Anong Balita Issue No. 3 · 2020-2021

g n o n A a t i l Ba

Issue 3

Ask Board Q&A

X-Mas Gift Ideas

Infinit-e Babies Opinions

Gen Members’ Holiday Traditions

Song About COVID-19

Online Culture in 2020

Major Spotlight

Small Coffee Shop Review

Holiday Edition

Season Greetings from InfinitE Board Dear Barkada, Can you believe we are halfway through our first year of virtual university? Infinit-E Board can’t!

We cannot believe the school year is halfway over with, but we are excited to see what the rest of the school year has in store for us. While we are on break, please remember to have fun and enjoy as much time as you can with your family.

It has been such a long, yet memorable semester. Let’s take a trip down memory lane. Remember when we...

- Played Barkada Bingo?

- Learned about the Delano Grape Strike?

- Played real life Among Us? - “We have never seen two pretty best friends” in Acting Workshops?

- Made lumpia during Lumpia Week?

- You got picked up by your Kuya or Ate? - Watched Albert perform at Friendship Games?

- Watched Barkada’s Got Talent?

- Glen and Darrel showed us their incredible E-Sportsfest commentary?

- Celebrated Renard turning 18 years old?

- Stayed up all night on Discord?

Lastly, remember why Barkada is important to us?

Infinit-E Board is grateful to each and every one of you for joining Barkada. Thank you for not only joining, but for also staying with us the whole way through. Barkada isn’t just a club. It isn’t just a group of friends. It’s family.

Without you, Barkada wouldn’t be here today. You are making Barkada history with the memories you have already made. Ultimately, these little memories add up to the bigger picture. Thank you for keeping the Barkada spirit alive.

We hope for that one day where we are all in person and we can finally do the Infinit-E hand sign together and take that picture. We hope that we can overcome these challenges this year and persevere through this pandemic. We hope that you continue to support Barkada. We love you from the bottom of our hearts, till infinity and beyond.

Infinit-E Board looks forward to seeing you at our events next semester, which includes socials, collabs, PACN, Auction, Elections, P-Grad, and EOTY. You can still join our commitees within Barkada, like Anong Balita, Historian, Treasurer, and I-Board. Most importantly, you can always join our Barkada family.

Wishing you all the peace and joy you can handle. Here’s to your health and happiness this magical season and beyond. We cannot wait to hear all about your adventures. Happy Holidays!

Love,

Infinit-E Board

Designed by Jacq u e lyn Nguy e n

Happy Holidays from Barkada members...

and their fam lines

Designed by Jacquelyn Nguyen

FIRST SEMESTER FLASHBACKS FT. INFINIT-E BABIES

By Features Editor Deena Martin

“

The way this year’s board has handled the online transition was so incredibly well done. They did their best and it really does show.

There’s so much effort put into all the meetings and events, making it look like they’ve been doing this online for years. In reality, I know they had some trouble, but I couldn’t be happier with what they’ve done. Every general meeting I’ve died laughing at something and just overall had a fun time, even if I didn’t know anyone at first. In time I’ve grown to love this club, and now I feel like a part of something thanks to this year’s experience. I just know that in person it would’ve only been even better. So shoutout to Infinit-E Board, y’all carried this whole online experience!” - Jayson Pacio

Jay Mendiola

Leo Tavormina

Favorite Barkada memory?

Favorite Barkada memory?

KAA Reveal

Hanging out with my Ate

Describe your online Barkada experience in 3 words.

Describe your online Barkada experience in 3 words.

Warm friendly companionship

Discord, crazy, family

Rate your online Barkada experience from 1-10. Why?

9 - Would’ve been 10 if everything was in person and I could hang out with the people I’ve met and go to the events Barkada offers. But overall it’s been a great experience and joining is a decision I would never regret. I’ve met a lot of fun and cool people and even though everything is online I already consider Barkada as family. I also got a lot more people to play games with lol. Shout out to bunot line, especially my Kuya.

Rate your online Barkada experience from 1-10. Why?

8 - Loving community.

Very friendly and active board.

Incredibly welcoming people who don’t alienate anyone. Limited because online and hard to get to know individual people.

Marjorie Semsem

Jayson Pacio

Gabbie Concepcion

Favorite Barkada memory?

Favorite Barkada memory?

Favorite Barkada memory?

KAA reveal! The week leading up to it was so stressful, I had an idea who I was getting picked up by but there were so many “clues” telling me I wasn’t getting picked up by them - my Ate Alex. When it turned out I was right, I was so unbelievably happy, it was like Christmas morning as a kid again. Definitely worth the $5 I dropped for it LOL.

My favorite Barkada event would have to be the last general meeting. Though it may have been the last meeting of the semester, it’s one I would never forget. The video they played in the end caught me by surprise and I just started tearing up.

Meeting my Ate!!

Describe your online Barkada experience in 3 words.

Fun online experience

Rate your online Barkada experience from 1-10. Why?

8 - Everyone’s energy is so positive and welcoming.

But sometimes it’s hard to make friends when everyone knows each other or has their group.

Describe your online Barkada experience in 3 words.

Fun, convenient, welcoming

Rate your online Barkada experience from 1-10. Why?

10 - I am a commuter to CPP so it’s cool that I can wake up 5 minutes before a general meeting or any other event and not miss a thing. So yeah, fun lazy times for me.

Describe your online Barkada experience in 3 words.

MAHAL KO KAYO

Rate your online Barkada experience from 1-10. Why?

10 - Positives include good vibes all around and AMAZING PEOPLE. A negative is that I didn’t meet them in person yet.

Designed by Deena Martin

General Members’ Favorite Holiday Traditions

By Copy Editor Alexandra Manzon

Jullian Bugarin

Terence Elkin

Ethereal Reyes

Bougi-E Year

Bayan-E Year

Bougi-E Year

“Nochebuena for sure and getting “Opening up one present on christmas together with close family members too.” eve! My sister and I would always go for the one from our mom and dad because it would be the one we wanted most.”

“During the holidays, I love baking snickerdoodles with my mom.”

Genshel Naguit

Kaye Oda

Adrian Laksmono

Bougi-E Year

Bougi-E Year

Bougi-E Year

“During the holidays, my family typically gets together on Christmas Eve AND Christmas Day. We usually just eat, talk, open presents, and sing karaoke all night. We also try to attend Simbang Gabi, specifically through live streams, since we don’t have any masses nearby so watching online is our only option. We used to make parols and I’m not sure why we stopped, but I really want to get back into making them and continuing on every year. I really love spending time with family and I think crafting parols together would just be a great way to bond and bring back tradition!”

“My favorite holiday tradition is Nochebuena, the Christmas Eve dinner... our household cooks food all day, from ham to lumpia, so that at midnight we can greet Christmas together and eat to our hearts content. After dinner, before we all go to bed, we open our Christmas gifts! So Christmas Eve dinner really is a giant affair to greet Christmas for our household. Very similar to New Years Eve minus the coin tossing, jumping and the fireworks.

“For the holidays, I normally go home and spend time with family, and visit my friends. Since I go to school so far away from home, I don’t get to spend much time with them.”

Designed by Alexandra Manzon

“I’m a superhero.”

By Staff reporters Glen Marc Hasta and Darrel Varquez

With the winter slowly settling in, and with the semester coming to a close, the break is a great time to watch some anime. If you missed our last issue of Anong Balita we spotlighted Haikyu!!, a hypefest sports-action anime. However, this time around we want to share something different, something cold and mysterious as the winter season. The anime we will focus on is ERASED, or in its native title, “Boku Dake ga Inai Machi,” which translates to “The Town Where Only I Am Missing.”

The story follows Satoru Fujinuma, a manga artist in his late 20’s who, for unknown reasons, has a supernatural ability to travel back in time before tragedy strikes. But when something devastating occurs to him, he is sent back 18 years in the past. Satoru must find out what events took place during his childhood before he makes the same mistakes. As he is given the chance to alter reality, there is a possibility that he can ultimately change not only his own fate, but the fate of those around him.

If you are looking for an anime filled with suspense and mystery, the dark and dramatic tone set in ERASED makes it a great series for you. So grab your popcorn and get comfy as you go on a journey with the main character, Satoru, to fix a broken past that only he has the power to change.

What makes ERASED interesting?

G - “ERASED was really good because it shows a simple man who lives his simple life but every now and then he has the chance to be a hero. It doesn’t stretch the ‘time travel’ concept, and it was surprising to see that something caused a long time travel back in time, since he is used to small changes in time. It also features a lot of mystery and detective ideas, and nods to nostalgic childhood days, which were amusing to see.”

D - ‘To me, ERASED was very interesting because of how the main character had to go through his past and re-experience everything he went through in that time period.

How would you rate the series?

G - “I would put ERASED on my top 10 list since it had a very investing story and you just want to see it through. On a scale of 1-5, I would say a strong 4. From someone who read the manga there were some supplementary details that were cut out due to time constraints but it did not hinder the overall story. Also the opening theme is a bop.”

D - “For ERASED, I would rate the series as a 4 out of 5 in my opinion. I loved the show but I wished that I could get more time in the series to develop relationships and the story a bit more like the manga probably did.”

You can watch ERASED offcially on Crunchyroll and Netflix; the series is 12 episodes and features adult themes such as violence and profanity. designed by Glen Marc Hasta and Darrel Varquez

Anong Balita Issue #3

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Online Culture How Has it Changed?

By Opinions Editor Kaila Ganzon

Help Shoutouts and Highlights

VivziePop Do y’all miss when adult animation was great? Check out VivziePop’s work free on YouTube! Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss are hilariously raunchy shows created by Vivzie and her independent animation company! The animation is aesthetically incredible and the writing is quick and hilarious. Highly suggest their animations! (Hot reminder that both of these shows have NSFW content such as sex, drugs, and gore) Shoutouts and Highlights

Platform Growths - Tik Tok and Twitch Tik Tok is probably the biggest growing social media in the year 2020. It started out as the center of Gen Z’s “cringe culture” app known as musical.ly. This app was originally used for simple teenagers who wanted to lip-sync to their favorite songs and do simple dances. Eventually in the past years, it has turned into the legend known as Tik Tok, and the vibes were IMMACULATELY different. Tik Tok was the start of a new special brand of influencers. This has led to so many sides for viewers to be on when they browse the app! This can vary from punk-alt genre, culinology, pop culture, even people making ice cream cakes at their jobs at Coldstone! Tik Tok provided a whole new way for different types of influencers to gain an audience.

Another big platform that has gained more popularity over these past couple months is Twitch. While YouTube has been a great platform to stream live for all types of content, well, Twitch took it a bigger step forward. Live chats are much more personal, streamers can get more direct subscription money and donations from viewers, making streaming more accessible for viewers and streamers alike! Artists can gain support for their work as well as demonstrate their art processes, singers and musicians can perform for audiences live without meeting up, and so much more! Like Tik Tok, it provides a more unique way to connect to audiences. A study from an article called The ingredients of Twitch streaming: Affordances of game streams, Computers in Human Behavior (2018) suggested that: The virtual stage created by the microphone and webcam overlay afford a high level of visibility for the behaviours and knowledge of the streamer ...as well as social connectivity and social interactivity for the streamer as well as the viewer.1

Thanks to the enhanced engagement, like Tik Tok, Twitch has gained a lot of familiar and famous faces. Some have included YouTube Gaming favorites like Jacksepticeye, Game Grumps’ Ross Donovan and even Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has taken part in some Among Us Games with Corpse Husband.

These two platforms have gained such a great following that people are meeting whole new communities of friends through mutual streamers and influencers they all watch! This is a big way that really brings influencers closer to their followers, but sometimes that closeness and reach can hurt people unintentionally.

Unus Annus with Mark Fischbach and Ethan Nestor You may know Markiplier as the king of Five Nights at Freddy’s and his former editor and close friend, CrankGameplays!

Together, they created a unique channel that would post videos every day and after one year, delete the entire channel, symbolizing the inevitability of death (aka Memento Mori).

Unfortunately, you can’t find official footage of this channel anymore, but you can find the impact the channel made on so many viewers. So many gags like “The Dance of Italy” and “Don’t Tell Amy” have made their way across the internet and brought together such cool communities. The channel has also done some genuinely great things to make anyone’s day. For one of their videos around the holiday season, they (as well as Jacksepticeye) donated a carload of toys to charity, a large portion of their profit to charity, as well as dedicated their entire last video to work done by their fans from paintings to tattoos they have designed.

These two also continue to make amazing content and do great gameplays on their channels.

Shoutouts and Highlights

MatPat of Game Theorists MatPat and his wife at the beginning of December did a major livestream with popular online personalities like the Try Guys, Safiya Nygaard, and so much more! The stream surpassed their goal of $1 Million dollars for St Jude and eventually reached $3 Million to donate to St Jude, leaving Mat and Stephanie emotional with joy. MatPat has created some great content with his theories on popular games and movies that get fans thinking.

His content is basically like listening to a modern day Sherlock that gets viewers thinking. MatPat also collaborates with many nerd-esque YouTubers that anyone would love to geek out over.

Shoutouts and Highlights

Thomas Sanders Thomas Sanders is the epitome of wholesome content. Not only is he a fantastic icon for the LGBTQ+ community on YouTube, he also created one of the most clever series on his channel called Sanders Sides. Thomas, Inside Out style, personifies parts of his personality like Logic, Anxiety, and Creativity and puts them through different types of conversations. Not only does it demonstrate his great acting skills, but overall, just puts a big smile on my face :))

Mon 12:05 PM

Platform Growths Tik Tok and Twitch

Toxicity in Social Media Performative Activism and Cancel Culture

(CW/TW: Racism, Police Brutality, Cyberbullying) This year has been, to say the least, pretty insane. A big part of this insanity led to people participating in voicing their concerns for the safety of minorities and their treatment by the government on social media. This has led to a big movement and routine in platforms like Tik Tok and Twitter. For this instance, let’s talk about Black Lives Matter and how it presented itself on the platform itself. Many influencers, big and small, took small steps to voice their solidarity with the Black community, from changing their profile pictures to the BLM fist icon, inserting links to petitions to defund the police, and even taking a break from posting to amplify Black creators and allow them to voice their concerns (aka Blackout for Black Voices on Tik Tok). It was great to hear and see popular creators participate in the movement, but when does it get out of hand?

One of the biggest sins of activism is called performative activism. Performative activism can be defined as showing support in a social justice movement with only the intention of boosting your self image. Some examples can include a lack of posts about the Black Lives Matter movement other than a black square, calling out racism against BIPOC when you are not of that community, and creating the whole movement into your own personal aesthetic. I have seen so many instances of this over the past few months and it has not stopped even outside of the Black Lives Matter movement. One of the main examples that has gone viral was the trivialization of Breonna Taylor’s murder. Many of the black victims of police brutality have been a result of this performative activism, but Breonna’s name has been probably the most infamous. The phrase “Arrest the Cops Who Killed Breonna Taylor” has been basically drilled into people’s minds through memes, Tik Tok audios, and “made you look” Tweets. The Black community has stated clearly that this way of making people aware of her unjustified murder is cruel and unaccepting, but people still gained views and attention without any proper resources or intentions. No information or resources were passed through just that type of performative content. The demand for justice they state was never prioritizing Breonna, but rather their own moral image to an audience. Breonna was just a name and nothing more to them. Activism is not a trophy to put on someone’s shelf, it’s to help a community or someone in need.

With that being said, please be a good ally and listen to the community who is ailing and being ostracized and discriminated against by the privileged. (https:// oberynmartell.tumblr.com/post/619931092654358528)

Another sin of activism is something we like to call the infamous: Cancel Culture. Cancel culture acts “as social media activism [that] has prompted many to promote the boycotting of different people, companies and systems for misalignment with social values”.2 This can be very dangerous as most of cancel culture is in the hands of very young users. Cancel culture may result in an extreme form of cyberbullying to people who do not deserve it. This also links back to our past topic with performative activism. A lot of people who use cancel culture as a tool for “activism” are in fact, people who are not personally affected or victimized by the “cancel-ee’s” actions.

But stepping away from social justice, let’s look at the most recent big controversy of cancel culture with the Tik Tok famous siblings, Charli and Dixie D’Amelio. These two are typically harmless and major controversy free on Tik Tok until recently. I would highly suggest Googling the situation since there is a lot to unpack! The cancellers are at fault for something called confirmation bias. Confirmation bias blinds someone to believe that whatever they hold to their heart is true and no information can prove them otherwise.

In this case, a canceller would LOVE to deplatform anybody famous for this revolutionary image they have in their head. This can be dangerous for people who are at risk for being cancelled over something so trivial or it can even set a bad example for younger viewers and how to treat others. Cancel culture is not about holding someone accountable for dangerous actions, it encourages a toxic environment that allows people to get hurt and ostracized when they don’t deserve it. As a result of the D’Amelio Cancel Controversy, people on the internet were seen idolizing another influencer, Trisha Paytas, who also took part in bullying the D’Amelio sisters, and refused to hold accountability for HER actions. Trisha Paytas has been known to be a meme to Tik Tok for making weird lip sync videos and really bad musical theatre covers. But Trisha Paytas is not a good person. Paytas was known for faking a dissociative identity disorder, making a lot of anti-semetic jokes, and even blackface. But no one wanted to deplatform her even if they deplatformed the D’Amelio’s that quickly.

This is the exact danger of cancel culture and why Online Culture has become so dangerous and cruel lately. This is one of the aspects of social media that has driven people to delete their accounts or even cringe in disgust at the idea of social media. The closeness between followers and creators that these new platforms create also develop bigger risks of harming people like the ones that have been observed and stated in this section.

Shoutouts and Highlights

Toxicity in Social Media

Reference 1 Max Sjöblom, Maria Törhönen, Juho Hamari, Joseph Macey, The ingredients of Twitch streaming: Affordances of game streams, Computers in Human Behavior (2018), doi: 10.1016/j. chb.2018.10.012 1

Reference 2 Nguyen, Brandon, “Cancel Culture on Twitter: The Effects of Information Source and Messaging on Post Shareability and Perceptions of Corporate Greenwashing” (2020).

Wharton Research Scholars. 197. https:// repository.upenn.edu/ wharton_research_scholars/197 2

DEC

21

Designed by AK Marquez

PHOTO FROM OFFICIAL NBA WEBSITE

LOS ANGELES LAKERS

BY SPORTS EDITOR JP QUIMOSING DESIGNED BY PATRICIA ANNE BABIA

LAKERS WIN 17TH NBA CHAMPIONSHIP

Final seconds... and just like that, the historic 2020 NBA championship belongs to the Los Angeles Lakers.

More than a decade later, the Lakers have finally tied the Boston Celtics for the most NBA championships in NBA history, with their 17th. However, this past year has been full of unpredictability. Late January brought heartache to not only Laker fans, but the basketball world in general. Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gigi suffered an unfortunate fate in a helicopter crash. Many NBA players and even athletes across all sports mourned together of the loss of the Laker legend Kobe Bryant. The basketball icon was an influential figure worldwide and surely the LA Lakers would use his death as motivation to pursue their 17th NBA title.

In a season like no other, the NBA season was met with unusual circumstances. On March 11, the NBA season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. For a few months, there was speculation and conspiracy that the NBA season would be ultimately scratched.

However, on July 9, training camps and scrimmages began running again. This bubble would be located in the world renowned Walt Disney World. 22 NBA teams were invited to the bubble with a few exhibition games in hand and potential “seeding” games to help determine the final positions before heading into the playoffs. The LA Lakers started off slow in the bubble like most teams but were still able to keep the 1st seed. Their first opponent would be none other than the red-hot Portland Trail Blazers who were coming off a nine game win streak to barely squeak by into the eighth seed. Game 1 of the first round against the Blazers came off as a wake-up call as the Blazers defeated the #1 seeded Lakers 100-93. After the game, social media flooded with saying Blazers in 4, in 5, and in 6, etc. Coming back from a slow game 1, the Lakers proved their worth as the top seed in the west with four consecutive victories to make it a gentleman’s sweep. Where are the haters now?

The farther a team goes in the playoffs, the competition only gets tougher. Next up to face the Lakers were James Harden and Russell Westbrook’s Houston Rockets.

The key speculation in this series is how the Lakers will handle the Rockets’ small ball team. Game 1 began and once again, the Lakers started off sluggish. Shots weren’t falling and the Rockets were just too on fire from three-point territory. Even Anthony Davis couldn’t get his rhythm with PJ Tucker, who was clearly undersized compared to him, guarding him. Collectively, the Rockets just flat out were the better team that night beating LeBron and AD’s Lakers 112-97. Just like last round, the memes and comments flooded about how the Lakers were going to get “swept” and eliminated once again.

Little did they know that just like last series, the Lakers weren’t going to go down without a fight. Slowly, the memes and hate through social media disappeared as LeBron and Anthony Davis helped the Lakers pull off another gentleman’s sweep 4 to 1. Their next and final

SPORTS challenge stopping them from returning to the NBA Finals would be the comeback kids, the Denver Nuggets.

The first game of the 2020 NBA Western Conference Finals showed signs of what could be a great series.

Both teams started out dropping straight buckets until the Lakers stepped up their defense to create a decent lead. Eventually, the Lakers took home game 1, 126114. Game 2, on the other hand, would be a game to remember. The entirety of this next game was an uphill battle. Both sides exchanged made baskets after another.

The intensity exponentially grew in the final minutes of the fourth. Clutch baskets in the final two minutes from Nikola Jokic and Anthony Davis respectfully gave their teams glimpses of potentially winning the game. Jokic in the closing seconds was fouled and sent to the free throw line. He drained both free throws as Frank Vogel called time-out. The next play Rondo inbounds a bounce to AD who makes his way past the three point line and shoots a fadeaway three. For a second, both teams watch as the ball travels in the air until it ultimately hits nothing but net. Anthony Davis has made a game-winner to put LA up 2-0 in the series. The team took this momentum again to defeat the Denver Nuggets 4-1 as the NBA Finals matchup was set, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat.

The Miami Heat, fresh off their victory against the Boston Celtics, were searching for their 1st NBA title since 2013. The Los Angeles Lakers are in pursuit to tie the Celtics to win their 17th NBA title. The series was met with huge intensity and excitement. The Lakers start off strong with two straight victories in game 1 and game 2. Injuries to center Bam Adebayo and point guard Goran Dragic caused concern for the Heat’s depth. However, in game 3 Jimmy Butler puts up the game of his life with a 40 point triple-double to will the Heat to their first win in the finals. Following game 3, the Lakers took advantage of a fatigued Butler to put themselves in a closeout position by winning game 4 giving them a 3-1 series lead. Game 5 proved to be one for the ages as the Lakers opted to wear the Mamba jerseys in which they were undefeated in this postseason. Butler’s heat had other plans as they spoiled a potential closeout game for Los Angeles, taking game 5 making the series 3-2. Even with this loss, the Lakers would look to show their mamba mentality as they started off game 6 stronger than ever.

At one point, the Lakers led by at least 30+ points. In the closing seconds, Anthony Davis erupts in tears as he finally wins his first ring and the entirety of the Lakers celebrate as they finally bring home number 17.

In my mind, I could only think,

“Kobe, this is for you.”

ASK BOARD 03 Holiday Edition

By Editor-in-Chief Patricia Anne Babia

@heatherbautista asks...

what’s the best way to catch santa?

Board says...

Justin P: With a rope & some cookies >:) Glen: Surveillance cameras Darrel: A bear trap with a cookie in the

middle

@deenamartin_ asks...

go-to white elephant gift lol Board says...

Justin P: Anything electronic Alex: A random candle that I would

find in my living room @robert.lopez_ asks...

what does each board member want most for xmas?

@lifeofpiasimone asks...

Board says...

Board says...

Jane: To see my board and celebrate

Christmas with all of them :( Justin P: The ability to TELEPORT Justin A: To finally take a group photo with everyone on board and just make memories with them Patricia: glenline in the Bay Glen: Food Kyle B: To see all of Infinit-E Board Darrel: Eternal slumber @jayson.pacio asks...

what’s a must-do for you during the holidays?

Candy canes or gingerbread cookies?

Jane: Ghirardelli peppermint bark Patricia: ^ Omg I agree with Jane Justin P: GINGERBREAD wtf candy canes

trash

Alex: I love white chocolate peppermint

kisses, but I LOVE gingerbread cookies.

@mikalamglnzo asks...

holiday/winter must haves?

Board says...

Justin P: HOT CHOCOLATE Patricia: Christmas scented candles!!!

Kyle B: Warmth

Board says...

Jane: See Christmas lights! Like drive

through one of those neighborhoods with a lot of Christmas decorations Justin P: Drink hot chocolate in the middle of the woods or wherever theres snow and just chill out Patricia: See a tree lighting with my friends Glen: Go somewhere with snow

@desireezzz asks...

favorite song to sing along to during the holidays?

Board says...

Jane: “Mistletoe” - Justin Bieber Alex: “Wit It This Christmas”- Ariana Grande Justin P: “Rocking Around the Christmas

Tree” - Brenda Lee Darrel: “A Holly Jolly Christmas” - Burl Ives

@micahwinzelle asks... @a8ych_em_bee asks...

Best or most favorite Christmas or Holiday gift you have received?

Board says...

Alex: When I was young, my dad got me

this large littlest pet shop playset and it was the best present because I didn’t realize he noticed I was in love with littlest pet shop and it was very meaningful to me.

Justin P: When I was a kid, my parents got me a Star Wars lego set :D Patricia: When I was 6, my aunt got me a whole box full of stuff from the Sanrio store Kyle B: When I was 7, my aunt got me a Nintendo Wii

what’s your favorite holiday tradition?

Board says...

Jane: Gingerbread house decorating contest

with cousins Kayley: Going ice skating at Union Square in SF Justin P: White elephant with family LOL Alex: I like to go Christmas light seeing with my friends at the Naples canal in Long Beach Kyle B: Celebrating with family

@jah.ps asks...

Favorite christmas memory?

Board says...

Alex: My uncle started to fly his drone inside

@vdenina asks...

This question is for Barkada’s President: Who you meeting under the mistletoe?

The President says...

Justin A: A girl that I really like

@_yssabelle asks...

How to cope with not being with some of your loved ones for the holidays?

Board says...

Jane: It’s tough to not see family/friends

during times where you celebrate being with your loved ones the most, but because of our current situation, just remember that seeing them might risk the chance of not seeing someone ever again :/ Thanks to technology, there are alternative ways to see your friends and family! It might not be the same, but it’s definitely something!

Alex: With my family, we usually carry on traditions that our loved ones would do. My Lolo would make soup out of the leftover turkey and now his 5 children and 16 grandchildren still do it!

Darrel: Like what Alex said, carrying on the traditions and past holiday festivities you would usually do is something that can help you feel like there right there next to you. With that said, passing love and happy holidays to you and your family! Stay safe :)

the house on christmas and my cousins and I started screaming Patricia: When I was younger, my family made a full on scheme to convince my cousins and I that Santa was real. we were so excited that he “actually” stopped by to give us gifts.

Kyle B: Christmas/New Years’ Eve 2019, some of my cousins who moved to another state/country came to visit and surprised our grandma for her birthday after a long time of not being able to visit Darrel: Putting up the Christmas lights with my dad every year :D

@james.salud_04 asks...

What’s your favorite Christmas song?

Board says...

Jane: “This Christmas” - Chris Brown and

“The Christmas Song” - Nat King Cole Kayley: “Santa Tell Me” - Ariana Grande Justin A: Merry Christmas Happy Holidays *NSYNC Alex: “Wit It This Christmas”- Ariana Grande Kyle B: “This Christmas” - Chris Brown and “White Christmas” - Michael Buble

To be featured in our next Ask Board column, be sure to check out our Instagram stories and send in your questions!

Designed by Patricia Anne Babia

MAJOR SPOTLIGHT

By Staff Reporter Justin Paredes-Sison

Justin Paredes-Sison

3rd Year Bougi-E Baby

What is your Major?

Landscape Architecture

Why did you choose your Major?

“I actually entered college as a Bio major and had switched the second day of classes during first year. I prepared to go into architecture all of highschool, but got persuaded to go into bio after a bad experience with a firm. After the first two days of classes, I realized that bio was NOT the way for me and I had to find some way back to architecture. Because architecture is impacted, I would’ve had to wait until my 3rd year to switch back into a 5 year program. So instead, I went over to Landscape Architecture which wasn’t impacted! I’d say it’s a happy accident though.”

What is your Major about?

“From my perspective, Landscape Architecture revolves around the design of outdoor and indoor spaces that focus on the natural environment.

To add on to that, Landscape Architecture also accounts for change over time when dealing with the natural processes of growth and of nature. So with that, each project that comes from Landscape Architecture will always be in a state of change. It is a growing field in Environmental Design that is set to become more apparent as there are growing ecological concerns throughout the world. So in my eyes, Landscape Architecture is one of many ways to create a more sustainable and ecologically friendly future.”

How has your experience been with your Major?

“Although Landscape Architecture was not originally what I had wanted to pursue, I have had a great experience. It has helped me discover new interests and allows me to explore different avenues in design, allowing me to create more of an identity through my work. It has also helped me develop an appreciation for green spaces and the history behind green design.”

Designed by Angela Nicole Magat

“American Lie”: A Covid Song Parody

By Staff Reporter Leo Tavormina Saying that times are dreadful during this pandemic is beating a dead horse. It’s clear that this new decade has shaken all of our worlds and changed our lives in a way that we thought to be impossible. One morning, while thinking about all the change that’s been occurring, I was reminded of Don McLean’s hit song “American Pie.” His song reminisces on the 1950s while contemplating the changes that occurred in his life during the 1960s. I felt like 2020 deserved its own version considering the heartache and headache it’s put us all through. I’d proudly like to present a parody I’ve written of the song. If you want to sing or play it on guitar, it’s the same chords as the original song. This highlights all the emotions I’ve felt about life, society, and the virus this year.

Verse 1 A short short time ago I vividly recall how That uni used to make me smile And I know if I could return I’d be so excited to learn And I felt true happiness for a while But that sad March made me shiver The terrible news made me quiver A serious misstep Living in fear of strep I can remember that I cried When I read about what they let slide Something did hurt me deep inside The day my uni died Chorus 1 So why, why Big American Lie I want to go to class but there were no students en masse Me and the boys wondering if this will pass Asking if this is when my dream dies I truly feared that it’d die

We both laughed and we kiss Man, that is something I miss I was a jolly Bronco from day one With a conviction that I had truly won The end would come for all my fun The day my uni died Pre-Chorus I started writin’ Chorus 2 Why, why Big American Lie I want to go to class but there were no students en masse Me and the boys asking if this will pass Asking if this is when my dream dies I truly feared that it’d die

Verse 3 Now, for ten months I’ve felt all alone And the time flies when you’re on your own But that’s not how it used to be Verse 2 When the virus came to visit us all I wrote a story of love Transmitting, spreading at all our And I had no faith in God above malls Does the Congress tell you so?

From droplets that came from you Do you believe we will return? and me Can sweet lies comfort my sad soul? Oh and the president was its prey And can the lawmakers be a bit less The virus stole his blonde toupee slow?

The classroom was adjourned Well, I know that I’m in love with her No homework returned I feel a rush when those dates occur And while students’ studies never stop

The nation did begin to flop And we all blamed those on the top The day my uni died

Pre-Chorus

Pre-Chorus

Bridge I met a girl who had the blues And she asked me for some happy news But I just laughed and turned away I want to go down to the school Where I’d felt so much joy months before But they said the campus will not open At the laptops the students screamed “Life will be normal again,” I dreamed But no person could believe The pain was going to leave The three things I desire the most Some freedom, fun, and education That all ended in this nation The day my uni died

Chrous 2 Verse 4 Painful baneful virus was a handful All the symptoms it caused were a mouthful A cough and a loss of taste Hid among us in plain sight We stayed none the wiser that there might Be a virus among us that was making quick haste Now, the fresh air still smelled quite pleasant Yet there was no joy at present We all wanted to thrive But our lives took a nosedive ‘Cause the virus infected our field The government refused to yield Their true ignorance was revealed The day my uni died Pre-Chorus Chorus 2 Verse 5 No one could gather in the same space A generation stuck in place Too long before we start again May our doctors be nimble, please be quick We are all feeling very sick ‘Cause loneliness is our new best friend I did watch him hold a mask on stage Soon the masks became all the rage Truly felt trapped in Hell Stuck in the lockdown’s spell And the total deaths climbed high up the graphs That number could’ve been cut in half Covid really had the last laugh The day my uni died

Chorus 2

Pre-Chorus Chorus 3 Why, why Big American Lie I want to go to class but there were no students en masse Me and the boys asking if this too will pass Asking if this is when my dream dies I truly feared that it’d die I was writin’ Why, why Big American Lie I want to go to class but there were no students en masse Me and the boys asking if this too will pass Asking if this is when my dream dies Writin’ “this is when my dream does die”

Disclaimer*

All political views expressed in this song do not represent Barkada as a whole.

Designed by Jacquelyn Nguyen

Coffee Corner

By Copy Editor Alexandra Manzon

Amidst the pandemic, everyone’s quick and easy coffee fix go-tos would be Starbucks or Dunkin. Long lines pack these chains as small businesses suffer the consequences of not having a drive through and convenience. Here are some coffee shops you may get your caffeine fix from and my personal opinion on them! Follow my drink account for more! @wherethebeansprouts

The Vintage 1979 Cafe (Garden Grove) As I walked into the cafe, the ambiance was immediately uplifting as various potted plants were on the floor, along the walls, and hanging from the ceiling. I took a seat outside, and my matcha macchiato was served in a wine glass.

A usual macchiato would come in layers of cream and espresso yet for this drink it had an additional layer of matcha. It was the perfect blend of matcha, espresso and cream.

This cafe is definitely a nice place to catch up with friends and to enjoy drinks.

Take Ur Seat ‘Local Coffee’ (Chino Hills) Take Ur Seat is one of my favorite places to get coffee & brunch! This spot opened up last year and the owner actually used to cook for Los Olivos at Cal Poly Pomona from 2010-2018. Their menu is seemingly very inspired by Filipino culture. A go-to drink of mine is the Pandan + Palm Sugar latte with oat milk. It’s a match made of a taste as the pandan and palm sugar perfectly compliments the oat milk which is a combination I’ve never had before. They are also popular for their Japanese fluffy pancakes which are super delicious.

Designed by Alexandra Manzon

2020 Christmas Gifts

By Features and Arts & Entertainment Co-Editor Leanna Gan

Tis’ the season of giving! With Christmas right around the corner, here’s a few ideas for finding that perfect present for your loved ones.

For the “Creative Person”: Got an artistic friend? Here’s a gift idea that is equally as creative as they are. “Kuurth.net” has a variety of well known art pieces that they’ve turned into rings. From Van Gogh to Kadinsky, these small fashion pieces are sure to please any visionary.

For the “Sentimental Person”: There’s a lot of ways to make a gift more personal. From incorporating their name, birthstone, or a special date, Etsy is the go-to place to look for the perfect customized gift Some ideas include jewlery, candles, and even water bottles.

For the “Athletic Person”: Being a gym rat is especially difficult during these times with certain guidelines being placed. Champion has developed sweat-wicking face masks that are easy to wear when breathing gets heavy. Get this gift for your favorite health nut!

For the “Foodie”: A cute idea for the foodie in your life despite their palate! Etsy shop “Cascadia Modern” offers a scratch off “Eat Your Way Through The USA” Map where one can cross off foods they’ve tried all around the states!

Designed by Leanna Gan

Anong Balita Staff Patricia Anne Babia............Editor-in-Chief Alexandra Manzon....................Copy Editor Kaila Ganzon........................Opinions Editor JP Quimosing............................Sports Editor Deena Martin.................Features Co-Editor Leanna Gan....A&E & Features Co-Editor Cover Designed By AK Marquez

Staff Reporters: Glen Marc Hasta, Justin Paredes-Sison, Leo Tavormina, and Darrel Varquez Designers: Glen Marc Hasta, Angela Nicole Magat, Alexandra Manzon, Alyssa-Kayla (AK) Marquez, Deena Martin, Jacquelyn Nguyen, Darrel Varquez, and Patricia Anne Babia

If you are interested in joining Anong Balita Committee or have any comments/ concerns regarding this issue, please feel free to contact us at pr@cppbarkada.org.

2020-2021