomely dressed men and women would sit, drinking, smoking, and enjoying the music.

This is what owner Robert Molina, as well as Hernandez and Livingston, wanted people to feel—a place where you could just as easily bring a date, as you could hang out with your friends for a more relaxed bit of entertainment and drinks.

“We’re a team. It starts as an idea, and we nourish it. Take it full force,” Molina said.

BRAD FRY, MIXES DRINKS AT ROXANNE’S COCKTAIL LOUNGE AND LATIN GRILL.

And indeed they have. Hernandez and Livingston have been working with Molina for two years, coming up with the jazz night, a Wednesday night craft drink night, and a Sunday ‘Brunch on the Rox’ event. This is what allowed Hernandez and Livingston to really get their creative juices flowing, and has been a means for establishing themselves as people who are able

“We’re a team. It starts as an idea, and we nourish it.

Take it full force.”

website, 562 City Life, which is due to re-launch in the near future. Their plan is for it to grow and become “Long Beach’s only social network,” Livingston said.

They write profiles and features on people and places from around Long Beach, focusing primarily on human interest stories, music, art, and business.

Beyond their web stories, Hernandez and Livingston are hoping to publish a 562 City Life magazine.

It did take hard work to get here. There was a time when 562 City Life was headed by Livingston and Matt Saunders. Livingston and Saunders created the venture and worked with the Small Business Development Center at Long Beach City College. They wrote and edited articles, and built their site. As they worked, they took on a few more writers, and that’s where Hernandez came in.

The pair met through the journalism program at LBCC. Livingston saw talent in Hernandez, and asked him if he wanted to begin writing for 562 City Life. Hernandez accepted, and before long, he was hired to write on a permanent and regular basis. Saunders eventually had the opportunity to move on to something else, which was going to leave a gap in the business. So, rather than leave Livingston to handle the business alone, Saunders suggested that Hernandez and Livingston work together as a team. Thus, Hernandez became Livingston’s new partner for 562 City Life.

If they had never gotten themselves out there they may never have been given the opportunity to work with Molina. They might not have gotten as far as they have, or been able to continue growing, if they hadn’t networked and shown people what they could do.

-ROBERT MOLINA, OWNER OF ROXANNE’S

to put together events like these at smaller venues.

But one might ask: how did they come to start working with Molina? Early on, they participated in events like the First Friday Celebration in Bixby Knolls, Business Meets the Arts, and Park Jams.

This helped to lay their foundation, and led to Molina contacting Livingston to begin work on what would ultimately become Monday jazz nights.

They’ve sold themselves through word of mouth and their connections to the people around them.

Hernandez and Livingston have business cards they pass out, but it’s far more valuable in the world of business to have good references, from good people.

If something grows and becomes well known, word gets around as to how it was put together, and who was involved. This creates a basis for more and more opportunity to flow in their direction. The jazz nights already have spread to Que Sera in downtown Long Beach, on 7th Street at Cherry Avenue.

Despite the fun they’ve had participating in the creation of events like Blue Mondays, Hernandez and Livingston are dedicated to their own business and

SHOWING OFF ROXANNE’S SPECIALTY DRINKS.

SPRING 2014 CITY MAGAZINE

5

R U Serious?

Their, there, they’re. It really isn’t that hard.

STORY BY: SPRING 2014 EDITORS CLASS

“Bad grammar lowers the value of what you’re saying.”

6

CITY MAGAZINE SPRING 2014

There is no bigger pet peeve to a writer than grammatical errors.

Whether it is on Facebook, Twitter, text message, or an Instagram hashtag—grammatical errors are an anathema* to anyone with a brain.

Every day, people are called out online for correcting the grammar of others, while using incorrect grammar themselves. In response they say, “wow grammer Nazi i was on my phone.” And let’s not forget the ever-popular “autocorrect made me do it.”

You’re calling someone out for their grammatical mistakes, and have the balls to blame technology for your own inability to spell or use proper punctuation? That has to be a joke, right? If you’re not familiar with correct grammar, how can you correct grammar?

Would you blame your phone if you had your eyes glued to the screen and walked into a parked car? No. You’d blame yourself for being an idiot.

Nowadays, people don’t care to use proper English because they are lazy. They seem to think that because they’re not writing an essay for school, it’s perfectly okay to write things like “ur 2 hip brandon” in a text or online.

Seriously? Would it really take you that much more time to add nine letters, a comma, a capital B, and a period to that sentence?

Even when playing PC games such as World of Warcraft or Counter Strike, communication is essential. If you don’t have a microphone, you have to type it out, praying that you don’t die or fail your team. Either of these may end up with you being scolded if “you weren’t watching my back” or “you didn’t heal me, you useless asshole.”

Don’t blame sites like Twitter for your inability to sound like a competent* human being. Yes, you only have 140 characters to use in a tweet, but it is in fact possible for you to not sound like an idiot every time you post. “2day i went 2 da

“‘It’s on the Internet so it doesn’t matter,’ is a terrible philosophy to develop.”

store den i went 2 da mall den me and ma gurls went 2 da club den dis boi said dayum and spent his $$ but i gave him nothin”—that was 140 characters. If you type like that, you should have your hands severed* and undergo a lobotomy*. Why didn’t you just tweet, “We went to the club tonight. I got a free drink, but the guy was gross.”

On the off-chance that someone out there actually does care that you rejected a guy, your followers aren’t going to care about everyday things like going to the store or to the mall.

Also, they won’t have to read your post 10 times to try and figure out what the hell you were talking about.

Shortening words and not punctuating your sentences in a text or online makes you seem unintelligent. If you know proper grammar, then why aren’t you using it? Do you think that sending “wat r u doin 2nite?” to your crush will make them want to go out with you? If the person on the other end of that message has any intelligence at all, they will never message you back and you will be single forever. This might seem harsh, but it’s true.

What’s so hard about using punctuation and spelling the smaller words? You’re means you are. Your means it belongs to something.

Don’t you want to make a good impression when you communicate?

Imagine if your future employer is reading what you’ve written online.

Do you want people to think you

are completely ignorant? If you do, keep it up, you’re doing great.

The whole point of going to school is to expand your knowledge—so why don’t you want to show the world what you’ve learned? What’s the point of putting anything on the Internet if you’re just going to look stupid? “It’s on the Internet so it doesn’t matter,” is a terrible philosophy to develop. A majority of what you put on the Internet is never going to go away, no matter if you try to delete it or not. So, yes—what you put on the Internet does matter.

This lazy habit has led to the demise* of the English language and has become a detriment* to the education system as a whole.

Being the only person in a class with knowledge of proper writing could be a burden. The “group leaders” often are picked because they are the only ones capable of doing the project. They get stuck doing all the work, while their “partners” share in all the glory without doing any of the work. If they had contributed their mental excrement*, the leaders would have had to change it all anyway or risk failing the project.

Bad grammar lowers the value of what you’re saying.

Their, there, they’re. Get it straight. It really isn’t that hard. *If you don’t know these words, Google them.

SPRING 2014 CITY MAGAZINE

7

STUDENTS GATHER AROUND PAMELA KNIGHTS, FASHION DESIGN PROGRAM DIRECTOR AS SHE DEMONSTRATES A SEWING TECHNIQUE.

There’s More to Fashion than Meets the Eye Learn how to put the pieces of the clothing puzzle together.

STORY BY: ARIANA CADENA PHOTOS BY: MICHAEL KOECHELER

There seems to be a misconception that being a fashion designer is easy and that anyone can create whatever they draw on paper. However, making clothes is like a puzzle.

If you find the right pieces, you can fit them together, and create something unique.

“You can draw lots of things, but that doesn’t mean they can be sewn together,” said Pamela Knights, fashion design program director at Long Beach City College.

Other than television shows like “Project Runway,” TV doesn’t help to disprove this misconception.

8

CITY MAGAZINE SPRING 2014

“Celebrities make it look like that’s all there is to it. But guess what? They’re not really doing the designing. They’re not determining, finding, and suggesting the fabrics. Nor suggesting the trims, and doing all the research.

The designers are the ones doing all of that.

Those are designers,” Knights explained.

Not many students are aware of the Fashion Design and Merchandising Department in the F building at LBCC. “We aren’t visible enough on campus,” Knights said.

“You can draw lots of things, but that doesn’t mean they can be sewn together.”

-PAMELA KNIGHTS, FASHION DESIGN PROGRAM DIRECTOR AT LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE FASHION DESIGN STUDENTS DESIREE MOLINAR AND DANNY QUINN GET SOME DESIGN TIPS FROM PAMELA KNIGHTS.

PAMELA KNIGHTS HAS BEEN TEACHING FASHION AND MERCHANDISING AT LBCC FOR THE PAST 13 YEARS.

She has been teaching at LBCC for 13 years and hopes that, in the coming years, more students will become aware of the fashion design program within the department.

The program offers an associate’s degree and a career certificate in design and merchandising. It also offers career certificates in pattern making, sample making, and assistant design.

“Students see a fashion design class open and they think they can start drawing designs right away, but it doesn’t work that way,” Knights said.

She explained that the program is set up for students to take the entry-level classes first, and then the design classes. The entry-level classes are sketching, pattern drafting or draping, and sewing. Once students are ready to take the design classes, they must look for a target customer, possibly a company, and then create a line. After that, the students start sketching and creating technical drawings, while going out to find the right fabric and getting the right trims and zippers. Lastly, they draft the pattern and sew it all together.

Some designers are better at designing swim suits rather than men’s suits. And not all designers are high-end or famous, but they still put out their pieces for companies or people to buy. When people go to the mall to look at clothes in their favorite stores, they probably wonder how that store chose those pieces to sell.

Allie Perez, 21, a LBCC student and sales associate at Forever 21, explained that the store chooses its clothing based on seasonal trends.

It keeps up with all the styles, while trying to market and sell products for a reasonable price.

“Forever 21 is always looking for new styles.

Corporate follows the social media of fashion and tries to bring those ideas to the store,” Perez said. “Every day, and/or week, items get moved around to bring more attention to customers.”

Perez is part of the percentage of students who aren’t aware of the fashion program on campus, or the events it holds.

One of the events the fashion department produces is a bi-annual fashion show. The most recent show was in May 2014. Knights said the show cost about $10,000, and all the money was fundraised by the Fashion Design Club.

“We hire professional models. You won’t have a professional looking show unless you have professional models. It changes the whole appearance of the show,” Knights said.

Although more people may recognize The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, LBCC’s goals are the same; the only difference is that LBCC’s program will cost around $5,000.

FIDM’s tuition, on the other hand, has students graduating with the same certificates and degrees that LBCC offers, except with debt from loans ranging from $25,000 to roughly $100,000—or more.

For those interested in learning how to put the pieces of the clothing puzzle together, paying a visit to the fashion department at LBCC definitely would be a good start.

“You get to test the waters and figure out what you want to do before committing to something and spending a lot of money on something that you might not even end up enjoying in the end,” Knights said.

SPRING 2014 CITY MAGAZINE

9

PLANET OF THE VAPES A mysterious new device is smoking its way into our cities­—but what is it?

“I used to smoke unfiltered cigarettes that I rolled myself, so this was probably the best way to go for me. I haven’t touched a cigarette in eight months.”

-ERICKO LAREZ, LBCC STUDENT

10

CITY MAGAZINE SPRING 2014

You’ve probably seen them before; maybe while you’re walking through the mall or relaxing at a coffee shop. Someone is inhaling from a device that looks similar to a pen, and then exhaling a white cloud of smoke. Or is it? Puzzled, you begin to wonder: how exactly is this person smoking through a pen?

And more importantly, what is this person smoking?

Vaporizers, or electronic cigarettes, are battery-powered devices that heat up a liquid solution, or e-liquids, that contains propylene glycol, food additives and nicotine.

The vaporizer pen instantly heats the e-liquid, causing it to, you guessed it, vaporize. The vapor can then be inhaled and exhaled, simulating the sensation of smoking a cigarette. Both chemicals used in the e-liquid, propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin, had previously been deemed safe for consumption in food products by the Food and Drug Administration.

The food additives give the e-liquid manufacturers the flexibility to create various flavors, ranging from cotton candy to coffee. The nicotine levels in the e-liquids are optional, meaning that it’s possible

STORY BY: BRYAN ARREGUIN PHOTOS BY: VINCENT PARTIDA

to vape for the fun of it, rather than a means to stop smoking cigarettes. The manufacturing of e-liquids already is an industry of its own, with companies competing by producing the highest and safest quality of liquids.

Blake Robinson is the co-owner of a vape shop on Carson Street in Long Beach, wittingly named Vapes of Wrath. Robinson is the kind of guy you go to when you would like a history lesson on vapes.

“The first place it got big was in the Asian community,” Robinson said.

“E-cigs were invented by a Chinese doctor [Dr. David Xiu] and they were marketed heavily in Asia because there are so many people that smoke there,” Robinson explained.

“As time went on, different manufacturers started improving their electronic cigarettes, and eventually, they started getting popular and got more and more of a following.

And then they crossed over to the mainstream American culture.”

Before opening Vapes of Wrath, Robinson and the store’s other co-owner, James Demitra, were struggling to keep a boutique musical instrument shop in business.

“I was just lying there on the

“I started out with a high nicotine level and I just slowly diminished it to the point where I have very little nicotine.”

-THILA CASTILLO, FULLERTON COLLEGE STUDENT

VAPE PARTS

THILA CASTILLO ENJOYS A VAPE BREAK IN BETWEEN CLASSES.

couch, trying to figure out how to make some money because rent was high and we couldn’t get a lease,” Robinson said. “And as I was sitting there, I was like ‘Why don’t we just open up a vape shop?’”

The idea was successful, and they made rent during their first month as vape vendors.

The original intention of vaping was to get smokers to break their smoking habit. However, vaping seems to have spawned an entirely new culture and hobby. Over the past few years, e-cigs have been transformed from a thin, pen-like design, to high-end vaporizers made out of sturdy materials. You can modify your vape in various ways. For example, a bigger tank can be attached or you can sport a team-themed color design to represent your allegiance—the list of modifications goes on.

Such a craze over vapes only makes conventions inevitable. The Long Beach Convention Center hosted the first Vapetoberfest Oct. 18 and 19, 2013. At the convention, new high-end devices were unveiled from the leading vape manufacturers. There also were seminars, as well as vendors and

bars that showcased new flavors and quality e-liquids.

“It’s sort of becoming like a thing from the ‘50s where everybody smoked,” Robinson said. “People just seem to enjoy or have an oral fixation—people just love to puff on something all day. I mean, I’d smoke all day if I could, but I don’t want to die of cancer.”

Robinson admitted that vaping was the reason he was able to kick his heavy smoking habit to the curb Although the original intention of vaporizers has shifted slightly, former cigarette smokers were able to break the habit because of the vape craze.

“I used to smoke unfiltered cigarettes that I rolled myself, so this was probably the best way to go for me. I haven’t touched a cigarette in eight months,” said Ericko Larez, 22, a business major at Long Beach City College, and employee at Genki Vape in Lakewood.

Thila Castillo, 20, a student at Fullerton College, also has benefitted from using vapes.

“I started out with a high nicotine level and I just slowly diminished it to the point where I have very little nicotine,” Castillo said.

For these former smokers, successfully quitting cigarettes was due to the efficiency of their vapes.

According to Thomas Kiklas, the director of the Tobacco Vapor Electronic Cigarette Association, in a USA Today article published Sept.

17, 2012, from 2008 to mid-September 2012, unit sales have increased from 50,000 units to 3.5 million units.

It’s anyone’s guess whether vaporizers are a passing trend or the demise of the cigarette industry.

Although the FDA has certified propylene glycol safe for consumption, it has not done the same for inhaling the substance. The Los Angeles Times reported that parents fear that their children will have easy access to vaporizer pens or will be drawn to the flavors of the e-iquid.

In March 2014, the Los Angeles City Council banned e-cigarette use in many public areas such as parks, restaurants, and most work places in LA. The vape industry certainly has found success, but only time will tell the fate of the industry as regulations and health warnings begin to catch up with the craze.

SPRING 2014 CITY MAGAZINE

11

FRAGMENTS PRACTICES IN A SMALL MUSIC ROOM ON THE SECOND FLOOR AT LONG BEACH BETHANY CHURCH, ON CLARK AVENUE.

F

r

a

g

m

e

n

t

s

Long Beach City College students piece together a hardcore band.

STORY BY: BRANDON RICHARDSON PHOTOS BY: RAUL CORTES

Blackness. From the ground, the vague outline of shapes moving on stage can be seen. The faint hum of dormant amplifiers almost masks the muttering coming from the crowd. Suddenly, lights flash, as the first dissonant chord is struck and the sound of cymbals and drums build up. It builds and it builds until, finally, it erupts, in full fury, with its inyour-face attitude. It seems chaotic and without reason, but underneath the disorder is simplistic harmony.

The genre of hardcore music first made its appearance in the late 1970s and early ‘80s with bands like Black Flag, The Adolescents, and Bad Religion. Originally a sub-genre of punk-rock, it’s described as faster, heavier and more abrasive. Along with differences in music, hardcore spawned the movement against the use of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs, known as ‘straight edge.’

It also played a big role in the development of the do-it-yourself work ethic and underground record

12

CITY MAGAZINE SPRING 2014

labels. During the ‘90s, hardcore ceased to be only a sub-genre of punk-rock, but a genre of its own, which gave way to new sub-genres such as emo, thrash, mathcore, and melodic hardcore.

Fast-forward. The year is 2011, and with more than three decades and more than 15 sub-genres under its belt, hardcore welcomed a new, melodic band to the scene: Fragments—a group of friends from Long Beach consisting of vocalist Brandon Thompson, 21; drummer Nick Sturz, 20; guitarists Harold Arzate, 20; Phil Gillies, 22; and bassist Ivan Hernandez, 25. Looking at the group, you would not assume they were in a band: jeans, shorts, other bands’ tees, button-down polo shirts and long-sleeved plaid shirts; nothing is off limits.

Throughout high school, Thompson and Arzate played together and were friends with Sturz, who later moved to Bakersfield. Sturz said that while

suffering the heat and dullness of this rest-stop town along Highway 99, he remained in contact with Thompson. Through their conversations he made it clear that he wanted to start a hardcore-style band when he moved back to Long Beach. His idea was to write melodic hardcore, like such bands as More Than Life and Sinking Ships, but emulate the live, raw energy of local skate-punk band, The Greenery.

Fragments hasn’t played an excessive number of shows. It mostly plays low-lit, over-crowded, small house shows in East LA and surrounding areas. The band has played Long Beach’s Dipiazza’s twice and Anaheim’s Chain Reaction once. The members described their only tour experience as a grueling 10-hour drive to Salt Lake City for a single show.

“It’s great to see local musicians putting in good, honest work,” said Zack Smith, 24, of The Greenery.

“Don’t see that often anymore.”

“It’s great to see local musicians putting in good, honest work.

Don’t see that often anymore.”

-ZACK SMITH OF THE GREENERY

FRAGMENTS BAND MEMBERS FROM LEFT, DRUMMER NICK STURZ, GUITARIST PHIL GRILLIES, SINGER BRANDON THOMPSON, GUITARIST HAROLD ARZATE AND FILL-IN BASSIST GUS LIMON, NOT PICTURED BASSIST IVAN HERNANDEZ.

Fragments hopes to tour nationally and more extensively in the near future, but every band has the same struggles in the beginning: time, money, and getting its name out.

Band members have their own lives with jobs, school, family, and friends.

While planning how to allocate their time, the band can get put on the backburner. Fragments knows this all too well. With every member working, and several in school, the musicians have been finding it more difficult to get the full band together.

“Always, always work. They have had to cancel so many shows and so many things due to him working,” said Maddy McKinnon, 21, Thompson’s girlfriend of three years.

Money. Everybody needs it. Badly.

For bands, being without money means members can’t buy better equipment. Which can greatly improve their sound. Which directly affects their appeal to the crowd.

Which in turn can give them a boost in record sales. Which then shines a light on them in the eyes of record labels. Which leads to a contract and, in theory, more money!

Fragments had a particularly hard time raising the $2,250 to record some of their songs professionally.

However, before they could record, they had to write.

The writing process can be long and drawn out. Sitting in a hot, sticky room filled with cigarette smoke and the smell of stale beer. Writing

parts and tossing them out just as fast. Fragments is no different, only it substitutes the smell of cigarettes and beer with the stagnant air of a tiny music room on the second floor of a church. Arzate will bring a single guitar part to practice in hopes of forming it into a full song. Then he and Sturz ping-pong it between them, in an attempt to write more riffs around the guitar part. Recently, they decided to shorten their songs to make them fast paced and straight to the point.

Sturz and Thompson entirely take over with lyrical writing. They found that, when writing separately, they were writing about the same topics.

The duo agrees the central theme of their music is simply growing up and the struggles that come with it.

“Faith: having it, losing it,” said Thompson about his lyrical content.

This idea is expressed several times on their new record. One of the best examples would be from their song, “Cold,” “God, if you’re there, why can’t you save me from myself?”

In June 2013, the band recorded an ‘extended play’ with Andrew Glover of Winds of Plague at Sound Temple Studio in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. The six-song EP was released digitally and is available to listen for free via social media networks such as Facebook and PureVolume.

Keep your ear-plugged ears open for this band in the future.

PHIL GILLIES RIFFING BETWEEN SONGS AT PRACTICE.

A FENDER BASS IS LYING ON THE FLOOR IN BETWEEN SONGS.

SPRING 2014 CITY MAGAZINE

13

LBCC Bathroom Diaries THE PLACE WHERE YOU CAN FIND YOURSELF WHILE LOSING PART OF YOURSELF.

LADIES’ BATHROOM STORY BY: BRANDON RICHARDSON PHOTOS BY: RAUL CORTES

14

CITY MAGAZINE SPRING 2014

It literally turns my stomach when I open a repulsive bathroom stall and find poop all over.

Really? I don’t understand. Flush your shit! Please.

I beg you. The next poor soul that opens the stall should not have to endure that ungodly torment.

How could I forget the stench of 50 different perfumes contaminating the air? I get it. We all want to smell good. Please, just spray yourself outside.

Their cheap swap-meet fragrances are like tear gas, powerful enough to take down a whole army.

It kills me to hear a girl on the phone while she’s peeing. There’s such a thing as background noise. The person you’re on the phone with can hear every little fart or flush. Out of all the possible places to be on the phone, why would you pick the dirtiest?

Public restrooms are not a luxury—they are a necessity. I’m not asking for perfection, but something a little less hazmat. The trashiness has gotten so out of hand that I might even endure a bladder infection to avoid using them. Our bathrooms on campus are a million times worse than a port-a-potty at a state fair after a chili-dog-eating contest.

Ladies, I beg you, throw your pads, tampons, and paper towels in the trash. Spray your five dollar perfume elsewhere and flush your shit.

MADISON SALTER IS FRUSTRATED BY THE CRADLE OF FILTH FOUND IN THE WOMEN’S BATHROOM.

That’s it! I’ve had it! The bathrooms here at Long Beach City College are beyond disgusting.

Urine soaked floors, trash surrounding my ankles, and scratched mirrors. The trash cans always are knocked over, stalls are missing toilet paper, and let’s not forget pads and tampons everywhere but the trash can.

How hard is it for female students to throw away their trash? Are their houses this messy? Clean up your own mess! We shouldn’t have to dread using the restrooms at school. It’s become a necessity to hold your breath upon entering the precious powder room.

Obscene amounts of tagging and old crusty gum plaster the walls of each bathroom stall. Most women walk into the lavatory and walk out instantly because they are so disgusted. The dark, dingy bathroom, and the stench of poop overpower a girl’s need to pee.

It’s such a shame. Janitors at LBCC work so hard every night to restore the filthy water closets. Yet, girls do not care at all. I’m pretty sure if a janitor went to the girls’ homes or workplaces and made a big disgusting mess, they would be extremely pissed off. However, ladies just drop every little item possible on the floor.

“A million times worse than a port-a-potty at a state fair after a chilidog-eating contest”

SPRING 2014 CITY MAGAZINE

15

LBCC Bathroom Diaries THE PLACE WHERE YOU CAN FIND YOURSELF WHILE LOSING PART OF YOURSELF. GENTLEMENS’ BATHROOM STORY BY: BRANDON RICHARDSON PHOTOS BY: RAUL CORTES

16

CITY MAGAZINE SPRING 2014

“This ain’t my shitter, what do I care how it looks?”

WTF?!

The Oval Office. The Reading Room. The Crapper. No matter what you call it, the room with the toilet is a sacred place. A quiet place where you can sit and contemplate life, or read a masterpiece, or surf the Web. I’ve even heard claims that the most impactful epiphanies only occur while on the john.

However, when it comes to public restrooms, many people seem to be lacking common courtesy. This ain’t my shitter, what do I care how it looks? The janitorial staff cleans by night, slipping in and out unseen. Unfortunately, at Long Beach City College, the men’s lavatories reflect the disgusting, ‘I don’t give a fuck’ attitude every day.

The first thing I notice is the floor littered with moist, crumpled, paper towels surrounding a large trash can.

Proof that not all men are as talented at basketball as they seem to think. That, or they’re inconsiderate ass-wipes.

As I venture farther into the washroom, I get the full scope of my peril. Cracks in mirrors make little difference when they also are covered in what looks like the scribbles of a 3-year-old child who recently was dropped on its head. What good is ‘tagging’ if no one can even read your scumbag thoughts? I mean, I understand that, as

men, we don’t utilize mirrors as much as women, but if you’re a big enough douchebag to tag on mirrors, I would think you’d also be vain enough to want to use them.

I turn my attention toward the one urinal in this particular water closet and it is, regretfully, occupied.

I am forced to enter one of two small, metal coffins: a shit-stained stall. I wince. Thankfully, the seat was up, because I wouldn’t want to touch anything in this hellhole.

The piss-flecked porcelain glares up at me. Not only do they need someone to clean up after them, but they need someone to hold their dicks for them too. I look around, overwhelmed by more childish markings—undecipherable, some language from a species clearly devolved from our own. On the floor, puddles of what I pray is water, but judging from the smell it’s saturating me in...with heavy doubts, I try my best to nimbly stay on my toes.

I finish my ‘business’ as quickly as possible. I hurry to the sink, half expecting to find piss, vomit, shit, or a combination of the three, and it doesn’t work. Onto the next, and though surprisingly filthy, it works. Strands of hair, bits of paper towel, dirt, grime, and, I’m assuming, fingernails. Hands washed and dried, I place my used paper towels in the trash can like a decent human being and leave, longing for deep breaths of non-toxic air.

Obvious signs of time and neglect, this facility is in a deep depression. How I long for days past, when people respected this place. The place where everyone can escape from life. The place where you can find yourself while losing part of yourself. How I long for the elegance of a well-cared-for and appreciated porcelain throne.

SPRING 2014 CITY MAGAZINE

17

MEGAN GUTIERREZ, A STUDENT AT LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE, WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT AT 18 MONTHS OLD AND HAS BEEN OVERCOMING CHALLENGES EVER SINCE.

Overcoming Adversity I’m more than just my disability.

STORY BY: YARITZA ALEGRIA PHOTOS BY: MICHAEL KOECHELER

Lindsay Curt has had six brain surgeries in 18 years.

Every two to three years she endures more surgery; she is on her three-year mark and is hoping she doesn’t undergo another, but more than likely she will.

“One almost took me out, but I don’t know how I got through that, I just don’t know, and there’s more to come,” Curt said softly.

Curt, 18, is a disabled student at Long Beach City College. She does not have one disability, but three— Cerebral palsy, Hydrocephalus, and visual impairment.

Cerebral palsy is a neurological condition that causes physical disability, which affects the brain and nervous system. Hydrocephalus is a condition that causes an abnormal accumulation of fluids on the brain.

At LBCC, disabled students deal with hardships every day. Although some may not be capable of doing what others can do, their dedication and commitment to success are no different from anyone else.

Curt has a hard time getting around, but that does not stop her from attending classes or school activities.

She is taking four classes, and recently joined an all-girl service club called Teens and Twenties, or TNT. Her motivation comes from helping those who are going through what she has gone through.

18

CITY MAGAZINE SPRING 2014

“One of the students that I work with, she is physically and visually impaired. She’s having to learn this, like, differently, and the teachers don’t know how to help her,” Curt explained. “I’m there helping them teach her, because I had to learn this myself. And so, watching her, it helps me to know that once I get my degree as a teacher of the visually impaired, I can help those students.”

Despite her disabilities, Curt continues to overcome her obstacles and to push forward. She plans to transfer to Cal State Long Beach and then Cal State Los Angeles to pursue her dream of becoming a teacher for the visually impaired.

There are many students like Curt who are hungry for change, success, and respect.

“Quit using the ‘R’ word,” Curt said, tightening her right hand into a fist, holding her head up high to make sure she was being heard. “We are not that, you cannot classify someone because of their disability.”

Meagan Gutierrez, 22, also a disabled student at LBCC, has been in a wheelchair ever since she can remember. She was in a car accident when she was 18 months old and has been handicapped ever since.

Gutierrez attends school Monday through Saturday, and travels on the city bus.

“There is nothing else I can do, just for me to be strong,” Gutierrez said. “I don’t want to be those weak-minded people that say, ‘Oh, I can’t do anything because of this,’ just finding excuses. I’m just not like that, I like to keep trying.”

One problem Gutierrez tends to have, just like Curt, is people getting in her way.

“People are rude,” Gutierrez said. “You know what really pisses me off? It’s when I’m waiting for the bus and they all rush forward. Like, they get in front of me and then I get worried because I feel like the bus driver can’t see me, so I feel like he’s going to leave me,” Gutierrez said, her tone angry, eyes glaring.

The Disabled Students Programs and Services, or DSPS, at LBCC is a program that assists disabled students and instructors who have questions about how to help them.

“We are the part of the college that is charged with providing specialized services to assist all students with disabilities, physical and psychological, to participate fully in the college’s programs and activities, to offer an even-playing field for students to be able to perform at their greatest potential,” said Dan Hansch, student disability specialist and counselor.

Just like any other student, they struggle with financial aid, registering for classes, and meeting deadlines. The school makes sure that disabled students have the accommodations they need to move forward.

“Again, we’re here to level the playing field,” Hansch said. “Every student…has the equal right to participate in college and to benefit fully from a college experience.”

LINDSAY CURT HAS A HARD TIME GETTING AROUND, BUT THAT DOES NOT STOP HER FROM ATTENDING CLASSES AND SCHOOL ACTIVITIES.

“Quit using the ‘R’word” -LBCC STUDENT LINDSAY CURT

A STUDENT AT LBCC, LINDSAY CURT, USES HER BRAIL NOTETAKER FOR HER SCHOOLWORK.

SPRING 2014 CITY MAGAZINE

19

De Soto the Snipper Your scissors, in the hands of another, can betray you.

STORY BY: MATT MCCUTCHAN PHOTO BY: RAUL CORTES

“The risk to my phalanges— possibly even my life and limbs—was at an all-time high.”

20

I was in fifth grade, 9 years old, and there was a chunk of my finger lying on the floor.

Everyone’s desks were set up in groups of four. My cluster was nearest the door, but farthest from the teacher’s desk. The classroom was buzzing with activity as everyone worked on homework and art projects.

Jessica De Soto had stolen my scissors and started chopping them at me. I went to grab her wrist. She jerked the scissors upwards, and snipped off the end of my finger.

I froze for a few moments before I realized what had happened. Before I saw the blood pouring out of my finger. She was just as shocked as I was, just looking at my hand saying, “I’m sorry!”

My teacher was at her desk and turned to look as I approached. I held my finger in front of me, dripping blood, my hand underneath in some half-assed effort to catch my life juice as if it was a leaky faucet. After asking what happened, she sent me to the office.

CITY MAGAZINE SPRING 2014

I walked out of the classroom, down the stairs, and to the office. The secretary didn’t finish asking why I had come in before I held up my bloody nub.

I hiked to the back of the office and sat down. The secretary brought a small bowl of rubbing alcohol, set it next to me, took my hand, and shoved my finger into it.

It sizzled and burned like fire.

My finger hadn’t hurt up until then— maybe I was in shock, or maybe because it happened so fast. But this—this hurt like hell.

And of course, I couldn’t just dip my finger in the alcohol like testing the temperature of a swimming pool. I had to leave it in.

The sadistic secretary followed up by bringing something to wrap around the end of my finger to stop, or at least slow, the bleeding. At the time, I thought of nothing past that moment—like everything that would follow on the road to recovery and how annoyingly frustrating it would be.

“…my hand underneath in some half-assed effort to catch my life juice as if it was a leaky faucet.”

The unspeakable mangling those scissors could’ve unleashed was terrifying, so I was glad that it was just the one finger. My own scissors, in the hands of another, had betrayed me. It was all so surreal.

The principal had returned from paying a visit to my classroom where he picked up the chunk of my finger off the floor and put it on ice. My aunt, a retired nurse, had shown up to look at my mangled finger. After a few hours my mom was able to come, and the three of us went to the doctor’s office. That was the end of that day.

But it wasn’t long until I began to realize that I had an aversion to scissors, no matter the variety. Even the shape-cutting scissors made for children, or safety scissors, are avoided. This is what I have been debased to. Just because they’re called “safety scissors” and were made for children doesn’t mean they couldn’t still lop off a part of my body.

All safety scissors really are, are scissors with a blunted end. This design choice was made to help prevent accidental cuts, and stabbing. That’s all well and good, but I’m less afraid of being stabbed, and more afraid of being sheared by another human being. When you’ve reached fifth grade, I think everyone should know the do’s and don’ts of scissors.

I guess some people missed the memo.

Now, I’m always extremely careful around scissors. I’m probably more comfortable with knives than scissors. You might look at me and say I was crazy, or had aichmophobia. However, I wouldn’t go that far. I acknowledge that it’s a fairly irrational fear, but I’d prefer to call it a “healthy respect.” Hell, as I’m writing this, there are scissors

and a whole host of other office supplies within two feet of me. You know what they say, keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.

On Tuesday, August 27, 2013, I relived it all, the moment I walked in to the first day of the City Magazine class and saw Jessica De Soto. Had my personal Jack the Ripper come to finish the job 10 years later? The risk to my phalanges—possibly even my life and limbs—was at an all-time high.

I hold no antipathy for her. There was anxiety, and I certainly didn’t want to give her any opportunities to wield any kind of office supply, but I didn’t loathe her. It was a long time ago, and isn’t worth holding on to any kind of animosity toward her, despite the arduous task of having gone to the doctor’s office every couple of weeks, not being able to write (she got the good hand!), type, or even eat with my hand. I knew her when I saw her, but I don’t think she even recognized me. I was assured of that when I heard her name, and she showed no awareness about me.

As I sit here and write these last paragraphs, I find myself lightly running my thumb over my index finger, where the scar is, as if I was rolling something between them. It’s something I do all the time while I’m thinking, but think little about on a day-to-day basis.

That scar, and that memory, will always be there, though. On the tip of my finger, and the edge of my mind.

SPRING 2014 CITY MAGAZINE

21

Shiver Me Tinder

Online dating has brought out a whole new breed of creepy.

STORY BY : KATIE CORTEZ ILLUSTRATION BY: WHITNEY MOKLER

“Can I poop on your chest?” response from Tinder user.

22

Recently, I asked a guy on Tinder what his favorite starting Pokemon was and his response was, “Can I poop on your chest?”

Not only was I disgusted, but I also was a little bummed that he didn’t answer my question.

I joined Tinder as a joke, but in my experience with the popular dating application, I have learned that there are some quality guys on there. By some, I mean about 5 percent of them want something other than sex. As a single girl in her 20s, I don’t find that surprising at all, but nonetheless a little disappointing.

It’s no secret that the young people of this generation are more focused on technology than ever, and with the creation of Tinder, a free dating app, it continues to get easier for people to meet via cellphone. With a simple swipe of a finger, users can accept or reject a person. Although the process may seem purely superficial on the surface, the app was created to “...emulate the way we interact in real life,” according to Tinder’s website.

The way the app works is simple: after downloading it to a smartphone, users can create an account by connecting through Facebook.

Your five most recent profile pictures are automatically uploaded, as well as your friends list and the pages you’ve liked on Facebook. You

CITY MAGAZINE SPRING 2014

can change your photos if you want and add a short description of yourself. In the settings menu, you can choose to search for males, females, or both, and change the radius of your search anywhere from 1-100 miles.

When you start, a screen pops up with a person’s photo and if you tap it, you can see their profile. If their picture doesn’t strike your interest, you can swipe to the left anonymously rejecting that person, but if you swipe to the right, you’ll have liked them. If that person has liked you too, you’ll be alerted of the match and be taken to a private messaging platform.

In an article titled “Tinder CEO wants to use glanceable UI to create meaningful relationships” written by Alex Colon on Nov. 5, 2013 for gigaom.com, Tinder CEO Sean Rad explains that the app is meant to represent the high school experience. It’s like “...your friend comes and tells you that your crush also has a crush on you,” Rad said. He explained that moment of mutual interest creates the trust and strength needed to pursue the relationship.

Unfortunately for Rad and his associates, Tinder has gotten a bad reputation for being a hook-up app. But Rad compares the app to walking in the streets and subconsciously

saying “Yes, no, yes, no” to people we see, but do not know.

“I think online dating is great for students,” said Samwell Favela, 23, journalism major at Long Beach City College. “I mean, yeah it can get raunchy and used for just hooking up, but I know people who meet over social networks and are in committed relationships now.”

However, the relationship aspect of the app is usually lost on horny adults in their 20s. Many people join online communities like Tinder in hopes of casual sex encounters with strangers.

“I was really tired of being single and thought that this may be the way for me to be in a relationship,” said Athena Robinson, 24, history graduate student at Cal State Long Beach. But “it turns out most of the people on Christian Mingle are creepy 50-year-old men, or men my age who like to stalk women.”

“I am dealing with a guy who feels the need to take care of me. He buys me food and sends me money. He has not said he likes me,” Robinson said. “He just suggested we meet because we were both history majors but stated he was only interested in friendship.”

And just because you get along with someone virtually, it doesn’t mean that you’ll get along with them in real life.

“So far, my Tinder dating experience has been bad,” Favela said. “I thought one date was going to be amazing because we had such a great connection on our phones, but when we finally met, it was such a letdown.”

Dating can be hard at any age, but at a time when 20-somethings are so dependent on social media for means of communication with one another, it’s almost impossible to make a connection with a live person. Thanks to Sean Rad and the people at Tinder, we now have a way to search for the next great relationship—or even our next sexual conquest. But no matter what you’re looking for on Tinder, remember that “...there’s no guessing or insecure thoughts,” Favela said. “It’s so hard sometimes to know if someone is interested in you, and with online dating it reassures you more that the person is or isn’t willing to talk to you.” Welcome to the world of 21st-century dating.

“I mean, yeah it can get raunchy and used for just hooking up, but I know people who meet over social networks and are in commited relationships right now.”

-SAMWELL FAVELA, JOURNALISM MAJOR AT LBCC.

“I was really tired of being single and thought that this may be the way for me to be in a relationship.”

-ATHENA ROBINSON, HISTORY GRADUATE STUDENT AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH.

SPRING 2014 CITY MAGAZINE

23

Grants in Your Corner

Grants in Your Corner Go all 10 rounds with these financial tips.

STORY BY: TYISHA ALI PHOTOS BY: ADAM ROBERSON

The school semester begins, last minute classes are being picked, and money is due for rent, tuition, and books. The fight is money versus education—which one will win and is this fight worth fighting?

For some, money issues are the biggest battle of them all. It doesn’t matter if they are straight out of high school, a veteran, or a returning student trying to gain a new skill, money is the way of the world. Without it, accomplishing a simple goal, such as gaining a higher education, can seem impossible.

However, many college students are like amateur boxers struggling to learn the ropes of the financial fight. Students often get defeated because they don’t take advantage of the help that’s out there. Financial aid is the first term you hear when the conversation of paying for college comes up. Yet, many college students who receive financial aid still are in need of assistance, and those who don’t receive it are being knocked down in the first round.

For those who have chosen to fight for their education, loans, grants, and scholarships are great tools to use, but students need to know what they are applying for. Here are some tips on how you can take on these challenges and not lose.

Scholarships and Student Grants Scholarships and grants are financial awards given to help students move forward in their education. The best

24

CITY MAGAZINE SPRING 2014

thing is that students don’t have to pay back the money.

Various government programs, as well as non-profit and profitable organizations, offer scholarships to help with the financial burdens of student life. The awards given are based on criteria, which usually relate to the values and goals of the donor.

Student grants, such as the Pell Grant, are based on needs. They can be applied for during the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process. According to the fourth edition of “Grant Writing for Dummies”

by Dr. Beverly A. Browning, grants are monetary awards given by a grantor to a grantee. These are referred to as federal or cooperative agreements.

Loans Like grants, student loans can be viewed as a federal agreement. However, student loans must be paid back, so don’t let it catch you off guard with a right hook. Once you graduate, you can expect lenders like Sallie Mae to contact you, asking you to pay back the money—with interest. Even bankruptcy cannot save you from making these payments.

Research, Research and More Research Every year a lot of scholarships go unused because students do not apply. One reason students do not apply for scholarships is because they do not know where to

“You have to research the right type of scholarship because there are several out there.”

-TYISHA THOMAS, 2005 JEROME RICHARDSON SCHOLARSHIP WINNER

“You should include as much detail as you can because you never know what detail might get you the scholarship.” -CHRIS GLOVER, LBCC TUTORIAL PROGRAM COORDINATOR TRISTAN SIMON WORKS ON HIS SCHOLARSHIP-EARNING GAME IN THE LIBRARY OF THE LAC AT LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE.

look. There are many places to start looking for grants and scholarships, it just takes dedication.

“You have to research the right type of scholarship because there are several out there,” said Tyisha Thomas, 28, a 2005 Jerome Richardson scholarship winner. She added that sometimes when looking at the qualifications for a particular scholarship, it may not be the right match, so you have to keep researching.

There are several sites such as fastweb.com and finaid.org that list scholarships and try to personalize them for you. Another great place to look is at your school. Long Beach City College has a scholarship office and offers workshops that give information on the scholarship application process.

Follow the Directions The number one rule in applying for scholarships is to follow all of the directions. Missing one step could get you eliminated. You never know

why the administrator deemed the requirements important, and by not following them, it shows that you do not care. Shyra Compton, LBCC’s scholarship specialist, explained that to apply for scholarships at the college, students need to fill out one application form, write a personal essay, and get two letters of recommendation.

Details Matter Personal essays can seem tricky to write, but it can be done with some planning and organization. During a scholarship workshop, Chris Glover, LBCC tutorial program coordinator, said that keeping your story in chronological order can give the committee a clear idea of who you are. Glover also mentioned that details matter when writing for a scholarship.

“You should include as much detail as you can because you never know what detail might get you the scholarship,” Glover said.

Prioritize Another crucial thing students applying for scholarships must keep in mind is prioritizing. This is a key step in making sure you meet the deadline of your scholarship and have them done the correct way. Prioritizing also allows the student time to get help if needed. A great method is to create a checklist and keep scholarships in order by the date in which they are due. Waiting until the last minute might leave you lying in the middle of the boxing ring, down for the count.

These are some helpful tips to aid students in gearing up for their money versus education bout. Now students can step into the ring like a professional boxer with scholarships and grants in their corners, giving them the edge to receive the education they deserve.

SPRING 2014 CITY MAGAZINE

25

LBCC STUDENT MAITTE SOLIS MAPS OUT HER PATH TO FINDING AN INTERNSHIP.

STORY BY: MADISON SALTER PHOTOS BY: ADAM ROBERTSON

Internships during college give you the skills needed for the real world.

Y

our stomach starts to churn, your mind begins to race—you didn’t get the job.

How could I not get the job? I’ve worked so hard all through school. Reality starts to sink in. It turns out a college degree seems to mean nothing without some experience.

To avoid being turned down from your dream job, take advantage of your resources. Find an amazing internship during college and gain the experience needed for the real world.

26

CITY MAGAZINE SPRING 2014

Internships are available, and finding the right one for you is easy. Long Beach City College’s Career Center helps match students with internships.

Students also can check out websites like internships. com, internmatch.com, and int-ernqueen.com. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone to find an internship that makes you happy.

Plan on applying to at least 20 internships—the more you apply to, the better chance you have at being accepted. If you apply to one or two a day,

you’ll have the applications done in no time. You and find out any future goals the company may have. cannot procrastinate on the application process, It’s best to have background information because it because most employers select students right away. will give you a leg-up during the interview. Remain Having a professional resume is crucial during the confident and positive—it could boost your chances application process. List all of your past jobs, school of scoring the internship. awards, and volunteer work. Even something as “Confidence is killer. You can accomplish minor as long-term babysitting could be a good anything with confidence,” said Maitte Solis, 20, thing on your resume.

LBCC business major.

While you want to highlight all of your skills, When you do nail the interview, and get the avoid over exaggerating. For example, it’s not a position, it’s important to keep your internship. good idea to say you’re fluent in Spanish if you Rob Wile stated on businessinsider.com.au, “Work only know basic words. Lying on a resume is a big harder than the full-time employees—nights, deal, especially if an interviewer brings up your weekends, whatever it takes if you’re serious.” embellished skill.

The goal of internships is to gain experience.

It’s always important to stand out from the crowd, Hardworking interns are more likely to get but avoid overly personalized resumes. noticed by bosses and may be given Blue may be your favorite color, but more opportunities. Even if you think “No matter how much don’t use it for the font. Keep it clean, getting coffee is below you, always tight and simple. we all practice volunteer. Never be late or come A major no-no in the internship in hungover. It’s also important to and how good we application process is having an remember that an internship is a job. unprofessional email address. If your might think we are People are relying on you. Don’t be on email is fluffykitty448, you probably your cellphone or leave whenever you at interviews, we won’t be taken seriously. You may be feel like it. the perfect fit for the internship, but all have had, or By interning for a good company your email address could send the it could open bigger and better eventually will have, application straight to the trash. A good jobs for you, maybe even a full-time idea is to opt for your first, middle, or those interviews position or returning to the internship last name as your email address. next semester. Many highly successful where everything After you’ve successfully applied for people are where they are today an internship, it’s important to prepare might go wrong.” because of internships in college. for potential interviews.

“Yeah, I got to do the things I “No matter how much we all practice -LAUREN BERGER, wanted to do because of internships. and how good we might think we FOUNDER OF They really opened the door for are at interviews, we all have had, or INTERNQUEEN.COM me,” Beth Georges, former E News eventually will have, those interviews producer, told a group of students at where everything might go wrong,” Lauren Berger, the fall 2013 Journalism Association of Community 28, founder of internqueen.com, stated on her College Southern California Conference. website. Berger said it’s best to ask questions So, instead of being rejected from your dream during the interview and thank the interviewer for job for lack of experience, apply for an internship. their time.

Do your research and be passionate about gaining To prepare for an interview, do a little background work experience. Internships are a great way to get research on the company. Read its mission your feet wet. statement, check out its latest accomplishments,

SPRING 2014 CITY MAGAZINE

27

28

CITY MAGAZINE SPRING 2014

The Praises of God Used to Mean so Much More.

STORY BY: BRANDON RICHARDSON PHOTO BY: MICHAEL KOECHELER

“God told me to.”

“I used to weigh 600 lbs until God inspired me to lose weight. Now, by His grace, I only weigh 550 lbs.”

Seriously America? God inspired you?

It wasn’t the constant stares, whispers and pointing? Not the constant name calling?

Shamu. Tubby. Michael Moore. It wasn’t the doctor who told you that if you don’t lose weight you will die prematurely, probably due to some heart issues or diabetes? How about the fact that it takes you two or three tries to get off the fucking couch? Or how you are winded after walking to the refrigerator? No? It was definitely God, then?

People will claim just about anything to be ‘by the grace of God.’ It is really starting to get absurd. Don’t get me wrong, I have absolutely no qualms with Christianity. The ideals on which it is founded are pretty solid and a good guideline for being a good person, even if many Christians don’t live up to them.

But to claim that God gave you the wisdom and insight to realize that you needed to lose weight? Pull your head out of your ass and take ownership of your own mistakes and your own decisions to correct them.

Like the born-again Christian sitting on death row for murder, “God has shown me the error of my ways.” Really? And all it took was for you to viciously murder someone, get caught, and get sentenced to death to realize that murder was wrong? Get real. That is just a cop out because you know you are about to die for your crimes, and in the off chance that Christianity is right, you want to ensure that you will not burn in hell, where you probably belong.

If you are a religious person, why not save the praise for situations that always were out of your control? Let’s say, I don’t know, a family member or friend is diagnosed with cancer, but they beat it? Or, you get into a car accident and everyone is unharmed?

Times like that, absolutely thank whatever god you pray to. But to lower the standard of God to something as trivial as you couldn’t put down the damn fork—it’s too much. You are degrading the value of God to those who believe in a god. If you thank God for getting you out of a speeding ticket, or scoring a date with some lustful crush, get over yourself, idiot. Thank God when you have a child born perfectly healthy.

It’s almost like it has become trendy to claim that all of your decisions are the will of God. I didn’t realize that we had reverted back to Puritan times when the only explanation for anything and everything was that it was God’s will. I thought it was 2014, and you could make a personal decision to not eat everything in sight and not blame God if we do. Then decide that we should lose some of that 600 lbs, not because “God told me to,” but because you are morbidly obese and it is disgusting.

The praises of God used to mean so much more, but nowadays it all just seems watered down with stupidity and bullshit.

SPRING 2014 CITY MAGAZINE

29