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WILDCAT WELLNESS | VOLUME 118,
Editor-in-Chief
Sierra Blaser editor@dailywildcat.com
Managing Editor
Sam Parker
News Editors
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Kanishka Chinnaraj Emma LaPointe news@dailywildcat.com
Opinions Editor
Luke Lawson opinion@dailywildcat.com
Editing Staff
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Sabina Hernandez arts@dailywildcat.com
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Olivia Volland copy@dailywildcat.com
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Sela Margalit smargalit@dailywildcat.com
Social Media Coordinators
Nandini Manepalli Kiara Adams socials@dailywildcat.com
Designers
Sam Parker
Sierra Blaser
Sela Margalit Jay Corella
Emma LaPointe
Ruby Wray
Cover illustration by Maddie French
Memories in motion: UA scientist and students provide care to elders with dementia
NATASHA CORTINOVIS
The Daily Wildcat
“I miss my mother the most when I’m sitting across from her,” former CNN chief political correspondent Candy Crowley said in 2012.
Crowley described her mother’s dementia-affected mind as a place where many balloons float all at once, and when she’s able to get ahold of one, a story of her life comes out.
Crowley’s mother’s disease accounts for one of the 55 million cases of people living with dementia worldwide, a number that’s expected to rise to 139 million within the next 25 years.
These numbers indicate that someone develops dementia every three seconds somewhere on Earth.
The term dementia describes a range of brain disorders, which include Alzheimer’s, that appear in the physical world through inexorable memory loss. This loss affects one’s personality, language and behaviors, to the point where the ties that hold one to reality are cut. After that, even the tasks of daily life lose their meaning and the faces of loved ones become unrecognizable.
A person’s whole life and world gradually sink into the realms of oblivion.
The first symptoms of dementia are the beginning of a long goodbye; there is currently no cure.
Some people, however, are determined not to give up on dementiaaffected patients, even if there’s no cure. They want to slow the disease down.
Sharon Arkin, a retired University
of Arizona assistant research scientist, is one of these determined people.
Driven by her personal experience caring for her mother with Alzheimer’s, Arkin dedicated her postdoctoral fellowship at the UA to researching effective ways to slow the progression of dementia in patients with early to moderate stages of the disease.
At the time Arkin’s mother was diagnosed, a college student from her parents’ Chicago neighborhood became her mother’s companion and caregiver in her journey with Alzheimer’s, offering weekly physical and mental exercises to help her maintain ties to reality.
Riding the wave of inspiration, Arkin readapted this student’s exercises into her post-doc research at the UA.
“I was able to get a 4-year grant to test how successful it would be to have a group of students working one-to-one with a partner affected by dementia,” Arkin said. “So every semester, students would work weekly with their assigned partner to try to slow down the disease, and the patients stayed in the program as long as they could.”
In 2007, Arkin published a study showing that drug-free, language-enriched physical fitness interventions — led by UA undergraduate students over
two semesters — helped patients with early to moderate dementia maintain stability without decline while also improving their mood and reducing the risk of depression.
The research experience turned into Arkin’s life-long dedication.
To this day, Arkin’s community program called Elder Rehab, previously called Alzheimer’s Treatment By Students, continues to pair 17-25 UA volunteer students from different fields of study with an elderly person
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NATASHA CORTINOVIS | THE DAILY WILDCAT UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA STUDENT of physiology and medical sciences Karthik S. Srinivas pauses to smile for a picture after practicing some memory and language-enriching activities with 92-year-old George Wolfson.
COMMUNITY HEALTH
FROM PAGE 4
affected by dementia. The program hosts 20 twice-a-week, two-hour long sessions of mentally and physically stimulating exercises.
On a warm afternoon at Tucson’s Desert Sports and Fitness gym, where Elder Rehab takes place, 92-year-old Italian-American and former architect George Wolfson engaged in cognitive exercise. With a one-minute timer set, he began listing all the countries he could remember. After naming four, he paused and said, “Italy!”
“I like coming here, my companion is very kind,” Wolfson said in Italian. Despite his disease and spending many years in the Bay Area before moving to Tucson, Wolfson still speaks Italian very well. Among the floating balloons in his mind, he grabbed ahold of one and shared his memories in the cities of Genoa and Milan.
Wolfson’s student volunteer since July 2024, Karthik Srinivas, is a UA
physiology and medical science student. Srinivas wishes to pursue geriatric medicine and said that he finds it rewarding to spend time with the elderly. While in high school, he volunteered at a hospice center and found the loneliness many elders face sad. But that’s why he loves giving company, according to Srinivas.
“By joining Elder Rehab, I can help make the current life of my elderly friend George [Wolfson] more satisfying,” Srinivas said. “It’s a wonderful experience, I have a lot of fun working with George, it’s really very rewarding.”
During the hour of physical fitness together, Srinivas instructs and supervises Wolfson on stretching and weightpushing moves with gym equipment, precisely as a personal trainer would do. Srinivas was trained on safety and equipment by the Desert Sports and Fitness gym manager, Kelly Shupe.
Wolfson and Srinivas’ routine usually consists of mental and social exercises, such as stories, category listings, sentence completions, quizzes and socializing, followed by cardio, stretching and weight training.
Wolfson gets his well-deserved rest in between the alternation of exercises.
“I prefer the questions,” Wolfson said with a laugh. “They’re easier than the physical training.”
Every patient who wants to receive this care pays $499 a semester and a one-time examination fee of $85 to Desert Sports and Fitness. However, financial aid for caregivers is now available through the non-profit Arizona Caregiver Coalition.
Wolfson’s caregiver is his wife Beatrice Della Santa. She was a SwissAmerican nurse, who has practiced for years in nursing homes, and believes that the company between a young person and an elderly one brings mutual sentimental rewards to both.
“An environment where there are only elderly people together brings the mood down,” Della Santa said. “I believe young people should spend time with the elderly, and vice versa, it improves both’s quality of life.”
For Della Santa, her husband’s time with Srinivas at Elder Rehab is a soothing experience. It makes her feel better to know that he’s being cared for.
“I love him, we spent 60 years together,” Della Santa said. “Elder Rehab is helping me, because I know it’s helping him.”
Della Santa said that after a fulfilling life hardships have come. But, she wants to slow those hardships down, and Elder Rehab makes it their mission to do just that.
NATASHA CORTINOVIS | THE DAILY WILDCAT
DURING PHYSICAL TRAINING, GEORGE Wolfson concentrates on pushing weights with his legs while Karthik Srinivas supervises him.
NATASHA CORTINOVIS | THE DAILY WILDCAT
KARTHIK SRINIVAS ASSISTS GEORGE Wolfson in his stretching excercises, making sure he doesn’t fall.
CAMPUS SAFETY
UACMT launches new mental health response program
BY RUBY WRAY
The Daily Wildcat
The University of Arizona Crisis Mobile Team has launched a new initiative to better address mental health needs across campus.
Patti Norris, the University of Arizona mental health clinician and liaison to the dean of students, has entered the position of co-responder for UACMT, working alongside the University of Arizona Office of Public Safety.
Norris is a UA alumni and worked as a licensed professional counselor for over 23 years in the state of Arizona. She has been with Counseling and Psychological Services as a mental health clinician since September 2018. Norris is dispatched as the first responder to mental-health-related calls focusing on crisis intervention and de-escalation.
While the UACMT program was officially launched this February, the co-responder role started in July 2024.
“If the goal is to de-escalate someone who’s experiencing a mental health crisis, sending police doesn’t always necessarily help and when we started talking with UAPD, it became clear that they were on the same page. They wanted experts out on the front lines to help them respond to those calls,” the University of Arizona director of CAPS Aaron Barnes said.
In an interview at the UA Mall, Barnes expressed that he presented a program proposal to former President Dr. Robert C. Robbins in 2021 following increased mental healthrelated calls. As of this year, the uni -
versity has approved the budget to fund two full-time mental health responder positions.
The new additions include crisis network manager Norris and a full-time coresponder who has not yet been hired.
Norris’ day-to-day shifts can look drastically different. She is equipped with a police radio and responds to a multitude of calls, some on her golf cart, others in a police vehicle.
“The reality is, we see students in crisis. This is a moment in time. Our job is to not let that moment define them,”
Norris said.
Students at the Mall felt similarly, with some expressing feeling more comfortable with counselors than law enforcement.
“A police officer is scary for many people trying to talk to them and talk to them via an empathetic lens, but counselors, that’s their job and they know what’s due in the situations,” freshman Alexis Saffer said.
The Threat Assessment Management Team offers new training for students
and faculty in Edge Learning to handle targeted violence and deescalation.
Students can access mental health resources by contacting CAPS at 520-621-3334, scheduling an appointment online or dropping in at a CAPS location during operating hours. Employees can contact Employee Assistance Counseling — available 24/7 to all UA employees, their dependents and members of their households — at 877-3272362.
RUBY WRAY | THE DAILY WILDCAT
PATTI NORRIS, MENTAL HEALTH clinician and liaison to the dean of students, leaves a UAPD vehicle following dispatch in front of the University of Arizona Campus Health Center on Thursday, Feb. 13.
IN MEMORIAM
A champion for Arizona: Remembering the life and impact of Rep. Raúl Grijalva
Grijalva announced last April that he would not be running for a 13th term after being diagnosed with lung cancer.
On Thursday, March 13, Rep. Raúl Grijalva passed away due to complications from his cancer treatment, according to the Office of Raúl M. Grijalva. A former Wildcat and a long-time advocate for environmental and immigration rights in Arizona, the loss of Grijalva weighs heavily on the Tucson community.
Grijalva is known in the community for his many years of service and unconventional methods in Congress. He was an advocate for Southern Arizona while in Congress.
According to Grijalva’s office, “He led the charge for historic investments in climate action, port of entry modernization, permanent funding for land and water conservation programs, access to
health care for tribal communities and the uninsured, fairness for immigrant families and Dreamers, student loan forgiveness, stronger protections for farmers and workers exposed to extreme heat, early childhood education expansion, higher standards for tribal consultation, and so much more.”
With such a lasting impact on the community, the focus now turns to how his legacy can be carried forward and built upon for future generations.
Current Tucson Unified Governing
Board President Jennifer Eckstrom, who has been close to Grijalva and his family for years, provided insight.
Eckstrom initially met Grijalva when she was eight years old, when her father, Dan Eckstrom, and Grijalva served on the Pima County Board of Supervisors together.
Before moving to the TUSD school board, Eckstrom was mayor of South Tucson. She began her political career at 18 and got help from Grijalva.
“When I decided to get into politics at 18, [Grijalva] was one of the first people that I spoke with to get advice from and to see, you know, what that meant, how to do that [politics] effortlessly. Because, you know, anytime that you saw him speak, it was effortlessly,” Eckstrom said.
Eckstrom noted that one of Grijalva’s most significant impacts on her was his advocacy for women, specifically Latinas, in politics. She said this was not common, and not many men wanted that advocacy at the time.
“[Grijalva] pretty much supported me, his daughter, Mayor Romero and countless others who have run for state legislature, for city council, and so you can’t deny that, you know, he was looking forward and realizing that the future is female,” Eckstrom said.
Eckstrom also commented that Grijalva had impacted the community in many ways and was never afraid to say what he thought.
“[Grijalva] never minced words, and he always told you what he thought. During the first Trump administration, we saw how he fought for Southern Arizona and the rights of LGBTQ, the rights for women, the rights for abortion,” Eckstrom said. She tied his support of abortion to why Arizona mobilized so heavily for
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COURTESY JARED KING/NNWO
U.S REP RAÚL GRIJALVA of Arizona speaks at a ceremony to protect one million acres of land near the Grand Canyon from uranium mining. Grijalva represented Southern Arizona communities for more than 20 years.
EMMA LAPOINTE
The Daily Wildcat
the abortion mandate.
Eckstrom also pushed for people to advance Grijalva’s legacy by advocating for prominent issues affecting Southern Arizona communities.
“We need to continue saying the things that need to be said and not be afraid,” Eckstrom said, in light of Grijalva’s responses to controversial immigration legislation and his support for LGBTQ+ rights.
Grijalva was also a strong environmentalist, a role which, especially in Arizona, is becoming increasingly important. From promoting funding for the use of low-carbon materials in construction projects across the state to reforming mining laws to encourage a future based in cleaner energy, Grijalva put environmental justice, conservation and sustainability at the core of many of his legislative visions.
“He was an environmentalist, something that, you know, hopefully generations will see the impact that he had on not just Southern Arizona, but even Northern Arizona, the Grand Canyon, the tribes he was always working with, [like] the Pascua Yaqui and the Tohono O’odham nation,” Eckstrom said.
Eckstrom also expressed that Grijalva’s legacy will live on in his family. According to Eckstrom, Adelita Grijalva, the Pima County District 5 Supervisor, has already made her mark in Tucson.
“And his grandkids, one is a mariachi, another is an actor and performer, and then he has another one in middle school, and then two in elementary school,” Eckstrom said. “I think them being able to see their Dada in an elected office and how he impacted a whole community is something they will remember, and they will try to expand on and live his legacy.”
Professor Javier Duran, who is also the founding director of the Confluencenter for Creative Inquiry, shared similar sentiments.
Duran’s connection with Raúl Grijalva began in graduate school. Duran expressed that Grijalva, along with the student group Movimiento Estu -
diantil Chicano de Aztlán, advocating to bring Cesar Chavez to campus in 1989 is what made Duran decide to pursue a doctoral minor in Mexican American Studies.
After that, Duran interacted with Grijalva and his chief of staff Ruben Reyes a variety of times, and had him as a guest speaker for events. Duran recalled that Grijalva was a very kind person to work with.
“[Grijalva] was a very approachable person, very generous with his time, especially when it came to creating opportunities for young people and students,” Duran said.
Duran said that one of the lasting legacies of Grijalva, in his opinion, will be his understanding of what he describes as the fronteridad. Duran described Grijalva as a “un hijo de la frontera,” son of the border.
“[Grijalva] understood perfectly what ‘fronteridad’ meant, that is, fronteridad,
a condition that many people who grew up in this region between two cultures acquire over time,” Duran said. “His advocacy for bilingual and multicultural education, for the rights of our indigenous communities, and for better relations with our Mexican neighbors demonstrate this fronteridad.”
University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella released a statement to the University of Arizona community remembering Grijalva.
Garimella highlighted the work of Raúl Grijalva’s niece, Adriana Grijalva, the current president of the Associated Students of the University of Arizona, and how she continues his legacy of advocacy.
“Congressman Grijalva’s legacy is a testament to what it means to be a Wildcat for Life, leaving an indelible mark on Arizona and beyond, and inspiring others to lead with purpose and service,” Garimella said.
A vigil was held on March 16 in remembrance of Grijalva’s legacy attended by University of Arizona and Tucson community members. Duran was able to attend the vigil and noted that the event brought people of all walks of life together, which he believed is extremely resemblant of Grijalva’s goals as a politician, and as a person.
“From political leaders who worked with him across the aisle, to educators, environmentalists, artists, social justice advocates, cultural workers, and lifelong friends who are bound by the ‘Unity Clap’ and the always present phrase ‘Si se puede!’” Duran said.
The Unity Clap is a traditional United Farm Workers ritual, which was performed at the end of the vigil. Grijalva embodied not only the Tucson spirit, but also the spirit of being a Wildcat, which will live on in the community for years to come.
COURTESY STEP IT UP 2007
REP. RAÚL GRIJALVA GIVES a speech to a gathered crowd at a day of climate action. Throughout his time in office, Grijalva was a passionate environmental advocate.
OPINION: Nothing artificial about this AI: Amish Intelligence
BY FIONA SIEVERT The Daily Wildcat
Disclaimer: This article refers only to the Amish community’s philosophy as it pertains to technology and is not a commentary on any aspects of their religious beliefs.
A couple of weeks ago, I was biking to class and I found myself thinking that I was moving too fast. I wanted to walk instead. Crazy, right? In what twisted world would I be upset about the ease of my personal transport? I’d never had that feeling before, but it intrigued me.
In the past, my rejection of technology has been limited to social media and smartphones. I had only a flip phone at my disposal throughout much of my childhood. When I finally did buy a smartphone, I was 17 and had already graduated from high school. Thus began a 5-year-long tug-of-war match with a device that I had brought into my own life. I felt like I had lost control over my own time.
I’m sure that even those of you that were smartphone users at an earlier or later age can relate. Nearly everyone I know is just about sick to death of their phones. Not many people that I know are sick of their bicycles though.
To be clear, it’s not that I want to get rid of my bike. I love Gilbert. It’s more that I am feeling as though my time is slipping away too quickly, and my use of technology — in a very broad sense — is contributing to that feeling.
The faster our modes of transportation get, the more we are expected to do in a day. The more efficient technology makes any given task, the quicker we are expected to work. The more technology is able to help us, the less we work with others.
The sooner we invent something new, the faster the future will come. And the future is coming pretty darn fast.
I couldn’t possibly count the number of times I have seen articles about artificial intelligence in the news. Nor could I reasonably recall how many conversations about the topic I’ve had with everyone from professors to coworkers to strangers
on the streets. In my view, new technology is being incorporated into our society far too quickly.
I’m not the first person to have this thought: the Amish beat me to it.
Contrary to popular belief, the Amish do not completely reject the use of technology, according to Amish America. While the practices of individual communities vary, it would be more accurate to say that the Amish consider the benefits and drawbacks of new technology before incorporating it into their lives. Instead of being immediately accessible to every member of the community, a new piece of technology — if it is not completely rejected — is phased in slowly. If technology is rejected though, it can be for myriad reasons, such as providing too much distraction, being too convenient or reducing the need for mutual reliance within the community.
Surprisingly, I can’t see much in this philosophy that I disagree with. I have definitely found that smartphones are too distracting and convenient, and that they promote antisocial behavior and division within my communities. Daily life has completely changed because of the smartphone, for better or worse.
Even other less controversial technology, like headphones, printers or kitchen appliances have significantly shaped our lives. Often, these changes are positive, but I would be hard-pressed to think of a technological invention whose implementation did not have some sort of negative consequence, be it social, environmental or political. Seems to me like the Amish have the right idea. There’s something about doing things without technology that has always been intriguing to me. I don’t know anybody who has seen an Amish piece of furniture or consumed an Amish baked good and not marveled at the quality of the craftsmanship and found themselves at least somewhat envious of the Amish ability to produce these goods without the help of much modern technology. We seem to have respect and admiration for people who produce things through labor and hard work — whether that is simply because some of us no longer engage in manual labor or because many of us actually no longer know how to make certain things without the help of technology. Technology is tempting and addicting precisely because it makes our lives easier. I
can’t think of many situations where I would choose to suffer unnecessarily. Yet, when I have chosen the more difficult path, simply because I could, I have always been incredibly proud of my resulting work. That pride was in no small part due to the higher degree of effort required of me in the process.
If we lose all of our opportunity to work hard due to technological advancements like artificial intelligence, we lose our ability to feel this kind of personal pride as well. But, just as exercising can be miserable the first few times until we realize that it actually makes us feel better biologically, so too can rejecting technology be miserable at first — until it isn’t.
I propose that the revolution we are all talking about may actually already be here — in the form of Amish Intelligence. You can see it in these teens (now college students) who rejected smartphones, or in the abundant TikTok content about knitting, sewing and baking. The culture of my peers is now permeated by a sense of nostalgia for the less functional, less efficient technology of the past. Generation Z thinks that flip phones are cool, is buying vinyl records and is opting for wired instead of wireless earbuds.
I am aware that there is more to understanding these changes, much of which
involves trend cycles that have more to do with aesthetics than ideologies, but the fact remains that a solid portion of my generation is opting to reject newer technologies in favor of older ones. For me, that rejection comes in response to a world which I feel is outpacing my desired lifestyle, and a world which at times seems to be constantly shoving technological innovation down my throat.
I’m sick of buying in, I’m bored of technology and I want more than anything to smack the next person who mentions artificial intelligence upside the head. Yet I also understand that, as with so much in life, moderation is key. Technology is incredibly valuable, and it is a necessary part of life for many. Finding ways to improve it is certainly a worthy endeavor. The key consideration is as follows: what benefits and what consequences does a piece of new technology actually bring to our communities and are those benefits and consequences something that we can — or should — do without?
Whether you join the Amish Intelligence revolution or not is up to you; the future is coming for us, regardless. In the meantime, I’ll be traveling the hills of Pennsylvania by horse and buggy.
MADDIE FRENCH | THE DAILY WILDCAT FEELING OVERWHELMED BY THE relentless pace of modern technology? You’re not alone — opinions writer Fiona Sievert argues that Gen Z is embracing a quieter, slower way of life rading smartphones for flip phones and efficiency for craftsmanship.
Breaking news to breaking point: How University of Arizona students navigate news fatigue
EMMA LAPOINTE
The Daily Wildcat
With 92 new executive orders since January, tariffs on Mexico and Canada and a constant flood of breaking news, University of Arizona students are feeling increasingly overwhelmed by news fatigue.
News fatigue is described as feeling overwhelmed and anxious after reading the news or feeling as though you cannot escape it.
Josephine Dee, a freshman at the UA majoring in creative writing, mentioned that after the inauguration she fell into a deep depression.
“I just had to fully remove myself from Instagram because of the amount of news and some of it being complete misinformation, not being able to tell what was what and all the fear-mongering and everything,” Dee said.
The hardest part for Dee has been feeling like she can’t do anything to help and like a bad person when she doesn’t. Focusing on issues happening at a local level rather than federally has helped her overcome this.
“I can’t control what’s happening in the government, per se, but if something is happening at UA that’s something that could be in my control,” Dee said.
Dee expressed she has experienced news fatigue in the past, but it has worsened since the inauguration.
“I just think that the news is bigger now, and so it feels more intense because the news that’s coming out is big changes,” Dee said.
Dee has also noticed that many
friends or people she has interacted with have felt similarly.
“I feel like most people are very burned out by it, and the crashout season has been insane this year. I feel like everybody is kind of crashing and burning right now, and I definitely think that it is the amount of news that we’re receiving and everything going on in the world, plus our own daily lives,” Dee said.
Schuylar Daniel, a sophomore at the UA studying history and studio art, agreed that the constant stream of negative news begins to wear on people.
“I mean, there’s only so many negative things you can hear about, stuff that we don’t really have much control over, before it starts to just feel a little bit too much,” Daniel said.
Daniel has found it helpful to take a step back from bad news when more important issues are happening in his life, like school projects or final exams.
Another method that he has found helpful is taking everything with a grain of salt. This helps him put events into perspective and to reflect on similar historical events he has learned about.
“I think [the news] is kind of like blown up extra a little bit, just to continue to tell people that stuff that is currently happening has, one never happened before or two is of dire circumstances,” Daniel said. “It’s comforting to know that there’s nothing new under the sun, like people have gone through similarish things. And so it’s trying to put it into the historic context that exists.”
According to Daniel, he has also
BRIANNA GOLDEN | THE DAILY WILDCAT IN AN INCREASINGLY HOSTILE political environment and a digital landscape where news is so readily accessible, the sheer amount of information people are exposed to can feel exhausting. This exhaustion is also known as news fatigue and can manifest in a variety of different ways.
NEWS FATIGUE
noticed how big outlets present news in a heavily polarizing way, which turns him away.
“I think unfortunately, with the way that a lot of news has worked is the fact that it can get more viewership, more reaction, if it heavily relies on making a strong statement to evoke emotion,” Daniel said.
Reading news from local sources helps Daniel concentrate on more specific issues that may directly affect him and avoids sensationalizing the news. However, he also finds that some topics are inherently emotionally charged.
“A lot of the current issues are of themselves, intertwined with a lot of emotional issues. Whether it is things with like Israel and Palestine, or trans rights and stuff like that, it’s a lot of things that like are inherently kind of emotional because they’re towards people,” Daniel said.
Dee and Daniel stated they get most of their information from social media, primarily Instagram or TikTok.
Dee said she looks up more information about what she sees on CNN or CBS. Daniel looks up the news on Google News and reads through the variety of sources that appear.
Leslie Ralph, a psychologist from Counseling & Psychological Services, has noticed an increase in students experiencing news fatigue since 2020.
“It’s a topic of conversation and political stress in general has been more and more prevalent over the last few years,” Ralph said.
Ralph also noted that students are much more aware of these issues than they might have been 10 years ago and are more savvy about understanding political stress and news fatigue.
According to Ralph, students feel the need to be engaged and to do something to help, and this need can contribute to fatigue even more.
“I’m certainly hearing from multiple students about their own advocacy work, or their peers, or
just feeling this feeling of ‘I need to do something’ and so they’re more engaged in a lot of ways, and that can contribute to that fatigue,” Ralph said.
Ralph’s advice for students is to figure out what triggers them to feel panicked, anxious or overwhelmed. She also advised students should find out what their “glimmers” are, which make them feel at peace and happy.
“Triggers are the things that bring that up, kind of that first domino that gets that started. So is it reading the comments? Is it conversations? Is it certain people in your life? Is it you’ve hit a critical mass of news intake?”
Ralph said. “Glimmers are those little moments that help us feel at peace and present, even if it’s just for a fleeting moment, like the wind chimes in your backyard, the sound of the wind through the palm trees and having a cool glass of lemonade.”
According to Ralph, identifying these triggers can help students avoid topics likely to make them angry or upset. She also explained that focusing on positive glimmers can provide methods for relaxation and concentration when students are feeling stressed.
Another tip to avoid letting the news become too overwhelming is to picture it as one part of you. It may be a big part of you that you are passionate about, but it does not need to be your entire being.
Ralph suggested “giving yourself other things to think about, making sure that maybe you have a palette cleanser, like you watch things for enjoyment, or you get away from media altogether as you go outside and have an actual conversation.”
For anyone feeling stressed about the news and the political climate, Ralph recommended several resources, including visiting CAPS for short-term counseling support, events organized by campus health and scheduling behavioral therapy appointments through the psychology department.
Students can also visit the Political Stress page for tips on managing the overwhelming feelings that news can cause.
SELF CARE
Life’s about the little things: How to check up on your mental health this month
KATE EID
The Daily Wildcat
March is Mental Health Awareness Month, making it the perfect time to reflect on the ways we can take care of ourselves.
Halfway through the semester, stress levels rise and we often forget about self-care, patience and the little things that bring us joy. As University of Arizona senior Jordan Rodriguez said, “Mental health is the capacity to enjoy your life.”
So, if you’re feeling stuck or just need some fresh ideas to help you make it to the end of the semester, check out this list of UA students’ favorite ways to care for their mental health.
Journal
Some say the best way to relieve consuming thoughts is with a pen and paper. The privacy of a journal is comforting, and putting your thoughts into words can help you find solutions, view your life more logically and realize exceptional things about yourself.
“If your life is running by really quickly and it feels like you don’t have a handle on anything, just writing anything down — it doesn’t need to be a complicated system — is a really good way to ground yourself, understand what’s happening in your life, understand your own thoughts and face them more directly,” Rodriguez said.
Open your notebook and write about whatever is on your mind at that moment. Just see where it takes you; you’ll be surprised at the revelations you uncover. There aren’t any rules to journaling…well, maybe one: be honest with yourself.
Get enough sleep
Studying for an exam, writing a paper — none of this can get done
without proper sleep.
Sleep is the foundation of our well-being; it helps restore our bodies after the hours of typing, reading and studying we do every day. Sacrificing sleep may seem like a foolproof way to gain more time, but it’s neither sustainable nor actually helpful.
An article by Erica Granillo, a licensed clinical social worker from the UA, reminds us that quality sleep should be a top priority during a stressful semester, as it supports memory retrieval and helps us cope with stress.
For Fay Garcia, mental health is directly tied to physical health. Substantial rest is her number-one secret to juggling a double major in computer science and math.
“Above everything, sleep nine hours a night, eat three meals a day and move for at least 30 minutes,” Garcia said.
Lay in the grass
The University of Arizona was named one of the greenest university campuses in the nation, according to the 2024 Princeton Review’s Guide to Green Colleges.
Such a beautiful campus deserves to be enjoyed and you deserve to enjoy it!
Some of the favorite spots for UA students to unwind in the greenery are places we pass by every day: the lawn outside the Arizona State Museum, the grassy hill near the Student Union or simply anywhere on the Mall.
With busy schedules, it’s easy to forget to take time for outdoor activities. However, the warmth of the Arizona sun and the fresh air offer one of the most relaxing and affordable ways to recharge between classes.
Find a sliver of time in your day to read, meditate or simply lie in the grass. Even if it’s during lunch — grab a to-go box, head outside and let the earth help relieve your stress.
Find a new creative outlet
Journaling isn’t your thing? That’s
okay, maybe it’s drawing, playing the guitar or dancing.
Although it may seem contradictory, taking a break from a stressful routine to try something new is actually beneficial for your academic endurance.
UA biochemistry major Joshua Mahar swears by Salvador Dalí’s drawing process as a method for reflecting on his mental health.
“[Dalí] would paint without thinking about it, then reflect on what he painted to gain a better understanding of himself, which is what I like to do […]. I use that as a window into what’s going on in my life,” Mahar said.
Experiment with your creativity! Art is a fantastic way to transform life’s tensions into something visual or self-reflective. Scrapbooking, origami or even putting together puzzles are great places to start.
Treat yourself
The most important part of self-care is self-recognition. At the end of the day, it’s healthier to focus on what you achieved rather than what you didn’t. You can promote this positive mindset by rewarding yourself with your favorite indulgences.
You don’t need to throw an extravagant celebration for every assignment you complete, but you absolutely deserve to treat yourself for your hard work!
Relax with a cup of coffee at Espresso Art Café, dance the night away at The Maverick or curl up with a romantic comedy and a big bowl of popcorn.
Our mental health only asks for ease, so take a deep breath and remember that it’s the little things we do for ourselves that matter most.
SELA MARGALIT | THE DAILY WILDCAT
IN THE HOME STRETCH of the spring semester, academic stress can ramp up. This makes it all the more important for students to find small ways to look after themselves.
SCHOOL SPIRIT OPINION
OPINION: CAPS is forgetting many struggling students
BY ZAINA JASSER
Daily Wildcat
Mental illnesses are some of the most troubling truths to discover in this world. With emotion and personality so integral to our self-identity, these non-corporeal diseases interfere with our social lives and self esteem, damaging the ways we regard ourselves. In a breakpoint in our lives, where students leave home and live alone, students struggle to keep up with their mental health. They’re cycling through relationships at mortifying rates and discovering who they are in relation to the growing vastness of the world. The devastating characteristics of mental illness make it mandatory for universities to improve widespread mental health education and build institutions that help students form healthy relationships with themselves. Mental health starts with hope and hope begins with education and resources.
Counseling & Psychological Services at the University of Arizona have had an infamous reputation on campus due to their ambiguous duties, lack of funds and inconsistent care. The UA CAPS website offers free mental health, crisis and workshop support for students in any phase of illness. Their services can be impactful for many; therapists are available short-term to help students overcome troubling moments. CAPS has caring, willing staff who offer a space to talk when students feel trapped or alone and students don’t have to be in a serious crisis to seek their support. However, it can seem that a serious crisis is the only time a student is valued.
University wellness surveys often include topics of suicide and self-harm and CAPS takes these answers seriously. But the services’ actions ultimately leave out all the other students who definitely need help but don’t classify as suicidal.
When these students check the boxes in their surveys labeled “anxiety” or “depression,” they still don’t qualify for an evaluation. These students are typically afraid to seek help, don’t know their resources or don’t even know they need help. CAPS disregards the silent majority of students who suffer from equally important, debilitating mental illnesses. It isn’t until students admit their suicidal ideations that CAPS finally steps in. This sends an underlying message to students that their illness isn’t worthy of counseling and attention if they aren’t actively considering suicide or harm. Actively, as in they’ve begun their plan, not just that they’ve considered it. This distinction, though important, handicaps other suffering students who have considered. The lack of broad intervention is heartbreaking.
A close friend of mine was struggling with loneliness and ideation and it really worried me. I called CAPS looking for their support in urging him to get help. He was unsure CAPS could help, didn’t want to pay and didn’t think he even needed help. But because he didn’t have a developed suicide plan, the CAPS representative told me there was little they could do. My friend buried me in soliloquies of lost hope and all I could offer him were links to CAPS websites. He didn’t want help and I didn’t have much hope a website link would convince him.
CAPS has an opportunity to be valuable for students, yet the service suffers from a reactive approach, rather than a proactive one. It isn’t until students reach out to CAPS that they can be helpful in the short term. But CAPS would be saving students if they gave students a clearer message of how the campus service can help and where to reach them.
CAPS should also be teaching students how to empower themselves before crisis strikes.
Psychoeducation should be easily accessible for all students to ease the burden on CAPS. However, I fear that this idealized dream may be buried in practical or medico-legal complexities. CAPS may be just understaffed and those at CAPS who do want to see change are limited by legal
structures, which care for only the most serious consequence of mental illness. CAPS will talk to you but they will not get to the root of your problem.
Actively taking care of students doesn’t have to be expensive, either. Educational initiatives to teach students about what their resources are and how they actually work before crisis strikes can prevent these reactive approaches.
Students who seek mental health support can definitely start at CAPS. The services offered at this university institution can help you to start somewhere, even if it’s not in-depth or personalized. Counseling is free but often only short-term. So, be prepared to find an alternative, like a long-term provider or developing your own coping strategies.
Students who are actively in a cri-
sis don’t have to only look to CAPS though. State-sponsored initiatives are more equipped. The City of Tucson offers numerous support lines, from text to call and counseling, that can take your issues more seriously if you don’t trust CAPS. There are multiple initiatives unaffiliated with the university that help the greater Tucson area.
Importantly, mental health emergencies do come up and a local emergency department is more than able to help if you fear for your or a loved one’s safety.
Though CAPS can be helpful for many, students can feel overlooked and uneducated. I guarantee it will always be important to take action yourself to learn about the resources around you.
The
MADDIE FRENCH | THE DAILY WILDCAT
WHILE THE UNIVERSITY OF Arizona’s Counseling & Psychological Services can be a helpful resource for students struggling, the reactive approach of the service leaves out a large section of the student body that still needs help. Opinions writer Zaina Jasser believes that CAPS and the university community would benefit from a more proactive approach to mental health education.
HEALTH AND HEALING
Understanding eating disorders: Insights, challenges and oncampus support
KANISHKA CHINNARAJ
Eating disorders are among the many illnesses that are not easily identifiable, making it difficult to recognize who may be struggling and require support. They are complex mental health illnesses which alter an individual’s relationship with food, affecting the way one thinks of food and their eating behaviors, among other effects.
Misrepresentation and stigma play a large role in how eating disorders are perceived. Societal representations of eating disorders often include sensationalized visuals of extremely emaciated individuals; however, that is simply not the reality of the illnesses.
There are many types of eating disorders beyond the stereotypical portrayal of anorexia, and binge eating is the most common in the United States.
Such drastic portrayals of the most common emotional and physical representation of the illness further complicate the ability of individuals to identify a disorder and seek help.
“Eating disorders show up in all ages, all body sizes, all sexual orientations, all racial backgrounds, all of that. It’s not illness that discriminates. Which is also a misconception because I think historically people thought of it as a women’s disease and as a white women’s disease,” Lisa Anne MacDonald, University of Arizona health education and promotion manager, said.
According to the National Eating Disorders Association, risk factors for eating disorders can be broken down into three categories: biological, social and psychological.
Biological risk factors include having close friends or family with eating dis-
orders, which increases personal risk; low energy availability, where the body lacks energy to support all its needs (commonly found in athletes with high energy need); and Type 1 diabetes, which is linked to
higher risk of eating disorders.
Social ideas like thinner is better and the various health trends on social media cause individuals to buy into false narratives of what an ideal body looks like, increasing
the likelihood that they will take part in dieting and food restrictions.
One of the strongest risk factors for
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SELA MARGALIT | THE DAILY WILDCAT
The Daily Wildcat
HEALTH AND HEALING
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15
an eating disorder is perfectionism, which falls under the psychological category as established by NEDA. In just one example of the role of perfectionism in eating disorder development, the idea of eating a perfect meal with unrealistic expectations can lead to food avoidance altogether.
This category of mental illness also has many social drivers that may enable its progression, such as financial insecurity, lack of access to grocery stores and increased media consumption.
These challenges are especially common among college students who often face significant lifestyle changes after leaving home. The transition to independent living coupled with increased responsibilities can be overwhelming and can result in cementing harmful lifestyle choices.
“So for many, it’s the first time in their lives that they’ve ever had to take on the responsibility of feeding themselves. And not only is that a new thing, but now you are in this new environment where it’s not necessarily the foods you’re accustomed to having and then balancing the rigors of academic life with social life, like figuring that all out and figuring out how we are going to feed ourselves in the context of all of that,” MacDonald said. “And I think too, for a lot of our students, especially high achieving students, there’s a characteristic of some perfectionism.”
Such changes in one’s lifestyle can result in a phenomenon known as disordered eating, which is different from an eating disorder. Individuals with disordered eating often exhibit behaviors of dieting, skipping meals, restricting food intake and excessive exercising but do not meet the frequency or psychological criteria for a diagnosable eating disorder.
According to MacDonald, this is something many university students experience.
“A really great example of that is we see a lot of our students presenting with what we call orthorexia, which is not a fully recognized eating disorder, but it is like disordered eating is bridging an eating disorder. It’s essen-
tially striving for the perfect diet,” MacDonald said. “And I do think social media and interactions are influencing this in a really big way, the morality around food. This is good. This is bad. This is poison. This is clean. A lot of that language puts us in this very moral space around food and elitism around food. And that’s a very fine line in that eating disorder versus disordered eating space.”
The 2024 Health and Wellness Survey Data at the UA revealed that 31% of students suffer from disordered eating, 35% of students feel the negative effects of being hyper focused on body image, food or weight and 61% of students report that their weight affects their self-perception.
“There are very specific diagnostic criteria for eating disorders, which are often based on the frequency and intensity of the eating behavior. The thoughts and beliefs that exist around food and body and what the body should look like. We find that all of our students don’t fit the criteria for the very specific eating disorder but are dappling in the behaviors, dappling in the thought process, so maybe not fully diagnosable but the thoughts and the behaviors are there,” MacDonald said.
Counseling & Psychological Services and Campus Health at the UA provide many services to help students who may be struggling with eating disorders or disordered eating.
Each student has different needs and demands multiple lenses to create solutions. The Eating Disorder Assessment Team at the UA takes a multidisciplinary approach to these solutions, which includes medical providers, psychiatrists, counselors and dieticians on the team who work together to support students through recovery.
The counseling and psychiatry appointments with eating disorder specialists focus on the context of the eating disorder in one’s life, how to establish coping skills and create a sustainable plan.
Individual consultations on nutrition and fitness with registered dietitians focus on discussing food options on campus, how to build better eating habits and tailoring food recommendations to individual needs.
“A lot of our work has to do with meeting folks where they are. So we’re going to spend a good 90 minutes at our first appointments with students, really
investigating all kinds of health behaviors, really talking about what the goals are and then working with the student to find how they can fuel themselves well under all of those circumstances. I will say a common way I go about this is talking about stabilizing the nutrition,” MacDonald said. “And so that does begin with the conversation about, can we get into more consistent eating patterns? Can we keep those eating patterns pretty well balanced and see how that affects how we’re functioning in our lives and how it feels to have a fueled brain when you’re in class and studying? So working on that stabilization.”
This stabilization process begins with helping students avoid gravitating towards branded foods and focus on other options for food available on campus. MacDonald explained how many students walk into the Student Union Memorial Center and gravitate towards stores like Chick-fil-A and Panda Express without also realizing that in between other stores there is an IQ Fresh, Radicchio, Urban Market and Core with healthier options.
However finding solutions is not as simple as it seems. An eating disorder is not a choice, but a complex mental health condition.
“There’s so many layers and we have all been socialized to want to lose weight. Like we don’t even think about it, and we think we should want to lose weight,” Leslie Ralph, a psychologist at the UA, said.“And so there’s this hustle culture. There’s just the university environment and the flow of the stress that you all go through. And there’s this kind of mindset that I notice with students that, like, not actively trying to lose weight, but I also don’t mind if I’m losing weight.”
The development of an eating disorder can be influenced by a variety of other factors beyond the desire to lose weight, like anxiety, depression or PTSD.
“People don’t always come into an eating disorder intentionally thinking about losing weight, but because they’re anxious, they might notice they have stomach discomfort. There’s a lot of research on the role of trauma and how that impacts our nervous system and how that feeds into eating disorders. There’s a lot of layers. When we are in that malnourished state, it does impact the way our brain functions and it can make anxiety worse
or depression worse,” Ralph said. “Eating disorders are very often related to depression, anxiety, OCD, and ADHD. And so the eating behaviors, the beliefs, end up being coping mechanisms for students, and they end up being maladaptive coping mechanisms,” MacDonald said. “You’ll hear a lot of folks say, it’s the only thing I feel like I have any control over. So if we’re in a place in our life where we’re not feeling any control, for example, the pandemic was not great for eating disorders. I think a lot of things went on there, everything from feeling like we’re not not in control, to food scarcity to the social media impact.”
Loneliness can often be a large aspect or contributing factor to eating disorders, so community becomes an important part of interventions.
Food and Mood is a support group offered by CAPS that meets every Tuesday from 3:30-4:30 p.m. over Zoom (password: 046281). The group builds hope for breaking cycles of disordered eating, explores what it means to be healthy and provides a place to talk about how you feel about food and your body in a safe and supportive environment. The support group meetings are facilitated by MacDonald and Jan Courtney, a nutrition counselor at the UA.
EveryBODY Arizona is another resource provided through Campus Health. The group is a student-led initiative that encourages students to come from a more weight-neutral and food-neutral place, providing educational opportunities and outreach events focused on forming a healthy relationship with food and body.
The UA also offers Cooking on Campus classes at $10 per session where students are taught how to make two dishes. The next class is on March 25, during which students will learn how to make chickpea and spinach curry with homemade naan in Shantz 101.
Eating disorders, like many other mental illnesses, demand support. Steps towards healing may include reflecting on our own relationship with food, beginning conversations with our friends, utilizing free on-campus resources and talking to healthcare professionals.
OPINION: Your mental health matters
KIRSTEN THOMAS
The Daily Wildcat
According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, nearly half of the estimated 47.6 million people living with mental illness in the United States do not seek treatment. Unfortunately, in areas of medicine, mental health is treated second tier to physical health, resulting in poor care and stigmatization for many. Because of the stigmas surrounding mental health, people can shy away from talking about it, despite nearly one in five adults experiencing some form of mental illness during their lifetime.
Stigma is such a large part of the mental health struggle that there is actually a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising public awareness called BreaktheStigma.org. Further complicating the situation, many jobs relating to mental health itself, such as first responders and medical professionals, can actually promote a culture of stoicism within them that discourages providers themselves from seeking treatment related to their often high stress professions.
“Mental health and mental illness impact nearly every family, yet stigma still causes so much shame, fear, doubt, isolation and misunderstanding,” Dave Eldredge, senior director at Huntsman Mental Health Institute, said. “The shame caused by stigma keeps people from seeking treatment so richly needed and deserved.”
We college students often experience elevated levels of stress related to our academic, personal and financial situations. In fact, University of Arizona Counseling and Psychological Services reports that 39% of college students experience a significant mental health issue.
Vicki Abeles, author of “Beyond Measure: Rescuing an Overscheduled, Overtested, Underestimated Generation,” noted the pressure to succeed makes students anxious, depressed and stressed and many students would agree with that. “Creating a balance between school and other needed activities to be a well-rounded student brings extra stress and takes away time, therefore making school even harder,” a student said.
Academic-related stress itself can play a large role in mental health. The competitive nature of the job market or graduate admissions process often lead us to experience
imposter syndrome or the looming sense that we are not doing enough compared to our peers with regard to gaining career experience.
“The workload that everyone is juggling all the time can lead to getting worse grades because everyone is so overworked,” a UA junior said.
The pressures can create a cycle that is nearly impossible to escape once students reach a certain point, where they either continue working as they are and neglect their mental health or allow their grades to suffer.
“I feel like schools since day one have focused on perfection rather than progress, and that there isn’t a lot of true learning happening,” college sophomore John Goffinett said. “A lot of it is to learn the material, test over it, forget it and move onto the next topic. In some cases, the education system doesn’t really structure learning in a way where you can retain information long term.”
“When it comes to subjects that you are struggling in, you shouldn’t be focused on perfection,” Goffinett said. “Because the truth of the matter is, if you’re struggling, you aren’t going to get that 100%, but rather ‘So, OK I got a 75%, let’s shoot for a 76% and just keep focusing on improving.’”
At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that we are human beings, not machines and we all need a break sometimes. An analogy from University of Utah Health states it well: if you have a painful toothache, you don’t tough it out, you go to the dentist. Why should mental health be treated any differently?
The National Institutes of Health said there is a positive correlation between increased productivity on the job and positive mental health. This means if we make some little steps every day to help improve our mental health, it might just help us lock in and be better academic weapons.
Within mental health treatment, there are two common approaches: biomedical treatments and cognitive therapies. Although both have been shown to be effective, there is some debate amongst professionals on when and where each form of treatment can be most effective. According to Noba Project, the biomedical approach involving the use of prescription drugs is effective but fails to address the root causes of the problem, focusing only on the symptoms. In addition to medications, there are a variety of behavioral and cognitive therapies that have been shown to be effective methods for making lasting changes to mental health.
If we make the choice to take care of mental health the same way we do physical wellbeing, we can break down the existing personal and societal barriers that far too often prevent people from
seeking treatment. Although everyone’s mental health is highly personalized and complex, there are a great variety of resources available. Accessibility to mental health services can be limited based on cost, time, geography and sheer lack of providers. Less than one-third of the U.S. population (28%) lives in an area where there are enough psychiatrists, according to the Associations of American Medical Colleges. However, emerging solutions such as virtual and text-based therapy can help meet this need. As a resource for UA students, UA CAPS offers free and confidential counseling services and can be a jumping place to gather other resources outside the university.
It’s normal to experience a wide range of emotions; they’re what make us human. However, if your mental state affects you in a way that debilitates your daily life on a consistent basis, it’s a good indicator that you might consider making efforts to get direction from professionals. That’s what they’re there for, after all. Remembering to take care of our mental health is equally as important as physical health, especially since research
shows that mental and physical wellbeing are interconnected.
Mental health is just as important as physical health but misconceptions and stigma prevent many of us from seeking out resources that can actually help us, preferring to suffer in silence instead. To be real with ourselves about what we are going through, we have to first break the stigma about mental health internally, and this requires self-honesty, self-compassion and willingness for open conversation.
Taking care of your mental health isn’t a weakness, it’s a strength and it’s about time that we create a more supportive environment where no one feels ashamed to ask for what they need. If you are struggling, take the first step, be it prioritizing a little bit of daily self-care, confiding in a trusted friend or making an appointment with CAPS. Nobody expects someone with a broken ankle to just walk it off. Let’s not make the mistake of treating mental health differently. Let’s change the conversation, one small step at a time.
AMARA WILLIAMS | THE DAILY WILDCAT NEARLY ONE IN FIVE adults experience some form of mental illness in their life. However, mental health still carries stigma, and opinions writer Kirsten Thomas argues that it’s time to give it the same priority as physical health.
A look back at the 2024-2025 Arizona men’s basket
Arizona’s first season in the Big 12 put fans through an emotional rollercoaster like only Arizona knows how. With the nation curious how the basketball school would fare in a new conference, the Wildcats certainly did not put their best foot forward. In the first nine games, Tommy Lloyd’s team amassed a 4-5 record after a disappointing loss to UCLA. Carrying a barely positive record into conference play, the Wildcats finally decided to play ball. Arizona went 16-7
for the rest of the season, running all the way into a rematch with the University of Houston in the Big 12 Conference Championship which would yield the same result as their home matchup against the Cougars. Any doubt that Arizona would be able to keep up with Big 12 atmospheres was blown away during the Wildcats’ whiteout against Duke University.
Games like these are why we are so passionate about our jobs. The energy of a rowdy McKale Center on a chilly
Arizona night is something you would be hard pressed to find anywhere else in the country. The fans keep your energy up through those dreaded 9 p.m. starts that will often leave us working in the media room until 1 a.m. In a disappointing year for Arizona football, fans were even more eager than usual to see their Wildcats return to the court, even if they couldn’t see them up in the stands. For a long time, nearly the entire ZonaZoo was lit up to show off the hundreds of student fans and their
ingenious attempts to distract opposing free throw shooters. We believe bringing these bright lights back would not only help us photographers take more captivating photos, but also add to the intimidating home court advantage Arizona boasts. One thing we know is that the job never gets old. All the chants and noise in the crowd being directed right down at you is a feeling that is indescribable and something we are so thankful we can call our job.
MASON KUMET | THE DAILY WILDCAT
KJ LEWIS RISES FOR a tough shot against Duke on Nov. 22 in McKale Center. Lewis shot the most free throws of any Wildcat with 3.
JAY CORELLA | THE DAILY WILDCAT
TOBE AWAKA STARES THROUGH Texas Tech University’s defense during their game on Feb. 8 in McKale Center. Awaka had 14 points during the game.
JAY CORELLA | THE DAILY WILDCAT
CALEB LOVE LOOKS FOR an opening while being guarded by Texas Tech University’s Christian Anderson during their game in McKale Center on Feb. 8. Love played nearly the entire game and had a 16 point game to show for it.
-ball season from the photographer’s perspective
MASON KUMET | THE DAILY WILDCAT
KJ LEWIS HOLDS THE ball away from an ASU player during their game in McKale Center on March 4. The Wildcats defeated the Sun Devils with a dominating lead of 13 points and ended their season with a 13-3 record.
MASON KUMET | THE DAILY WILDCAT
CALEB LOVE DRIVES TO the basket late in the second half to maintain a double digit lead against Baylor University on Jan. 15 in McKale Center. The Wildcats won the game 81-70.
MASON KUMET | THE DAILY WILDCAT TOBE AWAKA SLAMS THE ball in for a dunk against a University of Colorado Boulder defender during their game in McKale Center on Jan. 25. The Wildcats defeated the Buffaloes 78-63.
Arizona football releases 2025 season schedule
New foes and old faces headline season for the program
SPORTS EDITOR MELISA GUZELOGLU
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR REED LOFSTEDT
The Daily Wildcat
The University of Arizona football team looks to have a more successful year in the 2025 season, building off Brent Brennan’s first season at the helm. The Wildcats came just short of reaching a bowl game in 2024 and ended the season with a 4-8 overall record and 2-7
conference record in their first year competing as a part of the Big 12 conference. Ahead of entering its second year as a part of the Big 12 conference, the team will host its Red-Blue spring showcase which will be played Saturday, April 19.
The season ended for the Wildcats with a 49-7 blowout loss to in-state rival ASU. With the offseason bringing the loss of players to the NFL Draft and the transfer portal, the stakes continue to
rise for the program.
Arizona football recently released its schedule for the upcoming season, with some old foes and new faces in its second year in the Big 12. While Arizona is coming off a difficult season, the Wildcats look to avenge the previous season and power ahead in order to make a farther run in a new season. Here is a brief preview of next season:
Week 1: Arizona vs. University of Hawai’i on Saturday, Aug. 30
Arizona football faces Hawai’i for the first time since the 2019 season when the Wildcats traveled to Honolulu to compete against the Rainbow Warriors. The two programs’ last meeting resulted in a 45-38 Hawai’i victory in the Wildcats’ first game of the season. However, this time around the Rainbow Warriors will be traveling to Tucson to face the Wildcats. The last time these foes met in the desert was when Arizona walloped the Rainbow Warriors 47-28 on Sep. 17, 2016. Arizona’s all-time record over Hawai’i is 5-1.
Week 2: Arizona vs. Weber State University on Saturday, Sept. 6 Arizona football hosts Weber State for the programs’ first-ever matchup. Weber State has found success at the Football Championship Subdivision level, making five-straight FCS playoff appearances from 2016-2020. Their last time in the playoff was in 2022; after 2022, Weber State lost their head coach Jay Hill, who became BYU’s defensive coordinator and associate head coach. Weber State’s last win over an FBS opponent came in 2022 when they beat Utah State University 35-7.
Week 3: Arizona vs. Kansas State University on Friday, Sept. 12 Arizona will host Kansas State for the first time since 1978, in which Arizona won 31-0. Arizona’s most recent outing against Kansas State saw them travel up to Manhattan, Kansas, and fall in a 31-7 loss. Arizona’s loss in this matchup last season would be the start of a steady decline, in which the Wildcats would only win two of their following nine games. Former Arizona defensive back Gunnar Maldonado
MASON KUMET | THE DAILY WILDCAT
ARIZONA RUNS OUT OF the tunnel ahead of their home game against Texas Tech University at Arizona Stadium on Oct. 5. Arizona entered the game as 6.5 point favorites against the Red Raiders.
FOOTBALL SEASON PREVIEW
joined Kansas State over the offseason which makes this matchup even more meaningful for Arizona.
Week 4: Arizona at Iowa State University on Saturday, Sept. 27
Arizona travels to Ames, Iowa for the Wildcats’ first matchup against the Cyclones since 1968, when the Wildcats made the same voyage to win 21-12. Arizona’s new Big 12 peer comes off a stellar 2024 season that saw them go 11-3, with the Cyclones ultimately losing the conference championship to Arizona State and winning the Pop-Tarts Bowl against the University of Miami.
Week 5: Arizona vs. Oklahoma State University on Saturday, Oct. 4
Arizona hosts Oklahoma State for the first time since 2012, a matchup that saw the scoreboard run high with the Wildcats beating the Cowboys 59-38. Oklahoma State was projected to finish third in the Big 12 last season, but after a very tumultuous season, the Cowboys finished 3-9 and went 0-9 in conference play.
Week 6: Arizona vs. BYU on Saturday, Oct. 11
Arizona and BYU met last year in Provo, Utah, when the Cougars outmatched the Wildcats 41-19 on Oct. 12, 2024. These foes have a storied history together from when they were conference opponents in the bygone era of Arizona’s time in the Western Athletic Conference from 1962 to 1978. From 1978 onward, the two have only met seven times, with the Wildcats only winning twice.
Week 7: Arizona at University of Houston on Saturday, Oct. 18
Arizona heads on the road to face the University of Houston in mid-October at TDECU Stadium. Throughout the programs’ brief fivegame history, Houston leads Arizona in the lead series 3-2. Notably, the teams’ most recent meeting resulted in a 27-3 victory for Arizona, ending a five-game losing streak for the team. Redshirt sophomore and starting quarterback Noah Fifita threw for 2 touchdowns in the game. The Cougars and Wildcats first met in 1969, when Arizona suffered a 34-17
loss at home.
Week 8: Arizona at University of Colorado Boulder on Saturday, Nov. 1
Coming off a bye week, Arizona travels to Colorado to face the Buffaloes. Through the two programs’ history competing, the schools recorded their first matchup back in 1931, with November’s matchup marking their 28th meeting. Notably, Arizona built a 12-game losing streak in the Wildcats’ first ever games against the Buffaloes but have now won two of the teams’ last three meetings in the past three seasons. Arizona suffered a 34-7 loss just last year on Oct. 19 and are looking to redeem themselves come November.
Week 9: Arizona vs. University of Kansas on Saturday, Nov. 8
As the Wildcats return home to take on the Jayhawks, Arizona looks to improve to three wins over Kansas in
the two programs’ seventh meeting. The Wildcats will be hosting the Jayhawks for the first time since 1966, looking to start up the matchups between the two programs in a new conference. The last two games between Arizona and Kansas resulted in a victory for each team.
Week 10: Arizona at University of Cincinnati on Saturday, Nov. 15
Heading back on the road to compete in Cincinnati, Ohio as Nippert Stadium, Arizona looks to take on the Bearcats for the first time in program history.
Week 11: Arizona vs. Baylor University on Saturday, Nov. 22
Arizona will take on the Baylor Bears in the Wildcats’ final home matchup of the season. In the lone game that occurred between the two programs back on Dec. 31, 1992, Arizona fell in a 20-15 away loss in El Paso, Texas. This time, the Wildcats look to secure a win in the
final matchup at Arizona Stadium. Week 12: Territorial Cup vs. ASU on Friday, Nov. 28
Mountain America Stadium will hold the 99th Territorial Cup between Arizona and ASU. On Nov. 28, Arizona looks to secure a rivalry victory against the Sun Devils to claim the trophy. A win on that Friday would allow the Wildcats to be 3-2 against ASU in the last five matchups. The Sun Devils aim to maintain their competitive edge; the most recent rivalry matchup resulted in a 49-7 loss for Arizona at home on Nov. 30, 2024. Despite the upset, Arizona plans to make a comeback against its rival, hoping to find a way to stop ASU.
MASON KUMET | THE DAILY WILDCAT
JACK LUTTRELL CELEBRATES WITH the team after an interception in the first half against the University of Colorado on Oct. 19. Colorado gave up two interceptions against the Wildcats.
Fall in Tucson
ATOMIC AGE ADVENTURES
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BY AMARA WILLIAMS
