CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH
VOL. LXVIX, ISSUE 70 | APRIL 18, 2018
D
49er
Create a terrarium that leaves your house guests green with envy: Tips by Kat Schuster
COUNSELING
Mental health services are ‘capped’ for students
Step five: Add your plants and any other additional embellishments including sea shells, gems, mini figurines — you name it. Step four: Add 2-3 inches of potting soil. Step three: Add a tiny layer of sphagnum moss to help separate the soil, which you’ll add next. Step two: Add a half inch of activated charcoal on top of the stones, this will help cleanse the water you add. Step one: Create a base. Use a one inch bed of small pebbles or stones at the bottom of the container.
EARTH MONTH
CLEARING
THE AIR
Students connect with nature through the Indoor Plants 101 workshop. By Jessica Jacobs Staff Writer
In the midst of their busy schedules, students found the “thyme” to learn about the various health benefits plants provide, even when indoors. The Indoor Plants 101 was a collection of short sessions spaced out between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tuesday in the University Student Union Sunset Lounge to accommodate students’ busy schedules. The first station featured a whiteboard, where students were encouraged to write out ways to “live green” in 2018. Students had varied responses, including recycling, using reusable bottles, eating less meat and eliminating plastic straws from their daily routines. The first 50 students received free succulents if they visited all three stations. One student presenter shared her reason for having her own indoor plant. “When you look at these plants, you can get a sense of peace and harmony,” said Lamiya Hoque, a junior majoring in environmental science and policy. The workshop was sponsored by Sustain U, Associated Students Inc. and CSULB Sustainability as part of a weeklong series of Earth Week events. According to the student representatives, indoor plants are beneficial because they rid the air of toxins and reduce depression and anxiety-related stress by providing a sense of positivity due to the lively, bright colors of a plant. A slideshow during the lecture showed that aloe vera, peace lily, English ivy and succulents are the most common indoor plants. The second station showed examples of where and how to place indoor plants in one’s bedroom or dorm. According to the lecture, the placement of the
FAST FACTS
CHOOSE PLANTS THAT ARE ABLE TO COEXIST TOGETHER Closed containers: Choose aechmea, maidenhair ferns, or baby’s tears; these plants will require a bit more water but not much. Open containers: You’ll want plants that can survive in arid climates such as cacti, tillandsia and succulents
plant is ultimately dependent on its species. Students were shown how to place and take care of their plants at the third station, where five different plants were showcased on pedestals. The succulent, which was the plant most recognized by students, requires six hours of sunlight and is watered only once a month. According to Sustain U, a succulent is adaptable to any season and are easy to manage and keep alive. “As health science majors, it’s nice hearing about opportunities to help out your health,” said Jose Lopez, a junior majoring in health science. According to Eric Bryan, ASI’s recycling and sustainability coordinator, indoor plants are not costly because plants range from $3 to $25. Bryan suggested that students buy their plants at a local nursery because the plants are “better taken care of.” He also named mainstream stores that sell plants such as Lowe’s and Home Depot. Earth Week will continue Wednesday with an ecoarts fair at 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. in the USU Southwest Terrace.
Although wait times have decreased to see a CAPS counselor, mental wellness services are still not able to reach every student. By Kat Schuster and Sabrina Flores Staff Writers
When Kelsey Wunder began her freshman year as a business-marketing major at Cal State Long Beach, her future seemed bright. Several months later, things had changed. She began to experience a disconnection from the world around her and feelings of intense anxiety set in. So she did what every student in this situation is advised to do — walk straight over to Counseling and Psychological Services to seek advice. After arriving, Wunder was told that she would be waitlisted and placed in a long line with many others. “The way the receptionist made me feel when I finally reached out for help was extremely discouraging,” Wunder said. “She made it seem...that others had bigger problems than I did.” Wunder’s story is not uncommon. Wait times to be seen by a counselor at the Counseling and Psychological Services have often ranged anywhere from three to four weeks. One exception to this rule is if a student poses an immediate threat to themselves or others and are as a result classified as a police code “51/50.” In cases such as these, students are given immediate priority to see a counselor and response see CAPS, page 2