Daily Forty-Niner; September 11, 2023

INSIDE: MENTAL HEALTH SPECIAL ISSUE

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Vol. XCV, Issue 4

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SIGH of relief CSULB will return to a traditional commencement ceremony with name-reading at Angel Stadium in spring 2024.

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ON THE COVER DEBBIE HILDRETH PISARCIK / College of Liberal Arts Cal State Long Beach president Jane Close Conoley hands a student their diploma during the commencement ceremony for the College of Liberal Arts in 2016. Graduating CSULB students will get the opportunity to walk the stage and hear their names called for the first time since the pandemic in 2020.

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Editors News Editor Juan Calvillo news@daily49er.com Arts & Life Editor Natasha Castanedo arts@daily49er.com Opinions Editor Georgie Smith opinions@daily49er.com Sports Editor Davis Ramage sports@daily49er.com Design Editor Mary Catipay design@daily49er.com Copy Editor Jazmin Arellano Gallardo copy@daily49er.com Photo Editor Naoki Gima photo@daily49er.com Social Media Editor Maureen Linzaga socials@daily49er.com Video Editor Alina Ti video@daily49er.com Podcast Editor Aidan Swanepoel podcast@daily49er.com

LINSEY TOWLES / Daily Forty-Niner CSULB Student Affairs announce new recommendation for students to wear masks indoors when among large crowds on Sept. 7, 2023.

COVID cases on the rise in Long Beach ahead of flu season

Assistants News Assistants

Elizabeth Basile Acsah Lemma Anthony Orrico Linsey Towles

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Advisers Design Adviser Gary Metzker Content Adviser Barbara Kinglsey-Wilson

BY LINSEY TOWLES News Assistant

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n recent weeks counties across California have seen an uptick in positive COVID-19 cases including in Los Angeles County and the city of Long Beach, resulting in new recommendations from Cal State Long Beach to wear masks indoors and in large groups.

On Sept. 7, Student Affairs sent an email to students and employees detailing the school’s new mask recommendations.

“In consultation with public health officials, we encourage the use of a facial covering when indoors with large groups of people, especially in those academic and co-curricular environments where it’s common to have close proximity to others,” said Thursday’s email.

“During summer, I never wore a mask and now I’m like I have to go buy masks in bulk now,” Beachside resident Roselyn Rovas-Varios said.

The announcement comes as an increase in positive COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have been reported. In LA County, there has been a reported 51% increase in hospitalizations for COVID-19. According to the LA Times and in the City of Long Beach, there has been a 60% increase in reported cases in the week of Aug. 18-24.

According to an email sent to students from CSULB Housing on Aug. 28, there has also been an uptick in cases being reported on campus.

On Aug. 28 the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a forecast predicting an acceleration in COVID-19 cases and hospitaliza-

tions in the coming month, from 1,700 daily hospital admission to 9,700 by Sept. 25.

Health officials are tracking new COVID variants that the CDC has reported make up a large portion of new cases. The EG.5 variant is known as the dominant strain, making up 21.5% of new cases according to the CDC on Sept. 1.

The FL.1.5.1 strain is the second most prominent strain, making up 14.5% of U.S infections according to the CDC on Sept. 1.

Long Beach State does not provide isolation spaces on campus. Students are encouraged to self-isolate by staying home or staying in dorms, and requesting a staff member to deliver meals to the room.

Sophomore Leslie Ricardo Vasquez recalls getting sick in her dorm last year, electing to go home to recover.

“I never get sick so I didn’t bring any medicine, I didn’t have anything,” said Vasquez. “I did a very sad walk to Rite-Aid but after a week I wasn’t getting any better so I went home.”

As the campus works to manage COVID-19 cases on campus, the flu season is set to arrive in the next few months. As a response, Student Health Services is set to provide free flu shot clinics on campus.

Flu shot clinics are scheduled to be available as follows: 10/18/23: Hillside Dining, 11:00am-1:00pm 10/31/23: Parkside Dining, 11:00am-1:00pm 11/7/23: Beachside Dining, 11:00am-3:00pm

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Land Acknowledgment Letters Policy: All letters and emails must bear the phone number of the writer and must be no more than 300 words.

The Daily Forty-Niner reserves the right to edit letters for publication in regard to space.

Editorials: All opinions expressed in the columns, letters and cartoons in the issue are those of the writers or artists.

The opinons of the Daily Forty-Niner are expressed only in unsigned editorials and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the journalism department or the views of all staff members. All such editorials are written by the editorial board of the Daily Forty-Niner.

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Here at the 49er we acknowledge that the school we report on is located on the sacred site of Puvungna, “the gathering place”. We are on the land of the Tongva/Gabrieleño and the Acjachemen/Juaneño Nations who have lived and continue to live here.

We also acknowledge the Gabrieleño/Tongva (pronounced: GABRIEL-EN-YO/TONG – VAH) and Acjachamen/Juaneño (pronounced: AH-HACH-AH-MEN/JUAN-EN-YO) as the traditional custodians of the Los Angeles region along with the Chumash (pronounced: CHOO-MOSH) to the north and west, and the Tataviam (pronounced: TAH-TAH-VEE-YUM) and Cahuilla (pronounced: KAH-WEE-YAH) Nations to the east.

We respect and value the many ways the Tongva/Acjachemen cultural heritage and beliefs continue to have significance to the living people and remind us about the sacred and spiritual relationship that has always existed here at what we now call California State University Long Beach.

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ARTS NEWS

JORGE VILLA / Daily Forty-Niner Students and families mill outside during the 2021 graduation ceremony. The 2024 ceremony will return to Angel Stadium, but this time with students walking the stage and with their names read, said President Jane Close Conoley.

Graduation 2024: Students will walk the stage at Angel Stadium

BY CHRISTAL GAINES-EMORY Editor-in-Chief

Long Beach State students are expected to experience a more traditional ceremony during the 2024 commencement ceremony. The CSULB commencement ceremony is returning to Angel Stadium, complete with walking the stage and name reading.

According to University President Jane Close Conoley, the plan for commencement was finalized just last week after multiple discussions with administration and ASI. “Students have expressed that hearing their names read and having the opportunity to walk is a top priority for them, so I made the decision that this should be our priority too,” Conoley said. “Deans have agreed to shorten their ceremonies so that students can have this opportunity.”

She said the decision to return to Angel Stadium was not a choice that was made lightly; three different locations were discussed. These locations were: Angel Stadium, on-campus and the Long Beach Pacific Arena. Although many students expressed interest in attending an on-campus ceremony, the advantages of Angel Stadium prompted administration to return to that venue instead.

Graduating students and their loved ones gather at Angel Stadium during the spring 2023 commencement ceremony.

Graduating students and their loved ones gather at Angel Stadium during the spring 2023 commencement ceremony.

“When we have to build our own stage, it takes approximately three

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weeks to build it and take it down, we just don’t have the staff for that at this point in time,” she said. “Angel Stadium and the many different factors outweighed the pros of the two other venues because of the staff included, parking, accessibility and the number of tickets students are offered.”

At Angel Stadium, 12 tickets will be provided per graduate, as opposed to the six to eight tickets that graduates would have received at the two other locations. The stadium also better ac-

the 2023 commencement ceremony and allow students to walk and hear their names. However, no changes were made to the 2023 commencement ceremony. Officials had previously moved graduation to Angels Stadium in 2021 to allow students and guests to distance due to COVID. Associated Student Inc. President Mitali Jain expressed her excitement for the ceremony this year and the changes made.

“I think every student working to-

”

The emotional choice would be hosting the ceremony on campus, but due to our growing size, Angel Stadium was the better logistical choice.

Jane Close Conoley CSULB President commodates the growing number of graduating students.

“The emotional choice would be hosting the ceremony on campus, but due to our growing size, Angel Stadium was the better logistical choice,” Conoley said.

Last year, students protested against the commencement ceremony because they felt their voices weren’t being heard. More than 19,000 supporters signed a petition urging administration to reassess the plan for

wards a degree should get the proper graduation that they desire,” Jain said.

Jain and other ASI executives were involved in the discussions around commencement, their goal was to represent the students and share the student perspectives with President Conoley before the final decision was made.

“It was very important for student voices to be heard in this decision,” Jain said. “It was really last year’s students who protested and voiced their concerns to ASI, they united and this

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is one of the reasons why we’re able to walk the stage this year.”

According to Christopher Reese, Associate Vice President of University Relations at California State University, Long Beach, CSULB is returning to a more traditional style for commencement in 2024 as a direct result of student preference.

“The goal is to celebrate the students and their meaningful accomplishments in the way they see fit,” Reese said. “We want to welcome them to their lifelong journey with us. Graduates are Beach alumni for life and we want a relationship with them throughout their lives.”

Another change to the ceremony will be the removal of the mini stages for personalized slides. Since these were added as a result of students not being allowed to walk the stage, these mini stages will not be featured at the upcoming commencement ceremony.

Reese hopes that this ceremony will be a positive experience for graduates and their families. The exact number of ceremonies that will be held has not been set yet, options are still being weighed by administration.

“We have Angel Stadium reserved for May 19-23, we are still taking the number of ceremonies into consideration,” he said. “We may have several different ceremonies depending on the college, but we have no set number of ceremonies yet.”

Both President Conoley and Associate Vice President of University Relations Reese urged graduating students to plan for commencement ahead of time. Students graduating in spring 2024 need to apply for graduation on their MyCSULB Student Center by Sunday, Oct. 15 for a fee of $125. Students that apply for graduation late will need to pay an additional $10 fee.

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Let’s talk about it.

The Mental Health Issue

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Monday, September 11, 2023

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ON THE COVER Illustration by LILLIAN LI As the semester starts to intensify, there are a variety of activities students can engage in to help take care of their mental health. For instance, making time to tend plants, light some candles and meditate are an easy and affordable way to relax.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

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s college students, it can be extremely difficult to practice self-care and prioritize mental health, especially when you’re working along with attending school full-time. At times, it can feel as though mental health has to be put on the backburner in order to succeed at the university level. This shouldn’t be the case.

Personally, as a full-time student working two to three jobs at a time, I’ve struggled to balance my own mental wellness with the many other responsibilities in my life. At the end of last semester, I had spent so much time neglecting my mental health that I ended up suffering academically as well. My finals overwhelmed me and I spent a majority of the summer attempting to recover from the burnout.

Recognizing, accepting and addressing the signs of burnout and emotional exhaustion is an essential part of growing up, but it can be hard to do that alone. Fortunately for CSULB students, we have a variety of resources available at our fingertips, including Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), the Community Clinic, Project OCEAN and more.

In this special section of the Daily Forty-Niner, the focus of our content is mental health. In honor of suicide awareness and prevention month, this section aims to educate and help students maintain their mental health.

Complete with lists of local resources, personal essays and

helpful tips, it is our hope that the information provided can assist students in need. We also hope that the content of this issue serves as a reminder that students facing mental health challenges are not alone. Help is available for all students in need of support.

As the year moves forward and the mental strain that tends to accompany students enrolled in higher education starts to take effect, mental and physical health needs to be a priority for all. While school is extremely important and we should all be grateful to have the opportunity to continue our education, mental health is also important and necessary for success. Prioritize yourself and your health, then the college experience will be much more positive.

For CSULB students in need of immediate help, crisis counselors are available for phone consultation by calling the CAPS at (562) 985-4001 or text BEACH to 741-741 to reach a counselor for support.

CHRISTAL GAINES-EMORY Editor-in-Chief

NEWS

CAPS focuses on free student mental health help

BY JUAN CALVILLO News Editor

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he Counseling and Psychological Services department provides students with mental health options, including oneon-one and group sessions. The CSULB department is part of Student Affairs and is free for all enrolled students.

“It’s one of the resources that’s available on campus. Nobody has to come in and be prepared to pay, thankfully,” Amanda De Loera-Morales, CAPS director, said.

She said if a student were to make a future appointment to see a counselor, the wait time between making the appointment and seeing the counselor is up to two weeks. Students can set up these appointments through a phone call to the department or by walking in and scheduling one.

Morales said if students need more urgent help, the department would link the student with a service that is more suited to their needs. This takes the form of one of their crisis counselors. There are also after hour services that are done by a contracted service. Students would simply call the same number for CAPS and be switched to this service.

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JUAN CALVILLO / Daily Forty Niner Brotman Hall is the home for Counseling and Psychological Services, located on the second floor in room 226.

The department has a team of 20 on-campus counselors available to students. Their disciplines range from licensed clinical social workers to psychologists. Morales said, in the past, students have asked her how bad they have to be to seek mental health assistance.

“In the end, this is a space for you if you feel that it would be helpful to connect to another resource to help navigate whatever struggle, whatever is going on.

It’s not a matter of being this, that or feeling this bad…if you feel you have a need, we are available to you.”

The department works as a counseling space for students to use and there are a variety of different types of counseling options for students to take advantage of at CAPS. Morales said students have the option for one-on-one sessions, either in-person or on Zoom. There are also group or community sessions.

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Group sessions focus on different themes. They range from anxiety, to depression and grief, for which there’s help available. There are also drop-in sessions for students who may not want to commit to a group session. Morales said sessions like these can just be quick, informal chats with a counselor, compared to traditional sessions.

CAPS also has upcoming workshops for this semester. Students need to be referred by a clinician in the department.

One example of these groups is Resiliency Reboot, a four-week workshop to help students with resilience and coping. This workshop is held on Wednesdays from 1:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. It runs from Sept.

6 to Sept. 27.

Christopher Leal, CAPS Outreach Coordinator, said the counseling services for CAPS are located in Brotman Hall on the second floor.

“Our CAPS office is located in Brotman Hall-226…and our office is open Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.,” Leal said.

CAPS can be reached at 562-985-4001.

For more information, check out the CAPS website.

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NEWS

Recreation Society balances work, play on campus

BY ELIZABETH BASILE News Assistant

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rom finding bone-shaped stress balls on the shelves, to hand-cutting flowers for the walls, Recreation Society is making a storage room their home.

Recreation therapy is a way to relax with simple tasks and social activities.

Recreation Society is a club connected to Long Beach State’s Recreational Therapy department. The club promotes these methods on campus and in the Long Beach area. It is supervised by assistant professor of recreation and leisure studies, Chungsup Lee. Club members meet on Tuesday in Room 010 of the Social Science Public Administration Building.

The club started the semester off at Week of Welcome with candy giveaways and a duck ring toss.

Recreational Society uses various technologies and methods to aid people with their mental health.

Club membership is open to students of all majors and its activities include

community service outside of campus.

The Recreational Therapy Department, “Essentially is using any leisure activity that you like to do outside of work, it could be going out run right, going out to do any activity or like going hands-on on a craft or honestly even music and art,” said club President Briana Gonzalez.

Gonzalez said that recreational therapy can benefit people who have a disability or mental illness.

“We’re using those kinds of activities to adjust them to their circumstance,” Gonzalez said.

Club Treasurer Christine Pineda said the Recreation Society recently worked with retired military and other seniors using virtual reality to facilitate physical activity.

“We’ve been going to American Goldstar Manor, it’s in West Long Beach, and we offer VR to the residents,” Pineda said.

Recreational therapy involves a range of activities that people can do to improve their mental health.

“We promote activities and facilitate activities for those, maybe like in an elderly setting or like a community and we use those activities as I just said, it could

ELIZABETH BASILE / Daily Forty-Niner The Recreation Society offers students and community members the opportunity to engage in social activities to help improve mental wellness. be pottery, or like dance, or like tap dance. They really love karaoke,” Gonzalez said.

Pineda said the club advisor is trying to incorporate VR for use on campus.

This year, the club has plans to turn the storage room they use for meetings into a hub for study and relaxation.

“The idea is that we can fundraise enough money to gather like supplies that we might need for the room just so that we can have like a place where we just like come back to,” Gonzalez said.

Recreation Society plans to emphasize mental health on campus through social activities and the space that the

officers have been converting into a resource and study area.

Gonzalez said recreational therapy can also be effective for stress relief.

“Anybody who you know needs that time to destress, it totally applies to them as well, like it could be, it doesn’t necessarily have to focus on those who have like mental health issues or the disability,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez stated that the field of recreational therapy has enabled the group to work with various communities from children to the elderly.

“We work on like the whole spectrum, basically.”

ARTS & LIFE

BY KARLA VALDEZ Staff Writer

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orking part-time, full-time or undertaking an internship for school is often part of the student experience.

According to Fortune, 43% of students work full-time, while 81% of students work part-time jobs. Students who work while pursuing college are also approximately 20% less likely to complete their degrees compared to peers who don’t work. This leads to a substantial fall in expected graduation rates.

Working in college is sometimes necessary to pay for tuition, supplies, activities and simply enjoy outings with friends. Katelyn Sparks, a fourth-year psychology student, falls into that category.

Sparks works at a restaurant for about 25 hours per week while also attending classes. She switched from working full-time to part-time this semester after previously dealing with the workload of school and work.

“Last semester, when I was full-time, there were many times when I was missing due dates and had nights of not sleeping to do things,” Sparks said. “It’s better having a part-time job so I can have a little bit of a social life.”

Jordann Gonzalez, a second-year biology student working at the House of Blues Anaheim, dedicates 14 hours to school each week. Her duties consist

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Balancing work and school Learn how students are able to balance work and full-time studies.

NAOKI GIMA / Daily Forty Niner As working college students, it can be difficult to balance working hard on school while also making money to sustain a living and pay for school. of being a hostess, setting up guests at the right table, checking bathrooms and focusing on customer service and hospitality.

“I got pretty lucky. My job is very flexible when it comes to my hours, so I am able to keep everything balanced,” Gonzalez said.

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Gonzalez said that her personal life is impacted because she is either at school or working all day, except on weekends.

When she has free time, she does her schoolwork.

With growing tuition rates and student loan debt, it’s standard for more college students to work. According to Forbes, when public universities receive less state and local funding, they are more likely to impose expenses on students in the form of tuition hikes.

First-year biology student Alexander Guellen works 20 hours per week as a middle school soccer coach. With his soccer expertise, he supervises his students while completing workouts with them on the school field.

“I don’t find it very difficult to balance work and school. I get home at 6 p.m. and most of my homework is due at school, so I feel like it is pretty balanced,” Guellen said.

Managing work on top of school can be simple for some students. However, it is a struggle for Briana Castellon, a mechanical engineering major who works part-time at the Engineering Student Success Center. Castellon has accepted the idea that she will not have much time for socializing, as she devotes 25 hours to school and 14 hours to work each week.

“I am focused on school so if I go out, I jeopardize school work and resort to no sleeping,” Castellon said. “But I feel productive doing so. I would rather be making money than not being productive.”

Students in need of academic support can visit the CSULB website for a comprehensive list of resources available.

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ARTS & LIFE

The magic of mushrooms and mental health Los Angeles could be next to decriminalize psilocybin and the public is curious about what it could do for the future of therapy.

BY NATASHA CASTANEDO Arts & Life Editor

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t is no secret that psilocybin, or magic mushrooms, have recently been at the forefront of mental health discussions.

There has been a drastic shift in the public perception of pharmaceutical medication for mental health, and a strong desire by younger generations to find natural medicines with less adverse side effects.

The United States is dealing with an unprecedented mental health crisis, and the urge for natural medicine is growing.

This is where psilocibyn comes in.

A recent survey from UC Berkeley found that an overwhelming 78% of people are in favor of making it easier for researchers to study psychedelics for their therapeutic benefits.

When asked about the future of mushrooms for therapeutic benefits, third-year studio arts major Madison Elliston said, “If there were more people who were open and willing to talk about it more, or people who were more knowledgeable—who are more verbal and out in the community more people would listen, especially with the younger generations.”

Guidance on mushrooms could benefit the public as whole, including information from cultures utilized these plants as medicine in the past.

Despite communities around the world who have used mushrooms medicinally for centuries, the United States has classified magic mushrooms as a Schedule I controlled substance, which is the same category as heroine and methamphetamine.

However, cities such as San Francis-

co and Santa Cruz have taken steps to decriminalize psilocybin and many are wondering if Los Angeles will be next.

Culture Shrooms, an educational hub and an all-things mushroom business in Long Beach, is on a mission to change the stigma surrounding mushrooms.

The store sells a plethora of only non-psychedelic mushroom products such as coffee, tea, extracts, chocolate, gummies and capsules. These products are sold with the intent to aid consumers with natural energy levels, heightened focus, stress and anxiety relief.

31-year-old business owner Omar Othman began Culture Shrooms to be first legitimate space in Long Beach for non-psychedelic mushrooms.

Othman is an advocate for treating mushrooms as a sacred plant, and has found through years of research the ways that both psychedelic, and non-psychedelic mushrooms can benefit humans.

He hopes Culture Shrooms can provide consumers with answers on how to safely and responsibly consume them for health benefits.

“The other mushrooms (non-psychedelic), each one can help with circadian rhythm or adapting to stress and not letting your body release as much cortisol or managing stress. That’s what the functional mushrooms are good for,” Othman said.

“These can achieve that without the need for an extreme psychedelic experience.”

Heightened stress levels can lead to a multitude of other health issues such as high blood pressure, increased anxiety and severe depression. Othman believes that Lion’s Mane mushrooms can be the answer to this.

“They are the most brain stimulating, memory enhancing, focus type of mushroom,” he said.

Research has found that Lion’s Mane

NATASHA CASTANEDO / Daily Forty-Niner Culture Shrooms in Long Beach aims to provide a space for customers find information regarding the safety and benefits of non-psychedelic mushrooms.

supports natural brain function and can help protect the brain against diseases such as dementia or Alzheimer’s.

These diseases can be attributed to a buildup of amyloid plaque in the brain and Lion’s Mane increases natural glutamate production, a chemical in the brain which can deter this kind of plaque buildup.

Psilocybin also enhances the brain’s production of glutamate at a substantial rate and it is one of the few compounds on earth that helps the brain achieve more neuroplasticity.

Neuroplasticity is when the brain becomes ‘rewired’ and forms new neural pathways for longer lasting medicinal benefits.

“It’s not in the moment of psychedelic use, sometimes it can be after, weeks after, months after. It’s more about increasing the chemical glutamate in our brain and then understanding that our brain is in reset mode and then working

with that reset mode,” Othman said.

The rewiring of the brain also allows humans to approach mental health issues differently than they would with traditional psychotropic medications.

Consumers get the ability to adapt to trauma and formulate new relationships with their emotions by reworking the neural pathways in the hippocampus, the region of the brain that controls emotion.

Kaylyn Ramirez, a third-year communications major said, “I feel like you’re more open to be your true self when you’re taking mushrooms.”

“Especially with the people that you’re around, you’re just more open to talk about yourself and to be loving, you can realize a lot of things.”

While the future of mental health in America is still unknown, one thing is for certain, the public is curious about what mushrooms can do for them, and are willing to support research.

”

I feel like you’re more open to be your true self when you’re taking mushrooms.

Kaylyn Ramirez CSULB Student

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Monday, September 11, 2023

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ARTS & LIFE

ALMIRA AKIN / Body Positive at The Beach Body Positive at The Beach is an educational series that works with The Body Positive, aiming to provide the diverse groups of students on campus a safe space to work through their body image issues.

Practicing self-love with Body Positive at The Beach

BY SAMANTHA CORTES Arts & Life Assistant

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midst rising rates of body image issues and eating disorders among college students, Body Positive at The Beach hopes to help students build self-confidence.

Since 2016, Body Positive at The Beach has strived to empower students through group sessions on cultivating self-love, practicing self-care and building a supportive community.

The eight-week educational series was created in partnership with The Body Positive, a national non-profit organization dedicated to combating societal body standards and encouraging people to fully love themselves.

The series was brought to CSULB to address the large number of students

with body image issues and eating disorders, according to Body Positive facilitator and Student Health educator Allison Insunza. A recent study of over 260,000 college students across the United States showed that the risk of eating disorders increased by 13 percentage points between 2013 and 2021.

“Body image disturbance can be a precursor to depression, anxiety and isolation, which all then impact one’s ability to have a good quality of life,” Insunza said.

Kinesiology Professor Kim Fox joined the program as a body positive facilitator last spring. As a previous gymnast who faced body image issues growing up, Fox said that she has carried these insecurities into adulthood. “[Body image issues] don’t go away if you don’t deal with them,” said Fox. “To share these feelings with others and to realize you’re not the only one who thinks these things is pretty powerful.”

The series hosts two groups each se-

mester, with facilitators who decide the meeting schedule based on the schedules of students interested in the program.

The series has enrolled a total of 111 students, with about seven to 10 attendees each session.

“Our group was so wonderful and cohesive,” said Fox. “It seemed like we bonded so quickly and by week two, relationships had already been forged.”

Insunza said that students have shared overwhelmingly positive feedback after completing the program, with some saying that the series has been life-changing for them.

The program is currently in the process of partnering with athletic teams at the university to create a condensed four-week series that accommodates their schedules. Insunza hopes to introduce the program to more groups on campus, such as students living in residential housing.

“I would love to get more students trained as facilitators and get into more

classrooms to do sessions and presentations,” Insunza said.

Facilitators have begun recruiting students for the series this semester, which is set to begin during the first week of October. New members will not be allowed to join after the second session to provide a trustworthy environment.

Although the series focuses on repairing body image and gaining self-confidence, Fox said that students can learn to appreciate themselves as a whole throughout the eight weeks.

“There are some pieces of ourselves that we don’t love or enjoy, and this is about loving all that we are and being proud of our uniqueness,” Fox said. “I think that is pretty easy to walk away with.”

Students who would like to enroll in Body Positive at The Beach can submit an online interest form or email SHS-BodyPositive@csulb.edu to join the waitlist.

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There are some pieces of ourselves that we don’t love or enjoy, and this is about loving all that we are and being proud of our uniqueness.

Kim Fox Kinesiology Professor | Body Positive Facilitator

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Monday, September 11, 2023

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OPINION

A journey of balancing academics and mental wellness

BY MAYA-CLAIRE GLENN Opinions Assistant

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ental illnesses have been an obstacle in my academics for a good portion of my life, but it helped form the person who I am today.

Speaking up for myself has never been easy. Whether it was correcting someone at a fast food restaurant when my order was wrong, or telling someone that their romantic advances made me uncomfortable, being direct and honest with others had never been easy. I always seemed to struggle with confrontation more than my peers.

When I was in middle school, I became very ill. It took doctors months to figure out what was wrong and why none of the treatments were working.

Throughout all the testing, a doctor recommended I visit a therapist to see if the problem was psychological instead of physical. A few weeks later, I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and clinical depression.

I had been pushing myself too hard for too long; I was a dedicated student, taking 20 hours worth of dance classes a week and trying to maintain healthy relationships. I was stretching myself too thin.

I began falling behind in my classes and even developed achilles tendonitis in my right leg, making me physically ill.

My body needed me to stop.

The amount of societal pressure that I was dealing with was exhausting. I always felt like I needed to be doing some-

Be patient with yourself; it’s okay to not be okay. Every once in a while, you need time to focus on yourself.

NAOKI GIMA \ Daily-Forty-Niner Cal State Long Beach junior journalism and political science student, Maya-Claire Glenn (she/they), opens up about mental health struggles. Glenn urges students that it is okay not to be okay and that focusing on yourself is also essential. thing, and felt like I had to be “on the grind.”

I quickly realized that I was not the only one struggling, my friends were too.

People’s struggles with mental health can be even more apparent in higher education.

During my first few weeks at CSULB, the independence has been freeing, but it comes with its own obstacles. Adapting to a new school, new people and an environment different than my hometown has been a bit stressful at times.

A few years ago, I was diagnosed with

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and needing to adjust to a new schedule quickly can make change difficult for me.

While making lists can be helpful, due dates and keeping track of assignments for five different classes can seem overwhelming. Procrastination can be a struggle with school and can stem from anxiety, ADHD and depression.

CSULB has a number of resources available to assist students; however, these are temporary resources. Many students and young adults are not able

to afford therapy or other mental health resources due to a lack of insurance, especially as the percentage of uninsured adults continues to grow.

According to the American Psychological Association, more than 60% of American students in higher education deal with mental illnesses. The stress can quickly build up when having to juggle working a job to pay for school, keeping up in classes, making sure you eat enough each day and then praying you can also get some sleep.

In the end, I do the best that I can.

Maybe I didn’t accomplish everything I wanted to that day, or was anxious and needed time before starting an essay so that I could be confident in my work, but that’s okay.

Be patient with yourself; it’s okay to not be okay. Every once in a while, you need time to focus on yourself.

Create a beneficial relationship with social media

BY CHEYENNE ELIZARRARAS Opinions Assistant

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n this day and age, we have access to a world of knowledge at our fingertips. With the amount and variety of content that we are exposed to daily, social media can be our best friend or our worst enemy.

Depending on what area of the internet you roam, there runs a big risk of exposure to toxic culture, cyberbullying, unrealistic body standards and misinformation.

Many people addicted to social media may not realize it until they break or lose their phone; that is when they become anxious and irritable, unsure of what to do with themselves. Not everybody gets addicted to constantly checking their phone, but it is a lot more common than you think.

Not only is the content on social media an issue, but consuming it could develop into an addiction. Mindlessly scrolling through apps like TikTok and

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X can be very desensitizing. One second you might be watching a funny video and then the next you are watching something sad.

This isn’t normal for humans; our brains are not programmed to handle that range of exposure and emotion in such a short amount of time.

With social norms constantly evolving, social media passes words and information around quickly. Not only is the content online being thrown at us faster than we can blink, but it is also toxic content that is being spread much too casually.

There is a wide variety of not-sohealthy content on social media every day; however, the opportunities that social media can provide for us have made a lot of lives exponentially easier.

Social media platforms allow us access to connection and support without physical interaction, which can ease anxiety for many.

For those with depression or social anxiety, leaving the house can be a big challenge, making it difficult to make friends or experience new things. Peo-

NICHOLAS BROADHEAD / Daily Forty-Niner Articles of self-help, the psychology behind mental illness, and more are easily available making it easier to be informed and find comfort. ple now have the ability to talk to others who might feel similarly on social media, letting them know that they are never alone.

The option of anonymity also makes many social media platforms a comfort zone for people. Online support groups, virtual therapy and free digital books are awesome resources and great tools for gaining perspective.

The information and support systems that we have available to us nowadays were once non-existent for past generations; this gives the younger generation the upper hand.

Monday, September 11, 2023

People can learn about dialectical behavior therapy and other coping mechanisms using social media platforms or anonymous question-and-answer sites.

In addition, when others decide to share their experiences with mental health online, others are able to identify and relate, sometimes leading to progress in their own mental health journey.

If used properly and responsibly, social media can be extremely helpful when forming connections and learning things you can’t always get in a classroom.

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OPINION

CAPS held my hand through a daunting therapist search

Ironically, my anxiety freshman and sophomore year was preventing me from being able to seek out mental health care. I am where I am now, years into therapy, because CAPS helped me find providers and make phone calls.

BY EL NICKLIN Multimedia Managing Editor

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was the kid who struggled to ask for hot sauce packets at Taco Bell. I would cry and beg my mom not to make me do it. The silly thing about anxiety is that it makes you feel like you’ve just jumped out of a plane or seen a bear in your house when all you have to do is make a phone call.

This was my dilemma during my first couple years at Long Beach State—I was struggling with anxiety and depression, but the anxiety hindered my ability to do anything about it.

Deep down, I wanted to see a professional, but on the surface I couldn’t bring myself to go through the misery of a series of phone calls and appointments that may not even be successful.

Luckily for me (and unluckily for the greater state of the world), COVID-19 had forced a lot of CSULB operations online. This meant that I didn’t have to walk into an office, just press some buttons on my phone to sign up for a virtual intake meeting at CAPS. CAPS, Counseling and Psychological Services, is a program at Cal State Long Beach that offers mental health services

EL NICKLIN / Daily Forty Niner Trying to find mental health care providers can be arduous and sometimes discouraging. CAPS provides case management and referral services to make it easier. to students. CAPS is for everyone— you don’t need to be struggling with anything specific and your hardships can be situational. Maybe you’d just like to be more organized or fix your sleep schedule. Talk to anyone who has used

CAPS resources and they will all give you a very different story of why they went and how they were assisted.

Some people might be deterred from using CAPS because they think it is just for short-term therapy. However,

I used the program for referral and case management services. In my case, I was seeking long-term psychological counseling, so I wanted to commit to someone I could stick with rather than using my limited number of CAPS sessions.

I expressed this goal during my intake appointment and was referred to a CAPS worker who could help me find therapists within my insurance network.

They also joined the phone line with me whenever I had to call an office to check for availability. When I froze up, the CAPS worker would step in and advocate for me.

If you find yourself in a similar place to mine a couple years ago, you have options. CAPS is available in-person or via phone call. If a phone call is too intimidating, find someone you’re close to who can sit with you or even make the call for you.

I went from feeling panicked any time I had to make a Zoom call to giving training presentations to the Daily 49er staff. This improvement is due to my work in therapy, which is ultimately a result of the compassionate staff at CAPS who made finding a therapist possible for me. You deserve to be supported as you navigate challenges, however those might look for you. CAPS can help.

A Brit in California: From tea-time to Taco Tuesdays From England to California, embark with me on a transformative journey of growth and adventure.

BY MAHER BASHARAHIL Social Media Assistant

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n a world constantly expanding its boundaries, I found myself navigating the transition from the comfortable familiarity of England to the golden coast of California. What lied before me was not just a change of geography, but a pathway to personal evolution.

The initial isolation was tangible, a silent testament to the distance that now separated me from home. Yet, as the days went by, I began to perceive my solitude not as a barrier, but as a blank canvas. It was ready to be painted with the vibrant hues of new experiences and discoveries.

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I decided to immerse myself wholeheartedly in the kaleidoscope of Californian life. My hobbies – DJing, producing music and playing basketball – became the bridge to my new world, a way to forge connections and foster a blossoming sense of community.

These activities transformed into lifelines, pulling me from the brink of loneliness to a place of joy and camaraderie.

Through them, I found not only friendship, but also a renewed confidence and a deeper understanding of myself.

Throughout this journey, California has been more than just a backdrop. It has been a nurturing ground, facilitating personal growth and self-awareness at an unprecedented scale. The person emerging from this crucible is resilient, adaptable and ready to embrace the world with an open heart.

NAOKI GIMA / Daily Forty Niner Cal State University Long Beach journalism student Maher Basharahil moved from England to the United States and found it difficult to adjust at first.

Now, as I stand poised to face the next chapter, I can unequivocally say that this voyage has been a blessing in disguise.

A journey peppered with challenges, yes, but also rich in growth and knowledge. It has been an enlightening expe-

Monday, September 11, 2023

dition and a chapter of life that I would willingly relive, a million times over.

To those considering a similar journey, I extend these words of encouragement: embrace the uncertainty, for beyond it, lies a world of rich experiences and personal growth.

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NEWS

Navigating the shuttle system at CSULB

BY CARLOS YAKIMOWICH Staff Writer

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ong Beach State’s Parking and Transportation Services is in the process of replacing its existing GPS tracking system for its shuttle app, the Ride Systems app.

Parking and Transportation Services is actively working on replacing its existing GPS tracking system, TransLoc. TransLoc is the shuttle’s current real-time vehicle tracking system in the Ride Systems app, and it’s looking to get replaced with improved capabilities, according to Chad Keller, Public Relations and Communications Specialist.

“We see this problem with the shuttles communicating with the app itself until we can reboot it, and then they start showing up again, and then they’ll quickly fall offline,” Keller said. “So it’s just not meeting our requirements, so it’ll be replaced.”

Understanding the campus shuttle system can save students time and fatigue by offering a convenient way to reach their classes and sparing students from being out of breath and sweating from long walks to class.

It serves as an excellent means of campus transportation, particularly for individuals facing mobility challenges.

“The primary audience for the shuttle is mobility challenges,” Keller said.

CARLOS YAKIMOWICH / Daily Forty Niner CSULB students wait in line at the Library NB stop to board the West Loop shuttle during peak traffic time.

“Whether it’s temporary disabilities, like spraining an ankle, being on crutches, navigating in a wheelchair or carrying large items across campus.”

There are four shuttle routes in total, operating within a rotation of 10 shuttles.

During the initial four weeks of classes, two additional shuttles are implemented to address overcrowding.

Among these routes, three — West Loop, East Loop, and All Campus Tripper — are dedicated to serving the cam-

pus area. The fourth route, Beachside, is specifically designed to cater to the transportation needs of Beachside residents commuting between campus and Beachside Village.

Non-Beachside students can ride the Beachside shuttle if space is available, but priority seating is given to Beachside residents, who show their residency with a sticker on their CSULB ID card.

The West and East Loops are the most popular choices for students seek-

ing transportation to general parking areas on the west and east sides of campus.

There is a misconception about the arrival times of the shuttles on campus not getting to their stops on time. There is no specific arrival time, according to Keller. The shuttles run continuously, and during peak hours, they get to each spot every seven to eight minutes.

“They’re constantly circling. We don’t have any shuttles clump up at one section of the loop. We keep one at opposite sides,” Keller said.

Students can view the live map on the Ride Systems webpage, which shows where each shuttle is and when it will arrive.

There are students who prefer to walk from their cars to class, which is often on the far side of campus, rather than learn a system most don’t understand. Students who utilize the shuttles have found them to be incredibly beneficial, waiting a reasonable wait time, while moving around campus efficiently.

“The timing seems to be very consistent. And if you ever just need to double-check where and when it’s [the shuttle’s] here, the app is very accurate in terms of when it’s coming and when it’s not,” Jasmin Ramirez, freshman marine biology major, said.

Students can get real-time shuttle tracking information and view the live map on the Ride System app, which is ready to download for Android or Apple devices.

Substance abuse, addiction resources at Cal State Long Beach

BY LINSEY TOWLES News Assistant

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n campus, there are a number of resources available to students when it comes to preventing and tackling addiction.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, mental health issues can sometimes lead to substance abuse and addiction, especially when used as a form of selfmedication Campus Assessment, Response, and Evaluation for Students (CARES) Team The CARES Team is a program at Cal State Long Beach that works to provide an individual action plan and case management support for students struggling with any kind of addiction or substance abuse.

According to their website, students who “exhibit behaviors or disclose personal challenges in relation to their personal, physical and emotional wellbeing” are referred to the CARES team in order to get them connected to different support resources.

Additionally, students who exhibit “intimidating, disruptive, aggressive or violent behaviors” are also referred to

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CARES, unless there is an immediate safety concern where the University Police Department should be contacted instead.

The CARES team can be contacted at 562-985-8670 or emailed at studentdean@csulb.edu.

Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs (ATOD) Program The ATOD program was established in 2001 as a result of the CSU Chancellor’s Office recommendation stating each campus design programs for their institutions and for their student subgroups. In 1989, the Federal Drug-Free Schools and Campuses Act required all colleges and universities receiving funds to maintain alcohol and other drug prevention programs and to review their effectiveness at least once every two years.

Over 59% of full-time college students report having drank alcohol in the past month and over 40% of college students use marijuana according to Addiction Group. Before coming to live in the dorms, students at Cal State Long Beach are required to complete an Alcohol 101 course to educate themselves on the dangers of alcohol and other substance abuse.

The ATOD can be reached at 562985-4609 or emailed at wellness@csulb. edu. The program office can also be

LINSEY TOWLES / Daily Forty Niner Young adults aged 18-25 are considered to be the most at risk for substance abuse and addiction, according to the National Institute of Health. found at Student Health Services, room 268.

Beach Recovery and Tobacco Cessation As a part of ATOD, Beach Recovery and Tobacco Cessation programs are available to students.

“It is critically important that our university campus provides a nurturing, affirming environment in which students seeking recovery or are in recovery

Monday, September 11, 2023

can find peer support,” said the Beach Recovery website.

The Tobacco Cessation program works to help students quit smoking, vaping and other forms of tobacco consumption. Through the program students can receive free quit kits, oneon-one health education and nicotine replacement therapy such as patches and gum or non-Nicotine medication like Zyban.

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ARTS & LIFE

Smorgasport succesfully delivers an on-campus carnival experience Despite long lines, students enjoyed their time playing games, eating food and going on rides at ASI’s Smorgasport event.

BY NATASHA CASTANEDO Arts and Life Editor

S

morgasport, an on-campus carnival experience, made a triumphant return to CSULB on Friday, Sept. 8.

ASI’s annual event celebrated the start of a new academic year and created a space for students to engage with their community. The event was facilitated with a desire to provide a safe, stressfree environment for the Long Beach State community. It offered an array of activities for attendees to enjoy.

These activities included activities such as carnival games, henna tattoos and human hamster ball races that kept students entertained throughout the event. Other attractions such as the roller rink and the roller coaster rides also drew big lines.

However, some students felt the lines could have been managed better. When asked about this issue, Phoenix Moyle, a first-year biology major said, “I feel like the lines are really long. I understand why they’re long, because it’s a free event and anyone can come, but I waited longer to do some rides than I did to actually be

RENZO POCASANGRE / Daily Forty Niner The inflatable arena at Cal State Long Beach’s Smorgasport provided a fun space for students to dish out on their friends with a referee keeping close watch of clean hits. in the ride.”

Despite this, Moyle still enjoyed her time. “I’m impressed that it’s all free and that I get to just exist here for free.

Normally, events like these cost a lot of money, so I’m here to get as much out of it as I can.”

Food trucks also lined the perimeter

of parking lot E1 and featured a handful of tasty options for students. Trucks like Veggie Bomb, Crepes Bonaparte, Stop Bye Indonesian Fusion, Baby’s Burgers and Kalamaki gave students a lot of options to choose from. The yummy food and free ice cream distributed by Beach Pantry was the cherry on top of an

already successful event.

ASI workers were pleased with the turnout of the event. When first-year prenursing major Allison Curd was asked what she thought about Smorgasport, she said, “I think it’s really awesome that there’s an event that students can come to that is safe, central to their school and that’s controlled in a good space. It’s just kind of nostalgic fun, it’s a good time for sure.”

Israel Jara, a third-year sociology major, echoed this sentiment. “It’s awesome. The energies are great out here. I feel like the sun is getting everyone really vibrant out here today, so it’s been really great energies all day today.”

22 West Media made sure they kept spirits high during the event as they controlled the DJ booth and played a wide variety of feel-good music. The music happily played in the background as students waited in line at the McCafé booth or to get their very own caricature drawing.

Whether students came for the food, the races or the rides, Smorgasport delivered a unique campus experience for them to enjoy. With another successful Smorgasport underneath their belt, ASI is set to continue throwing the event for the foreseeable future.

Latest Star Wars show Ahsoka is not catered to the average fan

BY SYDNEY HOOPER Staff Writer

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ead Actress Rosario Dawson breaks ground in the “Star Wars” universe as Ahsoka Tano, a fiery rebel and Jedi who was originally featured in “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.” The show also focuses on characters Sabine Wren and Hera Syndulla, who originate from “Star Wars Rebels.”

In the “Star Wars” timeline, “Ahsoka” takes place in concurrence with “The Mandalorian” during season three.

The show’s creator, Dave Filoni, has been heavily involved in Ahsoka’s character development over the past 11 years.

From “The Clone Wars” and the “Rebels” series, to directing her appearances in shows such as “The Mandalorian” and “The Book of Boba Fett,” a cult-following continues to surround his work.

Although fans of Filoni’s work praise his latest addition to the universe, those

14

who primarily follow the films may be confused by the show’s content.

The show begins with Tano’s decision to continue her hunt for Grand Admiral Thrawn, who disappeared to the Unknown Regions with “Rebels” character Ezra Bridger. Re-connecting with Wren and Syndulla, the female power trio set off on a journey to prevent another war.

As part of the remaining few Jedi, Tano believes that they need to neglect certain Jedi traditions to survive. This sentiment does not sit well with “Rebels” returning character, Huyang, a droid with similar charisma to the beloved C-3PO. Other returning characters include Captain Carson Teva and Chopper (C110P), Syndulla’s beloved droid.

Characters often reference important events from previous shows. Many of these do not hold the same significance for all fans. Although the show charms with lovable loth-cats and epic light-saber battles, the average fan will have difficulty following the plot line and backstories of these lesser-known characters.

The niche nature of Filoni’s creation

Courtesy of Gordon Tarply via Wikimedia Commons The new “Star Wars” Disney+ show “Ahsoka” follows the journey of Ahsoka Tano who was first featured in “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.” The character is portrayed by actress Rosario Dawson is reflected in recent reviews on the critical media evaluation site, Rotten Tomatoes. “Ahsoka” has received a 73% average audience score. This is lower in comparison to “The Mandalorian,” which received 78%, and “Andor,” which received 86%.

Although all three of these shows feature side characters, the content in “The Mandalorian” and “Andor” is easy to follow for those who have not done their research.

However, viewers of “Ahsoka” are immediately thrown into the storyline without many details on characters or

Monday, September 11, 2023

backstories. In order to understand the significance of certain events, fans are left to fill in the blanks on their own.

At the end of the most recent episode, Ahsoka ends up in The World Between Worlds, a plane within the force that exists outside of time and space. There, she sees her former master, Anakin Skywalker. This cliffhanger leaves fans wondering if Skywalker’s ghost is real, or if he is merely a figment of Tano’s imagination.

Four of the eight episodes are currently streaming on Disney+, with the remaining episodes to be released weekly on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. PT.

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OPINION

Biden-Harris administration launches their new SAVE plan

BY ACSAH LEMMA News Assistant

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ith regulations fully going into effect in July 2024, the BidenHarris administration just dropped the most affordable loanrepayment plan to date. It’s called SAVE, or the Saving on A Valuable Education plan.

The SAVE plan isn’t the first of its kind, calculating debt repayment amounts based on income. However, one major difference is that SAVE significantly increased the income exemption from 150% to 225% of the poverty line, according to Federal Student Aid. “That means you will not owe loan

BY ACSAH LEMMA News Assistant

I

n the United States, speaking another language is something you share as a fun fact at school, or if you want to impress someone. Despite the country’s diversity, being able to speak another language isn’t common unless you come from an immigrant family or are an immigrant yourself.

Languages like Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese and Tagalog, among others, are commonly spoken in the United States, so they aren’t received with as much fanfare as they would have decades ago.

I speak Amharic. Amharic is the official language of Ethiopia, a country in East Africa, and one among over 80 languages spoken in the country. Unlike the other languages I mentioned, people don’t often know what language I’m referring to. My statement is usually followed up with a brief history lesson.

While sharing that fun fact can make one feel just a little bit cooler or just a little unique, the reality is that it’s incredibly difficult to speak an uncommon language.

Children of immigrants born in the United States often suffer from the phenomenon of receptive bilingualism.

That means that they can understand the language spoken by their family better than they can actually speak it.

Simplified, if the language in question was Spanish, one would be able to understand the Spanish spoken, but could only respond in English.

While that is still a skill in itself, speaking holds a lot power, and firstgeneration children are more susceptible to losing aspects of their culture that they don’t have access to due to their inability to speak the language.

In my case, I grew up being able to understand Amharic. My speaking of it

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payments if you are a single borrower earning $32,800 or less, or a family of four earning $67,500 or less,” reports the Federal Student Aid. In addition, SAVE completely eliminated the remaining interest on unsubsidized and subsidized loans. If you make monthly payments on time, you will now only pay what you initially borrowed, and will no longer be kept in a state of perpetual debt due to interest.

With the cost of living increasing faster than most people can keep up with, I think this is a great step towards making education accessible to everyone.

Forbes reports that in the United States, “more than half of students leave school with debt,” with California having an average loan balance of $36,755.80.

Realistically, finances are one of the first things students look at when

EL NICKLIN / Daily Forty Niner SAVE is based on income and family size, not loan balance, and “forgives remaining balances after a certain number of years” (WhiteHouse.gov) choosing where to attend college. These big decisions can determine where students’ lives are headed and are typically made based on factors out of many students’ control.

Education shouldn’t be a privilege that only a few people have access to.

Education, especially in a country like the United States, should be accessible to anyone who wishes to pursue it.

Regardless of ethnic background,

I can speak another language, not a popular one

KRISTINA AGRESTA / Daily Forty Niner According to “A large receptive–expressive gap in bilingual children,” a study done

by Frontiers in Psychology, “...90.1% of the children revealed a better receptive competence in comparison to their expressive competence; the expressive competence was better developed among only 6.2% of the bilingual children.”

Monday, September 11, 2023

language level or financial status, education brings people together.

It is a way to experience new things from the comfort of a classroom and a blessing that everyone should be able to experience.

To learn more about the pros and cons of this program, check out Berkeley Law’s summary of SAVE.

could be compared to a child, though.

I was only able to repeat standard greetings without fail, but anything past that was heavily accented. I strung a bunch of words together in the hopes that I’d form coherent sentences.

It wasn’t until 2020 that I had free time to actually sit and think about the future of my connection to my culture.

I see language as the strongest link to culture, and once you begin to lose that, your connection is in jeopardy. I never wanted to be someone claiming an ethnicity that I no longer had a link to. I took the time to research and formulate a plan to learn my language.

I had almost no luck for weeks, and Amharic isn’t even that unpopular compared to other languages. All the resources I found weren’t intended for heritage speakers, and the remaining resources were either outdated or just lacking in content.

Eventually, I found a website called TeacherOn where tutors from countless countries post their resumes, and you are able to scroll through for your language and tutors. I was able to find a great tutor for Amharic and start actually learning my language.

Although I wouldn’t call myself fluent now, I’m significantly better than I was before. Only a few years into my language-learning journey, I can feel my world expanding. I finally understand my parents’ fast-paced conversations with my family back in Ethiopia.

Even my connection to said family members has strengthened. There was always a language gap growing up due to my inability to speak Amharic. I can now actually hold conversations with my cousins that delve past surface-level greetings.

It was hard for me to accept years ago that I wasn’t as good of a speaker as I claimed to be. I took the leap and faced my own insecurities to try and improve, not just for myself, but for my family and for my future.

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SPORTS

New wave of volleyball transfers for The Beach Three talented outside hitters make up the 2023 LBSU transfer class and they have made an immediate impact in the preseason.

NAOKI GIMA / Daily Forty Niner Long Beach State women’s volleyball junior outside hitter Elise Agi (white #24) celebrates with her teammates after scoring a point against the University of Texas at Austin Longhorns. The Beach would beat the Longhorns 3-1 in an upset over the reignBY DAVIS RAMAGE Sports Editor

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ith college sports moving in the current direction, the transfer portal has become a vital asset for colleges to improve their teams with immediate impact, and LBSU has taken advantage of it.

This year’s transfer class includes three outside hitters from Power Five schools: redshirt junior Abby Karich by way of Utah, graduate transfer Hanna Lesiak from Northwestern and junior Elise Agi from Oregon.

Karich is returning back home to Southern California as she is from Surfside, California. She went to Los Alamitos High School, which is less than 15 minutes away from CSULB. In classic Southern California fashion, she described her return as an experience that has been “so sick.”

She has looked right at home in the preseason, coming in third on the team in kills per set with 2.31 and points per set with 2.50, majorly improving her numbers from last year.

“It’s been awesome to have my family there, they’ve been like my biggest support system through my whole career,” Karich said, “It’s been cool to reconnect with some people that have had a part in my career and my life.”

With the new name, image and likeness deal that allows college athletes to profit off their NIL, athletes can make money from brands that reach out for product promotion.

“I’ve had a couple of people reach out about promoting their business here and there and it’s been cool to help out their businesses that help me,” she said.

Karich is focusing on volleyball right now and would rather do more NIL deals in the off-season.

Her only recorded four starts last year at Utah and explained her decision to join Long Beach State, “Obviously

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everyone wants to play, but the biggest thing that I was excited about in coming here was just getting to play for Tyler [Hildebrand] [...] he’s the best.”

The chance to play under LBSU Head Coach Tyler Hildebrand was not only a big role in Karich’s transfer, but also a huge part of Elise Agi’s. “I wanted to be in a competitive program with amazing coaches… and obviously playing under Tyler,” Agi said.

Agi has been off to a hot start at The Beach leading the team in both kills with 2.90 and points per set with 3.25 in the preseason.

The way Agi got to LBSU was a little different than the other two transfers.

LBSU alum Tayyiba Haneef-Park is the three-time Olympian, two-time silver medalist and current assistant coach at Oregon who contacted Coach Hildebrand and when Agi was looking for a home. Hildebrand pulled the trigger thereafter.

“She was a blessing that she was available,” Hildebrand said.

For Hanna Lesiak, the financial side of college played a huge role in her decision to transfer. “I just didn’t have a financial opportunity at Northwestern anymore,” Lesiak said.

Along with this, Lesiak wanted another opportunity to make the NCAA tournament. With Northwestern experiencing a major roster turnover at the moment, that includes the loss of the majority of their starters. The Beach was the right decision for her.

With the departure of Morgan Chacon, whom Hildebrand described as the best outside hitter on last year’s team, there was a void that needed to be filled. The transfer portal allowed Hildebrand to do so.

“The portal’s been a great thing for us, I think it’s a great thing for college volleyball,” Hildebrand said.

These three transfers look to help lead The Beach to an NCAA tournament birth after what has been a hopeful preseason.

Monday, September 11, 2023

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