Long Beach Current; October 28, 2024

CURRENT LONG BEACH

LONG BEACH STATE’S NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1949

Vol. XCVI, Issue 10

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Monday, October 28, 2024

BRINGING THE HEAT

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Acsah Lemma Editor in Chief eic@lbcurrent.com

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Linsey Towles Managing Editor managing@lbcurrent.com

Sam Farfán Community Engagement Editor community@lbcurrent.com

Kristina Agresta Director of Business Operations business@gobeach.media

Editors News Editor Juan Calvillo news@lbcurrent.com Arts & Life Editor Julia Goldman arts@lbcurrent.com Opinions Editor Joannah Clemente opinions@lbcurrent.com Sports Editor Davis Ramage sports@lbcurrent.com Solutions Editor Jaylyn Preslicka solutions@lbcurrent.com Design Editor Mary Catipay design@lbcurrent.com Copy Editor Khoury Williams copy@lbcurrent.com Photo Editor Samuel Chacko photo@lbcurrent.com Social Media Editor Jazmyn De Jesus socials@lbcurrent.com Video Editor Dante Estrada video@lbcurrent.com Podcast Editor Aidan Swanepoel podcast@lbcurrent.com Assistants News Assistants

Arts & Life Assistants Opinions Assistants Sports Assistants

Design Assistants Copy Assistants Photo Assistants

Social Media Assistants Video Assistants Podcast Assistants

Ethan Cohen Annette Quijada Mayra Salazar Delfino Camacho Grace Lawson Diego Renteria Lizbeth Cortes-Gutierrez Romi Mathews Christine Nader Matthew Coleman Alyssa De La Cruz Matthew Gomez Jack Haslett Soleil Cardenas Luis Castilla Timothy Hessen Bella Garcia Madison Yang Lauren Benson Justin Enriquez Devin Malast Mark Siquig Matthew Gregory Andrew Miller Eduardo Contreras Jr. Kimberly Perez Gianna Echeverria Alexandra Gryciuk

Business Advertising Manager Andrea Contreras advertising@gobeach.media Creative Director Jennix Bien creative@gobeach.media Web & Technology Director Leila Nuñez web@gobeach.media PR & Marketing Manager Nicollette Combre beach.pr@gobeach.media Distribution Manager Joseph Vargas distribution@gobeach.media

Advisers Design Adviser Gary Metzker Content Adviser Barbara Kingsley-Wilson Advertising & Business Adviser Jennifer Newton

ON THE COVER

SAM FARFAN / Long Beach Current Fire spinners perform nightly on the fire stage at The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor: The Spirits Rise festival, as pictured on Oct. 24, with additional pop up performances on the Seaside Stage and in Voodoo Bayou. See Page 8.

NEWS Sustain U workshop focuses on fashion alternatives

BY LILLIAN NGUYEN Contributor

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ssociated Students Inc.’s Sustain U encouraged Long Beach State students to share more eco-friendly and ethical alternatives to fast fashion such as thrifting and buying second hand clothing with fellow students and family members on Monday, Oct. 21.

Twenty-three-year-old animation major and Sustain U Student Lead Assistant Elena Gant said most students already know how to contribute to slow fashion, a humane approach to creating clothing with higher quality and less environmental impacts. For instance, students can contribute to slow fashion by donating, thrifting and mending one’s clothes.

“I expected people to be average on [this] knowledge mostly because thrifting and buying more sustainable brands—at least in clothing— has become more of a trend lately,” Gant said.

“I just don’t think that they would have been knowledgeable on the human impact.”

Attendees learned about the Rana Plaza factory collapse in 2013 as a modern consequence of human exploitation in the fashion industry. The Triangle Shirt Factory fire from 1911, the first major human tragedy in the history of the fashion industry, was also explored with those at the meeting.

Over 50 CSULB students attended the

workshop in USU 205 on Monday. Attendees who answered questions related to Gant’s presentation received raffle tickets for a chance to win up to three different prizes, including a sewing machine, an eco-friendly duffel bag and embroidery kit.

According to Janelle Marin, a 19-year-old construction engineering management major, it was mandatory for students of Professor Allison Butler’s Business 220 class to attend the workshop.

Marin said anyone who took a picture of a specific slide from the presentation would receive extra credit points for Butler’s class.

“We are constantly in contact with [Butler],” Gant said. “Usually, for all of our workshops, she advertises them to her students.”

Gant said the workshop was inspired by a conversation with a former Sustain U member about thrifting, which opened her eyes to the harm that companies do because of fast fashion.

“The more he explained, the more I started to research and learn to the point that I only shop for second-hand stuff,” Gant said.

According to Gant, this workshop would be her last with Sustain U before she leaves the organization in mid-November to focus on graduating next semester.

“Usually towards the end of the semester, people don’t come into our workshops, mostly because of midterms and finals going on,” Gant said. “So, this last workshop...everyone was here, and all the tables were filled up. That was great.”

Land Acknowledgment Here at the Long Beach Current 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.

Editorials: All opinions expressed in the columns, letters and

Letter Policy: All letters and emails

Monday, October 28, 2024

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cartoons in the issue are those of the writers or artists. The opinons of the Long Beach Current 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 Long Beach Current.

must bear the phone number of the writer and must be no more than 300 words. The Long Beach Current reserves the right to edit letters for publication in regard to space.

NEWS Long Beach partners with traveling lowcost pet clinic

BY LARISSA SAMANO Contributor

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ong Beach Animal Care Services partnered with Community Animal Medicine Project to bring an affordable and convenient low-cost vaccine clinic to Long Beach at El Dorado East Regional park on Oct. 18.

The mobile clinic was open from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and offered service to the first 60 patients.

CAMP travels year round to provide preventative care and honor the big needs for animal vaccines. They push to not only bring convenience, but also alleviate the stress from standing clinics and patients in need.

“I’ve worked at pet hospitals in the past and just saw that not everybody could afford it,” Maritza Rodriguez, manager of CAMP’s Mobile Clinic, said.

Rodriguez wants to make a difference in animals' lives and ensure that CAMP provides high quality services to as many pets as possible. They offer low-cost vaccines as well as microchipping and spay/ neuter services by appointment.

Throughout the morning, the line for the clinic expanded into the parking lot as owners and their pets waited to be treated.

Rebekah Valdez and her 1-year-old Australian cattle dog, Dodger, found out about the care services on Instagram.

Valdez happened to come across the virtual flier because she follows Long Beach Animal Care Services and believes harnessing social media is the key to spreading awareness about animal care.

“We took Dodger to Petco, but I think the convenience of this clinic was that I can come not at a set time, as opposed to appointment, along with the anxiety

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Photos by LARISSA SAMANO / Long Beach Current Rebekah Valdez and her dog Dodger checking in with C.A.M.P Manager Maritza Rodriguez. This was Dodger’s first time attending C.A.M.P after family friend’s recommendations.

Two sibling dogs waiting in line for their low-cost vaccinations at the clinic. They were some of the first round of pets to be attended to. that he would feel,” Valdez said.

CAMP strives to provide convenience to their patients by primarily taking walk-ins and by also lengthening their

operating hours. The clinic offers evening hours from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., while regular clinics close by 3:00 p.m.

This is done so that animal owners don’t

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have to worry about their work schedule conflicting with their pet’s health priorities.

The pet clinic is also offered every two weeks at different locations around Los Angeles county.

Jacqueline De Armond brought her 9-year-old Yorkiepoo, Gidget, and was pleased with the organized operations by the CAMP staff.

“I went searching last night because my vet wants to charge me $140 for three vaccines and here today, it was just $54,” De Armond said, explaining that she went on Google the night before and discovered the clinic online.

“They’re family you know… don’t give up on your pets,” De Armond said.

De Armond thanked the staff for the wonderful experience, especially with the cost of services nowadays.

CAMP offers care to residents of any county who attend their clinics, but as of now, they only travel within Los Angeles County. They are currently looking to expand into neighboring counties like Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino.

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NEWS

Senators at-Large discuss their goals for 2024-2025 school year

BY ANGELINA AZCUE Contributor

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ong Beach State’s Senators at-Large discussed creating gender neutral bathrooms at campus dorms, offering more scholarships for undocumented students and spreading awareness about resources offered for incoming students at a “Meet Your Senators-at-Large” event on Oct. 23.

The meet and greet hosted by the Associated Students, Inc. Senate at the Speaker’s Platform gave students and faculty the opportunity to meet the 2024-2025 school year Senators at-Large.

Zoe Gonzalez, a senior majoring in political science, is the Senator at-Large for housing and residential life. Working as a desk assistant in housing, she speaks with residents on a daily basis.

The biggest issue Gonzalez believes there to be is the construction going on in Parkside. The construction creates loud noise throughout the day that is distracting to students who have online classes and exams that they take from their rooms.

Gonzalez said she also plans to work with professional staff to get gender neuANGELINA AZCUE/Long Beach Current tral bathrooms in all of Parkside letter Katherine Garcia-Guerrero speaks with students about the resources available at CSULB Dream Success Center. Garcia-Guerrebuildings. There are currently two withro is the Senator-at-Large for the education equity community. in Parkside commons, however, Hillside has one for all of their lounge areas in the letter buildings. like him on campus.

Garcia-Guerrero’s position helps her edge of all the resources they have avail“Making [bathrooms] more accessiKatherine Garcia-Guerrero, a second connect with the students she speaks to able to them. She aims to work with the ble for students and also their guests is year political science and international everyday. She wants to be a support sys- first-year webpage on BeachXP to make the main goal,” Gonzalez said. studies major, is the Senator at-Large for tem and a voice for current students, a it more user-friendly and create more Carlos Orozco, a fourth year comput- the educational equity community. This voice she did not have in the past. videos. er engineering major, is the Senator at- includes low-income students, first-genKatherine Erian, a fourth year psySonny Ciampa, a political science Large for campus organizations includ- eration students and undocumented stu- chology major, is the Senator at-Large major, is the Senator at-Large for athing fraternity and sorority life, religious dents. for incoming students; she works with letics. He sees a lack of students attendclubs and special interests clubs.

“Besides bridging the gap between first-years and transfer students. ing sporting games and hopes to spread Orozco actively works with the clubs ASI and the educational equity comErian said she had a difficult time awareness to students that they have acto ensure they get the funding and munity, I want to increase my commu- adjusting to college in her first year and cess to free tickets to all athletics games. grants accessible to them in order to put nication and make sure their voices are aims to create an easier transition than Ciampa plans to work on an app on events. heard,” Garcia-Guerrero said. the one she had for all first-year stu- where students can purchase tickets for During the Fall 2024 semester, he She hopes to create more opportuni- dents. athletic events and view future games. worked with executives to allocate an ties for internships and scholarships for “I think a lot of first-year students Due to COVID-19, CSULB removed additional $9,000 in grants for undocu- the people in her community. She also just don’t know what they can do and the yearly homecoming game and activmented students. As an undocumented wants to ensure all of her community’s what resources they have on campus,” ities but Ciampa hopes to work toward student himself, Orozco found this to be organizations have the proper funding Erian said. bringing the homecoming game back. very special considering he feels he does and grants needed to succeed.

Erian said the main concern for innot see a lot of opportunity for students As a first-generation student herself, coming students is not having the knowl-

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Monday, October 28, 2024

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ARTS & LIFE

JAMES GRETCH/Long Beach Current The Fooda vendor tent can be found on campus Monday through Thursday between the University Bookstore and the Nugget Pub and Grill, pictured on Sept. 17. Students who stop by are met with a rotating variety of meals.

Fooda seeks to expand campus cuisine through alternating fresh food selection

BY JULIA GOLDMAN Arts & Life Editor

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ooda, a catering service that offers a rotating selection of local restaurants, is being introduced to Long Beach State students this fall in an effort to bring more food options to a crowded campus.

The initiative by Associated Students, Inc., aims to provide students with a greater variety in quality of food choices while supporting local businesses, particularly in anticipation of upcoming renovations to the University Student Union.

These renovations will effectively close the USU in August 2025, according

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to Director of Commercial Business and Service Operations Iraida Venegas.

“We’re gonna be losing quite a bit of vendors during that construction period,” Venegas said.

Fooda’s pop-up model strives to serve as a pilot program to introduce students to new dining options and prepare them for the changes ahead.

Each day, a different restaurant will pop up on Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. offering a rotating taste of cuisine throughout the week.

Catering to the diverse student body is a key focus, according to Venegas.

“There’s always gonna be a vegetarian option,” Venegas said. “I know our campus also has a large community of vegetarians, so that’s also helpful.”

Venegas said Fooda would be on campus for, at least, the fall semester, with

the potential to extend their current contract, depending on the success of the pilot program.

For now, it’s simply a trial run.

While food trucks are already an option on campus, Fooda was brought in to combat food deserts, which are areas where food trucks and campus eateries aren’t readily available on campus.

The hope is to create excitement by offering variety, with the convenience of familiar restaurants from the greater Los Angeles area.

Fooda also offers a mobile app, which enables users the ability to view upcoming restaurants, order ahead and collect rewards points.

Additionally, the app sends a message to users with the upcoming week’s offerings.

The pop-up received only a few visitors, but Venegas is hoping the program will gain traction by the time the USU undergoes renovations.

Fooda’s presence also benefits local businesses by providing them with a larger customer base.

Cuban Cravings, a Cuban restaurant, was one of the restaurants that made an

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appearance at CSULB, catering to the campus community.

Owners Amir and Janet Guzman said their food is made fresh everyday to make sure people are served the best they have to offer.

Cuban Cravings brings customers authentic Cuban food, serving bowls of rice and beans topped with a choice of beef or seasoned chicken So far, Janet said that she has been happy with the restaurant’s reception.

The owners have been in partnership with Fooda for about three months, popping up at locations in the Southern California region including SpaceX and Loyola Marymount University.

Amir recommends that businesses in the food industry give Fooda a try as his restaurant has been given great reception from the public.

He said that businesses should not be discouraged by sales, since locations can vary for a restaurant.

“If you’re negative, you’re not going to get the best experience. So be positive,” Amir said.

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ARTS & LIFE

Students take a selfie with the “body” of Lucky Larry Lawrence on Oct. 22 at ASI's murder mystery dinner.

JAZMYN DE JESUS / Long Beach Current

Murder, mocktails and mingling at Beach Pride Halloween Event

BY JAZMYN DE JESUS Social Media Editor

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psychic, an alleged detective and a poet were at the scene of the crime for a Murder Mystery Dinner hosted by ASI. The event took place the night of Oct. 22 in the University Student Union Ballrooms as students followed a trail of clues left behind, uncovering the “murder” of Lucky Larry Lawrence, a poet who was meant to perform for the attendees.

Students were provided with dinner and refreshments catered by Moonlight Mocktails, who served up an assortment of spooky beverages free of charge.

Drinks were being made the whole night and dinner quickly ran out as the audience was nearly at capacity for the festive evening.

“This event was really successful.

We’ve only had to turn away 1 or 2 peo-

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ple, but the goal was to fill up all the seats and it’s a little over 100 people here who are having fun,” ASI employee Suhani Joshi said.

The Murder Mystery show was put on

by Sharpo Entertainment Productions, who had stage actors constantly interacting with the audience.

“This [event] feels a little more engaging and way more fun,” Audrey Martinez said, who compared the Murder Mystery to her last Beach Pride event experience. “It’s perfect that it’s Halloween time too, so me and my friend were like ‘Why not?’, and we’re having a good time.”

Other characters appearing in the story were a phony psychic named Presto Umar, Detective Lieutenant Charles and his assistant, Meadow.

They used audience participation to help unravel the story of how Lawrence mysteriously wound up strangled to death in the entryway of the USU Ballroom, interrupting Presto’s seance

demonstration.

Students were entranced by Presto, the actor playing the soon-to-be-deceased, as he barged in choking and screaming, kicking off the whodunnit portion of the evening.

Students rushed to the entryway to take a selfie with the deceased as “evidence” for Detective Lieutenant Charles, who made attendees laugh throughout the whole mystery due to the constant cracking of jokes and gags with his castmates.

“We’ve become known for this at Sharpo, and it’s nice that even students here can have fun with a performance like this and make it memorable,” Eric Sharp, founder of Sharpo Entertainment Productions, said.

Sharp not only starred in last night’s performance as the detective, but he also wrote the script and planned out the audience participation for the Murder Mystery. “[Sharpo] was really easy to work

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with and I’m just excited to see how people are going to enjoy it,” Ileana Chavez, ASI event coordinator, said.

By the end of the night, it was clear that students were on the edge of their seats to solve the mystery, shouting out at the actors and even putting on performing themselves to get to the bottom of it.

Accusations were thrown and friends jokingly pointed at each other to blame, but it ended up being the actors interrogating the audience that revealed who killed Lucky Larry Lawrence.

The prime suspect was an accounting student named Faith who, according to the script, was tied to the Illuminati and led Lucky to his demise that night.

The shock died down as the night ended and students who were brought together by solving the mystery together mingled outside of the USU. For future ASI events, look out for more info on their website or Instagram @csulbasi.

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ARTS & LIFE

Haunt and Seek combines sobriety with Halloween fun

BY MIA ALVAREZ Contributor

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n Oct. 22, Student Health Services held a Halloween themed drug-awareness event next to the Brotman Hall fountains to foster awareness and safety around substance use, as well as highlight supporting resources for the student body.

Formerly known as Oksoberfest, the Haunt and Seek event has been hosted annually for almost 10 years to promote safe partying during the Halloween season, according to the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs (ATOD) Coordinator Heidi Ortiz.

"We provide resources on substance use and offer Narcan spray at Student Health Services," Ortiz said. "Narcan is a medication that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose and is available for free, along with fentanyl testing strips."

The event also featured various interactive booths run by peer health educators, decorated in the Halloween spirit.

One booth invited students to try their hand in a witch hat ring toss game while wearing vision impairment goggles that stimulated the effects of marijuana and alcohol.

Among them was James Rodriguez, a first-year business finance student.

"I came because it looked interesting, and it caught my eye," Rodriguez said.

"The ring toss was a big difficult, but I was the first one to make the ring, so I feel pretty good."

Matthew Quinonez, also a first-year business finance student, added, “It seemed interesting, and they had vision impairment goggles that I wanted to try out. It felt hard; I thought it was going to be easy.”

Some students discovered the event while passing the main walkway towards Brotman Hall, and others, like second-year linguistics major Samantha Acosta Vasquez, found it through Long Beach State's event directory site, Events & Orgs.

"I didn't know it had to do with sobriety, but I thought I might as well see it after my class," Vasquez said. "My favorite booth was the marijuana goggles because it was interesting to see how it could impair my vision. I gained information for myself, and my friends, about the importance of not driving while high."

Other booths like spin the wheel also offered knowledge-based activities that aimed to educate students on the effects of substance use and promote safe practices.

Peer health educators, who said that they undergo intensive training, ran these booths and provided information about the services offered by the Office

MIA ALVAREZ / Long Beach Current Matthew Quinonez stepped up to the ring-toss challenge at the Student Health Services' Haunt and Seek event while wearing vision impairment goggles on Oct. 22. of Wellness & Health Promotion.

These resources included free smoking and vaping cessation support, nicotine patches, gum and lozenges.

Ortiz emphasized the importance of these resources and said, “We want to convey the message that it’s important to have a good time, but also to educate yourselves and be aware of potential harms. ” Students can follow Student Health Services on Instagram at @csulbshs for

weekly updates and information about upcoming events, services and wellness promotions.

The Office of Wellness & Health Promotion is located on the upper floor of Student Health Services in room 268.

For those in need of more in-depth support for substance abuse, SHS also offers connections to individual support and various free resources to help students quit smoking and vaping.

”

My favorite booth was the marijuana goggles because it was interesting to see how it could impair my vision. I gained information for myself, and my friends, about the importance of not driving while high.

Samantha Acosta Vasquez Second-year linguistics major lbcurrent.com | @lbcurrent

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ARTS & LIFE

Ghouls of the past haunt Dark Harbor’s chilling return

BY SAM FARFAN & RENZO POCASANGRE Community Engagement Editor & Contributor

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houlish spirits and monsters haunt the Long Beach harbor grounds this Halloween season with the return of The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor: The Spirits Rise festival.

Visiting horror fanatics are immersed in frightful renditions of the Queen Mary’s very own urban legends and spirits - each rumored to haunt the halls aboard the ship.

This year’s interactive event includes a variety of immersive experiences, including five uniquely themed mazes, a spooky theatrical seance, secret speakeasies, axe throwing, carnival rides and several live entertainment attractions.

In addition to the attractions, a variety of food tents, bars, dessert options and even a hookah lounge were available for guest purchase and access throughout the grounds.

Although the event brought back several Dark Harbor characters and legends introduced in years prior, all of the maze attractions were newly created or reimagined for the 2024 season. These include Lullaby, Infirmary, Feast, Big Top Terror and Breakout—with some based on eerie stories of hauntings on the ship.

The emphasis on historical immersion creates a highly-anticipated return following the event’s hiatus.

Much of Queen Mary’s dark history and the reputation of Dark Harbor fuels the excitement of longtime fans and newcomers alike, including Mt. San Antonio College student and first-time attendee Angel Medina.

“It’s really cool. I’m kind of scared, but I have to get through all the mazes and try not to be scared,” Medina said.

“It’s Halloween at the end of the night so [I] just got to enjoy it.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Queen Mary was forced to shut its doors for three years, allowing it to seize the opportunity to make much-needed renovations.

The pandemic and its aftermath cre-

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SAM FARFAN/Long Beach Current Main characters from all mazes gathered by the ShipYard during the Last Voyage, which featured modern Latin music, reggaeton and hip hop performances on Oct. 24. ated a difficult challenge for Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, a location-based entertainment production company tasked with producing the revival of Dark Harbor.

“Like a lot of things, the pandemic interrupted what was happening. The pandemic was a lot bigger than a lot of people ever thought it could be, and so the Queen Mary was closed for three years to the public,” Director of Special Projects at Thirteenth Floor Brett Bertolino said. “During that time, Dark Harbor ceased to operate.”

As the Queen Mary made its return, re-inviting guests and tourists in 2022, so did its capability of hosting live events.

Shaqtoberfest, a Halloween entertainment event based on former professional basketball player Shaquille O’Neal, brought the Halloween festivities back to Long Beach for two years.

Although Shaqtoberfest was also hosted by Thirteenth Floor, the plan was never meant for it to fully replace Dark Harbor.

Now, with Dark Harbor’s full return, a unique, historical trait about the festival continues to develop; many of the

scare characters are based on “real-life” ghosts that reside within the Queen Mary’s steel hull.

One of those spirits is Samuel the Savage whose story is loosely based off of the murderer who killed two women in the ‘60s and haunts stateroom B340.

An add-on experience available this year is psychic Lady Mabel’s summoning of Samuel, conducting an interactive seance with participants summoning forth the spirit of Samuel.

In the Lullaby, Infirmary and Feast mazes (all created aboard the ship) guests navigate the ominous boiler room tunnels buried within the bowels of the ship. Stumbling through the pitch black pathways found in Lullaby, attendees often had to grip the walls to find their way.

Everything was built from the ground back up following the hiatus, meaning each maze had new, uniquely crafted pieces for this year.

Big Top Terror, located on the harbor and within the Ringmaster’s Carnival, was a carnival-inspired maze that included a spinning vortex tunnel, moving floor panels and a mirror maze with scare actors awaiting within.

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As visitors rounded the corners out of a vortex tunnel, trying not to slip on the sliding floor panels, they would be met by mutilated clowns squeaking their bicycle horns.

“So, you have all the things that made Dark Harbor special, that made it unique, all the fan favorites. But then we’ve also married those things with new attractions, new experiences, we’ve continued all the stories,” Bertolino said.

“We’ve brought back all the characters, but we’ve also introduced new stories, we’ve introduced new characters. We wanted to honor the history, the legacy and the stories of Dark Harbor.”

Toward the end of the night, the Final Voyage dance party showcased several of the scare characters celebrating the Queen Mary’s final voyage to Long Beach with lively music and dancing.

The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor runs through Nov. 2 with ticket prices starting at $51.49. Additional add-on experiences, VIP packages, cabana options and parking fees are available for those wanting to elevate their Halloween experience.

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OPINION

SAMUEL CHACKO/Long Beach Current CSULB second year pre-computer engineering major and Team Black Player Ryan Jayson Evalle plays Valorant in an esports event in Los Angeles on Oct. 11.

Unveiling the hidden money-driven tactics shaping video game developers

BY AIDEN REDSTEER Contributor

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ideo games have evolved into a ballet of graphics and gameplay while developers have their own dance to pick your

wallet.

Earlier on in gaming history, a game’s success was measured by the copies sold, and developers would then move to a new project. This method was a simple equation of the sales revenue subtracted by the cost of production.

However, the current market approach has changed, and developers now focus on maintaining a protracted player group and manipulate gamers to pay additional money for a product they already own.

The 2022-2023 annual report for Activision Blizzard Inc. shows product sales, primarily games sold, did not cover their expenses. The “In-game, subscription and other revenues” category is their savior. This section is how Activision Blizzard and many other developers

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keep the lights on and CEO’s flush.

“There aren’t really any other options,” CSULB student Justin Linares said. “I don’t see any other games that fit what I want to play.”

The gaming market is flooded with live service models, games sold with the intent to add content later as “seasons” or “expansions.”

Microtransaction items like loot boxes or dreaded “pay to win” items, which are weapons and powers locked behind a paywall, are a newfound staple of gaming. No additional investment, no access.

“It leverages this flaw in our limbic system,” Media psychologist Don Grant said in an interview with the Current.

Companies tailor these microtransaction strategies under the theory of “operant conditioning,” which uses rewards and punishments to leverage the fear of missing out to train gamers to stay engaged.

“They are very good at predicting and throwing in these things,” Grant said. “Their goal is to catch and never release. They want you in the game and have you play it and play it and play it so

that they can monetize it.”

Gamers allow this by buying the content crafted to entrap them and organizations have recognized this and taken action to educate gamers.

Some countries have banned games with loot boxes such as Belgium, while other organizations created regulations around microtransactions. With increased scrutiny surrounding the business model, many companies claim to be moving away from the approach.

The Activision Blizzard team did not respond to requests from the Long Beach Current for comment on development tactics. However, earlier this year both Activision Blizzard and Plaion were fined by the Pan European Game Information.

The PEGI’s Complaints and Enforcement Cases stated that, “Although they contain paid random items (like loot boxes or card packs), this was not disclosed to PEGI when the games were submitted for a rating license.”

The Activision game Diablo Immortal earned the fine and has a heavy focus on monetization; including the ability to

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pay to directly upgrade your gear in the game.

The 2023 annual report of Activision Blizzard shows their success with microtransactions.

According to the report, Season 3 of Modern Warfare II was the highest earning season for the game, almost a year after release due to microtransactions and seasonal content.

While protections have been put in place against microtransactions, the best way to combat this change to the gaming industry is simple.

“Our only option is just not buying it,” CSULB student Angelo Duran said.

Game companies use these tactics because they are proven to work. If gamers are conscious of what they buy, they can influence the marketplace.

Avoid games with obvious money grab tactics, and support games producing products that further gameplay rather than microtransactions.

The gamers’ product purchase ultimately defines the marketplace and can pull the industry out of this pattern of psychological manipulation.

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OPINION

The psychological toll of procrastination on students before finals

BY SAMPRADA DHAGE Contributor

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t 10 p.m., after promising to study at 7, the clock is ticking, stress is rising and the tasks feels overwhelming. Procrastination reflects complex emotional and psychological factors, not just poor time management.

A meta-analysis by University of Calgary psychologist Piers Steel, published by the American Psychological Association, shows that 80-95% of college students procrastinate, particularly with their coursework.

Graduate students may be better at overcoming procrastination than undergraduates, but they still tend to delay tasks.

“What triggers students to clean out closets or wax the car when it's time to work on their papers? Usually, it's selfdoubt,” Timothy A. Pychyl, a procrastination researcher and psychology professor, said in the same APA meta-analysis.

The assumption that procrastination is just a lack of self-discipline oversimplifies a multifaceted issue.

This perspective unfairly blames individuals, ignoring deeper psychological struggles like anxiety, perfectionism and fear of failure.

Rather than vilifying procrastinators, we should consider the underlying emotions that drive this behavior.

Are we overlooking the mental health challenges behind procrastination, perpetuating a cycle of shame and inadequacy?

This raises the issue of whether procrastination can harm a student’s mental health and lead to serious consequences like chronic illness.

Recent findings from a BMC Psychology study indicate a significant correlation between procrastination and increased depression and anxiety in students, but no evidence links procrastination to chronic health issues.

As students grapple with these challenges, the internet provides numerous self-help guides for overcoming procrastination. However, are these resources effective?

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Graphic by SAMPRADA DHAGE / Long Beach Current A person feels the pressure of deadlines, anxiety or fear of failure because of procrastination.

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What triggers students to clean out closets or wax the car when it’s time to work on their papers?

Usually, it’s self doubt.

Timothy A. Pychyl Researcher and psychology professor

Monday, October 28, 2024

Advising students to “just get started” is a superficial solution that overlooks deeper factors like fear of failure and perfectionism.

Many students postpone tasks not out of laziness, but due to anxiety about their performances.

Additionally, self-help strategies often fail; impulsive individuals, for example, struggle with structured plans, revealing the limitations of generic solutions.

While these strategies may offer temporary relief, they usually fail to create lasting change, underscoring the urgent need for personalized, psychologically informed approaches and ongoing support to develop sustainable habits.

At Long Beach State, when stress and procrastination threaten students’ efforts, many turn to Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) for help, but it's uncertain whether this resource effectively supports their focus and motivation.

CAPS offers services, including individual counseling, group therapy and workshops focused on time management and stress reduction.

For instance, the “Overcoming Procrastination” workshop targets the emotional and cognitive aspects of procrastination.

While CAPS can provide initial guidance, students need continuous motivation and accountability to sustainably overcome procrastination.

The high demand for services at CSULB frequently results in long wait times for appointments.

A survey by the American College Health Association reveals that many students encounter barriers to accessing mental health services, including limited availability and lengthy wait periods.

This situation can hinder students from receiving timely support, forcing them to navigate their procrastination challenges alone.

As finals approach, procrastination becomes a psychological trap. The question is whether it is a habit to break or a deeper reflection of the pressures students face in today’s academic environment. More importantly, can we ever truly escape its grip?

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OPINION

Tuition, textbooks, graduation fees: Is there no end to university payments?

BY MADISON YANG Copy Assistant

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fter paying thousands of dollars in tuition, textbook fees and club expenses, one would think there would be no more financial requirements from the university before graduation. However, at Long Beach State, an additional price is charged to cross the finish line of your college career.

University officials recently emailed students planning to graduate in spring 2025 to notify them that a $125 graduation application fee is due by Oct. 14, and if not paid by that deadline, it will increase to $135.

Amidst the CSU’s 6% annual tuition increase, this news shocked many CSULB students.

With all the costs of attending university – tuition, housing, transportation and supplies— fourth-year students, including 21-year-old computer engineering major George Elassal, did not expect an additional graduation fee.

“It kind of seemed, like, out of nowhere because we already pay $3,000-something for the tuition,” Elassal said.

According to CSULB’s commencement website, the application fee covers diploma creation and mailing, degree audit support and evaluation and the

commencement ceremony.

The $125 fee does not account for the graduation cap and gown, which cost $50-$70 and must be purchased online.

Graduation sashes and announcements also incur separate fees.

These extra costs are particularly disheartening for international students with higher out-of-state tuition and living expenses abroad.

22-year-old film major Sungbin Moon said she has had to manage many new finances since moving to Long Beach from South Korea three years ago, the start of her college career.

“I literally started from scratch– I had to buy a car… all my clothes… all the small things, like kitchen [utensils] and furniture,” Moon said.

Moon also has to consider the price of plane tickets to fly her parents out for the ceremony.

“I’m an international student, [so] I pay more– where does all this money go, then?” Moon said. “There are just so many things I have to worry about for graduation … it’s too much.”

The spring 2025 graduation fee is a $25 increase from last year’s $100 fee for the 2023-24 academic year, which was also raised by $25 from the previous year’s $75.

After 2025, the graduation fee will be adjusted annually based on the Higher Education Price Index, which tracks inflation.

Joy Bahou, a 21-year-old human de-

Graphic by EL NICKLIN /Long Beach Current Students are overwhelmed and disheartened by the $125 graduation fee, which doesn’t cover the prices for the graduation cap, gown and sash. velopment major, said this price increase is unjustifiable and affects her consideration of Long Beach State as a graduate school option.

“I believe that it’s not necessary to keep increasing the costs when you’re getting the same amount of things needed for graduation each time, and I don’t see why there’s an increase in the price,”

Bahou said.

Bahou noted that this extra fee does not only burden students’ academic finances but also impacts their essential living funds.

“There’s a lot of students on campus that have a lot of other expenses, other than student debt, that I think affects them on a daily basis,” Bahou said.

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I’m an international student, [so] I pay more– where does all this money go, then?”

Sungbin Moon Film major lbcurrent.com | @lbcurrent

Monday, October 28, 2024

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SPORTS Mustangs outlast LBSU women's volleyball in five sets

BY LARISSA SAMANO Contributor

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ong Beach State women’s volleyball fell to the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Mustangs 3-2 in another long-winded match at the Walter Pyramid on Thursday night, Oct. 24.

Both teams went into the match with the conference record of 6-2, fighting to secure the second-place spot below Hawai'i in the Big West.

Both teams traded leads to begin the first set until Cal Poly jumped out to a 1410 lead and never looked back, finishing with a 25-18 first-set win. LBSU struggled to start their offense after suffering from 11 hitting errors and a -0.050% hitting percentage in the set.

“We knew they were one of the top offensive teams in our conference and we knew we were one of the top defensive teams in our conference,” interim head coach Natalie Reagan said.

The Beach’s front row came to life on both sides of the ball in the second set and cruised to a 25-20 set win. The team came together for six total blocks in the set and held the Mustangs to just two.

The third set was very similar to the second as the LBSU offense continued to impose themselves, with 17 of their 25 points scored coming from kills. The Beach staved off a late run from the Mustangs to close the set 25-23 to take a 2-1 lead.

Redshirt senior outside hitter Abby Karich totaled a season-high of 18 kills, a majority of which came in the second and third sets.

“I love to just go high and hit hard, that’s my roots and I’ll always go back to it,” Karich said.

The Mustangs' late third set momentum carried into the fourth, but the Beach rallied back to even the set at 12 early.

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DEVIN MALAST / Long Beach Current LBSU senior setter Zayna Meyer sets to one of her hitters in a 3-2 loss to Cal Poly at the Walter Pyramid on Oct. 24. Meyer racked up 43 assists on the night.

After a lot of play at the net, a controversial touch call was made on a joust attempt that ultimately went in favor of the Mustangs and led a Cal Poly push for a fifth set.

Cal Poly stayed strong in the fifth

and final set as it maintained its lead throughout and hit an efficient .471 in the frame to close out LBSU with a 15-7 fifth-set victory, taking the match 3-2.

LBSU fell to a 6-4 conference record after losing another five-setter, this time

Monday, October 28, 2024

to UC Santa Barbara.

“We are ready, hungry, motivated, and most importantly, the team is in a really good spot mentally,” Reagan said.

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SPORTS Propelled by two hat-tricks, LBSU gets first conference win in sudden death The Beach outlasted the UC San Diego Tritons in a back-andforth ranked contest with a sudden death winner by sophomore attacker Caleb Francisco.

BY BLARE PARKE Contributor

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o.11 Long Beach State men's water polo defeated No. 14 UC San Diego in sudden death overtime on Friday night at the Ken Lindgren Aquatics Center, earning its first Big West conference win of the year.

“Everyone in our conference is very strong this year and I think it’s any given day for everybody,” head coach Gavin Arroyo said. “With the emotional swings back and forth of this game, we needed a win at home. That's just the bottom line.”

The Beach started the scoring off in the first quarter with a goal by senior attacker Evan Cain on a power play after a Tritons exclusion.

UCSD responded, scoring with less than a minute left on a power play of their own. The Tritons added two more goals to start the second quarter and go up 3-1.

Freshman standout center Gabi Acosta scored his first goal of the night on freshman attacker Harper Stewart's assist to go up 3-2. UCSD added another goal to go up 4-2 before LBSU’s sophomore attacker Marc Frigola scored on a power play with 0:36 seconds left.

The third quarter started at 4-4 and both teams traded goals in the period making it 6-5 with the clock winding down towards the fourth quarter.

After a Triton turnover on a nicely

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Photos by DEVIN MALAST / Long Beach Current Senior attacker Evan Cain scored three goals and one assist in the game against UC San Diego at Ken Lindgren Aquatics Center.

Long Beach State played a tight game, taking the win in overtime 13-12 on Oct. 25.

LBSU senior utility player Bruno Chiappini celebrated with his team after scoring in overtime. The Beach defeated the Tritons 13-12. anticipated ball by The Beach's defense, Stewart tied the match 6-6. Redshirt sophomore attacker Caleb Francisco scored on a power play with 0:39 left in the third to give The Beach a 7-6 lead.

UCSD climbed back to tie it up at 9-9 until Cain scored his third goal of the night to take a late lead.

Like the rest of the leads, it didn't last long.

Monday, October 28, 2024

The Tritons scored with 1:42 left in the fourth to tie the game and send it to overtime.

Overtime started with The Beach taking a 12-10 lead on goals from Stewart and senior utility player Bruno Chiappini on a powerplay.

The Tritons added two goals of their own, the last with only 0:32 left on the clock to send the match to a final sudden-death overtime, a fitting finish for a closely contested game.

After an exclusion on UCSD, Francisco scored a power-play goal to seal his hat-trick, winning the match and giving LBSU its first Big West win.

“We trusted each other and wanted to keep doing the things we wanted to do at the beginning of the game and continue doing them in the fourth quarter,” Wilson said.

The Beach will host Cal State Fullerton on senior night on Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Ken Lindgren Aquatics Center.

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SPORTS LBSU women’s basketball eyes a fresh start for 2024-2025 season

BY ALYSSA DE LA CRUZ Sports Assistant

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s the 2024-2025 season approaches, second-year head coach Amy Wright and Long Beach State women’s basketball is ready for a fresh start.

Wright and her team aim to improve on last season’s 15-18 record, which included an 8-12 Big West record and a Big West Tournament semifinal loss to UC Irvine.

Reflecting on her first year at the helm, Wright acknowledged the growing pains of implementing a new system and adjusting to a faster-paced style of play.

“Heading into year two, everyone here wants to be here,” Wright said. “We have players fully invested in what we’re trying to do, which makes all the difference.”

She emphasized the importance of having success early in the season to avoid the difficult position they found themselves in last year: fighting through multiple rounds in the Big West tournament.

A key highlight of the season will be The Beach’s Dec.14 matchup against UCLA, a nationally-ranked powerhouse.

“We want to play the best,” Wright said. “It’s important for our players to test themselves against elite competition, it prepares us for the conference and reminds everyone that we can compete with anyone.”

The Beach return a strong core that includes last year’s leading scorer (12.4) senior guard Savannah Tucker, leading rebounder (5.1) sophomore forward Jada Crawshaw and assist leader (2.5) senior guard Patricia Chung.

LBSU is expected to be a force in the Big West this year and is ranked fourth in the preseason coaches poll.

Redshirt sophomore forward Kennan Ka, who missed last season due to an ACL injury sustained the first game of the season, is eager to make her return to the court.

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Photos by MARK SIQUIG/Long Beach Current The LBSU women’s basketball team finished the 2023-2024 season with an overall record of 15-18 as they look to bounce back this season.

She expressed how she felt she had a lot to prove to herself and that being on the sidelines last year gave her a different perspective on basketball.

“I’m just hungry,” Ka said. “I saw the game from a coach’s angle and learned a lot about leadership. Now, I just want to get back out there and make an impact.”

LBSU will also rely on the experience and leadership of graduate forward Rachel Loobie, who understands the importance of fostering a cohesive team dynamic. Loobie spent two years at Central Michigan and two years at Wright State before transferring to The Beach this season.

She led the Wright State Raiders in rebounds with 6.8 per game, averaged 8.8 points per game and contributed 39 blocks in her senior season.

“I want to be a role model for the younger players, but also create an environment where everyone feels comfortable,” Loobie said. “We’re all in this together.”

LBSU will play an exhibition game against Cal State LA on Nov. 6 at 6 p.m. at the Walter Pyramid. Then, The Beach begin their season on Nov. 9 against William & Mary at 2 p.m. at the Walter Pyramid.

Redshirt junior Kennan Ka looks to bounce back after suffering a season-ending injury in the first game of last season. Ka is among the few players returning from last year’s team.

Monday, October 28, 2024

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SPORTS

4.0 student and international athlete, Kristina Ponoxmareva Photo Courtesy of John Fajardo of LBSU Athletics LBSU women’s golf senior Kristina Ponomareva is originally from Russia and came to the U.S. to play golf for The Beach. In high school, Ponomareva finished in the top 10 at both the 2020 and 2021 Russia Open Amateur Championships.

BY ISABELA ZUNIGA Contributor

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riginally from Krasnogorsk, Russia, today senior Kristina Ponomareva helps lead a Long Beach State women’s golf team that is ranked top 50 in the country.

Her achievements in her home country include finishing in the top three at the Russian National Junior Tournament in 2019, which led to her recruitment into the Russian national team at the age of 13, winning the 2019 Russian Open Amateur Championship by two strokes and being runner-up at the 2016 and 2018 Russian Junior Championship.

During her time in Russia, Ponomareva said the transition to the national team was a big change.

“We had to practice much more [and] would go to Turkey and Spain during the winter time because in Russia, it was impossible to practice because of the weather,” Ponomareva said.

The experience inspired her to move to the United States for college. When

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LBSU reached out to her, Ponomareva appreciated the consideration and decided to commit.

“I saw girls who also played for the national team but were already older, so it motivated me and gave me the idea,” Ponomareva said.

The accessibility to the practice facilities, easy transportation from Los Angeles to Moscow and the academic programs also influenced her decision.

Ponomareva now competes for her team at LBSU, but in Russia, she competed as an individual.

“We competed against each other in the home tournaments, and here [in Long Beach], I don’t have to think about how I’m going to win or lose to my teammates,” Ponomareva said. “I want them to do their best and play good as a team and not as an individual.”

Ponomareva said her biggest achievement since coming to the United States was winning the Long Beach City Women’s Amateur Championship in 2022, where she scored a tournament record 10-under par over three rounds en route to becoming the first LBSU women’s golfer to achieve the honor.

“I was scootering from the dorms to

the El Dorado Park Golf Course every day for 20 minutes and would stay on the golf course for seven hours or more,” Ponomareva said. “My name is in the hall of fame at El Dorado forever now.”

Despite all her success, Ponomareva did not always know golf was the sport she wanted to play.

She started to play tennis at 5-yearsold, and continued for four more years but quickly became tired of the sport.

“There was a par three nine holes golf course and my mom forced me to try it, but because golf wasn’t popular in Russia, I didn’t know about it, but still went,” Ponomareva said.

After competing in a putting competition in her first practice with children who had been practicing for a while, Ponomareva decided to fully commit to golf.

She now looks forward to the spring season but wants to improve on her swing and her long game.

LBSU women’s golf head coach Alyssa Waite said that Ponomareva dedicates more time than anyone on the team.

“She and I came in together our first year in 2021, and the biggest thing that stands out is how hard she works and

Monday, October 28, 2024

is truly committed to making her game better in whatever form and fashion that is,” Waite said.

Her commitment and dedication are not just traits that she applies to golf.

She is also an applied mathematics major and was named to the Academic All-Big West team and a WGCA All-American Scholar in the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons thanks to her 4.00 GPA. Waite valued Ponomareva’s balance of being a student-athlete and said that she is a great example for younger players.

“Kristina balances [her work ethic] very well, and commits a lot of time to the classroom,” Waite said. “She has the highest GPA on the team, and being an applied mathematics major, that’s extremely difficult.”

Ponomareva said she does not plan to play golf as a career, but advises athletes in international countries who want to play in the U.S. to be ready to do their best in their classes and the gym.

“It is a big risk to leave your home country,” Ponomareva said. “You cannot let yourself down or the people who support you in taking this risk down.”

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