Banner | Vol. 70 Issue 10

eater preps nal production of year

BY MEGAN MADRIGAL ASST. NEWS EDITOR

The Wallace Theatre is premiering an all-new production of the Broadway adaptation of “Cinderella.” This production will once again bring the grandness of last year’s “Beauty and the Beast” performance, since it is a fairytale filled with beautiful costumes, set design and magic. This rendition will be based on the Broadway revival with new songs and twists on

TRAIN

DERAILMENT

The disaster in East Palestine, Ohio caused toxic chemicals to leak into the environment.

News, pg. 3

DATING APPS

As people increasingly meet romantic partners online, the dating landscape has changed.

Faith & Lifestyle, pg. 7

the classic tale.

The mixture of contemporary and timeless elements based on characters, scenes and music will be presented through the lens of California Baptist University actors, producers and creative minds.

“I love theater and I think it’s an important part of any university,” said Samuel Carter, senior English and philosophy double major. “I think CBU has the love and the care to put on more productions like this one.”

There are many parts of the production that stand out for the audience. Every department of the play works together throughout the semester to ensure each component of the performance is perfectly assembled.

Lisa Lyons, director of the show, said that all the hard work makes it di cult to choose a specific moment that stands out the most from this piece, but

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THE COLOR BLACK

Students explain why they choose to wear the color black, with its rich fashion history, even as it warms up.

A&E, pg. 12

Camille Grochowski | Banner Brooklyn Savage, freshman nursing major, sings “’Stepsister’s Lament’” with the other female ensamble members.

Camille Grochowski | Banner Sophie Hepton, sophomore criminal justice and music double major, dances in her village costume during “Costume Parade.”

Design by Emily McGinn

Photos courtesy of CBU Athletics

Jonathan Mejia

THE BANNER STAFF

Editor-in-chief

Emily McGinn

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Alexza Bahnmiller

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Charissa Graves

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Emily McGinn

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Zerenity Lopez

Vanessa Roaché

News Editor

Connor Ryan

Asst. News Editor

Megan Madrigal

Faith & Lifestyle Editor

Jameson Showers

Asst. Faith & Lifestyle

Editors

Valerie La Ponza

Olivia Lenning

Editor-in-chief

Emily McGinn

Web Administrator

Casey Maldonado

A&E Editor

Zerenity Lopez

Asst. A&E Editors

Marc Agbayani

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B&T Editor

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Asst. B&T Editors

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Asst. Sports Editors

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Cinderella

there were a few things she was particularly excited about.

“Because we’ve blended music and the theater together at CBU, we are now the School of Performing Arts,” Lyons said. “So we have quite a few music students in the production, and the opening number is incredible. The students are standing in the aisleways and they’re singing. The sound is just really beautiful. I just love to close my eyes and listen.”

There is an underlying theme that makes this delivery of the fairytale special to CBU and its Christian values.

Photo Editor Charissa Graves

Asst. Director of Student Publications

Abigail Wolf

Director of Student Publications

Sonya Singh

about the banner

The Banner newspaper is an award-winning, bi-weekly campus publication that publishes 10 issues a year at California Baptist University.

The Banner, a student-run newspaper, serves the CBU community with accurate, timely and factual reporting on significant aspects of university life, Riverside life and subjects of interest or concern to its readers. The Banner’s not necessarily reflect the opinions or interests of the university.

others in the university are encouraged to react to published material or to comment on matters of concern. The Banner retains the right to edit your letter upon publication based on grammar and word count. Send letters to Emily McGinn, editor-in-chief of The Banner at emilyanne. mcginn@calbaptist.edu.

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“There’s an element that is kind of biblical,” Lyons said. “The stepmother, as we know, chooses to treat Cinderella very badly. And so, they go to the ball and they do this game where you’re supposed to ridicule each other. So Cinderella comes and is supposed to ridicule her stepmother, but she doesn’t. She says ‘Oh you look lovely tonight,’ and the stepmother wonders why she’s not being ridiculed. And Cinderella goes, ‘That’s kindness.’ It’s funny yet touching. Then at the end, the stepmother tells her that she’s treated her rather poorly and asks for kindness. Then Cinderella says that she’ll

give her the three most important words that you’ll ever hear: I forgive you.” Even in a wicked character like the evil stepmother, there is humanity and even a little bit of humility found in her actions.

“I play Madam, who is the evil stepmom,” said Ashley Essex, senior theater major. “It is honestly a lot of fun. The last show that I did was ‘Wizard of

Oz’ here and I played Glinda, so I was the direct antithesis of that. It’s a lot of fun being able to do both sides of the spectrum. Even though she is so mean, she is fabulous.”

This is just one character that is explored in a nuanced way in the production.

Cinderella is the last theater production of the season. CBU student tickets are $10 when purchased at the Wallace theater box o ce.

Opening night is March 31 at 7:30 p.m., while other times to see the play include April 1 and April 15 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. as well as April 13 and 14 at 7:30pm.

“I’m really excited to see what direction they take it

in,” Carter said. “I’ve never actually seen the Broadway version of ‘Cinderella,’ but I imagine it’s got to have more depth than the Disney version. So I’m really interested in watching this play.”

MARCH 31

@7:30 P.M.

APRIL 1 & 15 @2 & 7:30 P.M.

APRIL 13 AND 14

@7:30 P.M.

Bank failures surprise nation

BY CONNOR RYAN NEWS

Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank have recently collapsed, leaving countless account holders without their money.

SVB experienced a bank run on March 10, and since they did not have enough of their account holders’ money available, the bank was forced to shut down. Following this event, a large percentage of account holders at Signature Bank were afraid of the same results and performed a second bank run, causing the subsequent failure of a second bank institution on March 12, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

Dr. Julianna Browning, professor of accounting, said this event was unexpected but inevitable. She explained that the banks would have likely failed in the next few years due to poor investment decisions.

“It was a lot of things working together that eventually came to a head,” Browning said. “So part of it is the inflation and the subsequent rise in the

interest rates by the federal government, and that caused some changes in the way that not only banks invest but on the returns that they were earning on their investments. I don’t know the details of the interest rates, but let’s say [SVB] invested in some bonds that were earning 2% interest and now there are bonds out there that earn 5-6% interest. So if they were to liquidate the bonds at a lower interest rate, they would have a loss, whereas the other bond would give them a higher return.”

Timothy Summers, senior accounting major, had a similar response, claiming that this event should spark a change in the banking industry.

“Banks are going to have to take a closer look at where they are putting their investments and whether or not they are diversified enough,” Summers said. “This could have been prevented if their stocks were spread out over multiple industries and markets. It’s also creating a high dependency upon the government.”

In a transcript released by the White House, President Joe Biden made an announcement that all the money, including

that which the FDIC did not insure, would be reimbursed to account holders. This is not the first time this has happened, as the government ignored its previous cap of $100,000 during the Great Recession in 2008.

Richard Ardito, professor of business, raised the question of whether this enables the bank system to continue having major flaws in its business model.

“I think the question also comes back to whether our banking system is built to withstand tougher financial times,” Ardito said. “We have this thing called fractional reserve banking where essentially banks only hold about 10% of the money that they have on deposit. The rest is lent out or invested in some other way. So if more than 10% of the deposits are requested from the bank, there’s always going to be that issue that they’re not going to have the money to actually pay those people.”

Since larger banks have been bailed out multiple times, banks have little incentive to improve their operations, as the government will often

help them in times of extreme hardships.

“There is one of two ways this can either lessen the trust in the banking industries or increase the trust and dependency of the government since they are taking care of the banks and the customers,” Summers said.

Even when banks are not bailed out, they are often absorbed or acquired by other banks, allowing the existing infrastructure of failed banks to survive and continue causing problems to account holders.

“Maybe those banks don’t exist the same way they did back then, but one way or another, they were absorbed into other banks,” Ardito said.

“For example, Washington Mutual was absorbed into Chase.”

Ardito explained that continuing to save banks from their own mistakes could be costly in the long run.

“It’s kind of a double-edged sword,” Ardito said. “It’s one of those things where people maybe have a little bit more reassurance that their money and banks are safe, but at the same time that money has to come from somewhere.”

Camille Grochowski | Banner

Brianne Jackson, junior theater major, stands still as another cast member adjusts her wig before taking photos during the show’s Costume Parade.

Camille Grochowski | Banner

Nathan Sporcich (left), senior marketing major, raises a shoe towards Brianne Jackson, junior theater major, who holds out her foot during the scene in which each lady must try on the forgotten slipper.

EDITOR

Continued from Page 1

“

I’ve never actually seen the Braodway version of ‘Cinderella,’ but I imagine it’s got to have more depth than the Disney version.

Samuel Carter senior english and philosophy double major

Train disaster shocks Ohio

BY CONNOR RYAN NEWS EDITOR

The community of East Palestine, Ohio, was rocked by the derailment of a train full of toxic chemicals on Feb. 3. After the initial disaster, government o cials and experts arrived at the scene to assess the damage.

As of March 28, more than 9,171 tons of contaminated soil and 8.6 million gallons of liquid waste has been shipped out of the city following the accident, according to a newsletter released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Though the government is handling the situation, many are worried about the longterm consequences of these chemicals on the environment. Even with the government’s swift response, several toxic organic chemicals got into the land and waterways, having a massively detrimental e ect on wildlife. Nearly 43,000 animals were killed by the dangerous compounds, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Despite the massive dent

in the wildlife population, Dr. Michael Nalbandian, associate professor of civil engineering, believes that while much life was destroyed, the government’s decisions mitigated the possibility of an explosion.

“Even though it’s not great to have incineration as your solution, it’s better than having it explode and having widespread dispersion of that pollutant,” Nalbandian said. “It was the best solution at the moment.”

Though chemicals like vinyl chloride had an immediate and drastic e ect, Nalbandian is confident that there will be no lingering e ects from the chemicals in streams and waterways, as they will dissipate soon.

“These organics will oxidize so they will break down into smaller organics,” Nalbandian said. “The idea is that you will end up with mineralization which is where they end up forming carbon dioxide and water molecules. They’re completely broken down through oxidation. Organic compounds are a very broad

Willow Project stirs activism

BY MEGAN MADRIGAL ASST. NEWS EDITOR

The Biden administration approved the Willow Oil Project in Alaska on March 13, causing disputes among the public due to environmental issues. The project revolves around the U.S. commencing its plan in the North Alaskan Slope owned by the federal government to drill hundreds of tons of oil to reach the market. The government sees this as a favorable decision because the need to use foreign oil will be eliminated. Still, environmentalists fear that the cost of more pollution in the atmosphere could be fatal. Once started, it will take many years to complete and pay o . This is the main reason why skeptics and environmental activists are pushing back against this program. The project is led by ConocoPhillips, an energy company derived from the U.S. that has previously drilled oil in Alaska.

“ConocoPhillips Willow Project could unearth up to 600 million barrels of oil,” stated Ella Nilsen in a CNN article.

“The venture could generate enough oil to release 9.2 million metric tons of carbon pollution annually. That’s equivalent to adding two million gas powered cars to the road.”

Even though environmental advocates do not favor this decision, this approval is a substantial presidential decision because former President Donald J. Trump proposed it, and now it will proceed with Biden. Biden and the Alaskan bipartisan congressional delegation agree that this project will be immensely rewarding for Alaska.

There will be more job opportunities for Alaskans and the U.S. will not have to depend on foreign oil, advocates say.

The detrimental e ects of the pollution infuriate some Alaskan natives and environmentalists. Their main concern is that politicians are overlooking the severe e ects of climate change and how quickly this project could escalate fossil fuel output.

Activists believe that the climate would be unable to withstand this massive carbon distribution. According to Nilsen, thousands have written letters to the White House stating their disapproval of this project as well as advocating to sign online petitions.

“This project, along with previous ones opened by the Biden administration, has raised questions mainly by environmental activists due to the potential threats they

pose on the climate,” said E at Zeidan, associate professor of science and mathematics.

“Our climate is su ering as is, and more projects that could potentially contribute to the destruction of native habitats are received with rejection.”

Environmentalists continue practicing their right to protest as they continue to urge President Joe Biden to reconsider this costly decision.

There is an online petition available on change.org that thousands have signed and more that will continue to do so.

Additionally, researching and getting in touch with advocacy is another method of active protesting.

“Activism involves winning and losing policy battles,” said Dr. Chase Porter, assistant professor of political science. “At least as of this moment, climate activists have lost this battle (they may still win in future court battles). That doesn’t necessarily carry any larger lesson for public activism — it can and should continue as an important part of the democratic process.”

The significance of this situation is that it encourages ongoing conversation between the government and the people.

Biden’s Interior Department responded, assuring the

public of his loyalty to the environment.

“The Interior Department said Mr. Biden will designate about 2.8 million acres of the Beaufort Sea in the Arctic Ocean near shore in the National Petroleum ReserveAlaska as indefinitely o limits for future oil and gas leasing,” wrote Lisa Freidman in a New York Times article. “That would ensure ‘this important habitat for whales, seals, polar bears, as well as for subsistence purposes, will be protected in perpetuity from extractive development.’”

Despite the controversy, environmental activists are encouraging the public to be more invested in this project.

“An educated populace is a necessity to a government like ours,” said Trevor Mannion, professor of political science. “Those driven to care about the world around them should be able to voice their concerns, but they should know what they are talking about when they voice their concerns. And that is vice-versa. Those opposed to restricting the project better have facts and figures about what may fall out from the project which makes it advantageous. This is a government of the people, by the people and for the people — the people need to know.”

group of compounds, so you may have some that will break down very easily, you might have some that are very large, complex and they will take years to break down.”

The EPA and Ohio state government continue to take steps toward cleaning up the surrounding environment. However, the chemicals being released into the air are having adverse e ects on locals.

Even though residents evacuated for approximately five days, during which o cials performed countless air tests, there have been several cases of people experiencing headaches and rashes. These are symptoms of ingesting the chemicals burned in the fire, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Although many people living in East Palestine and surrounding cities have voiced frustration regarding how the situation was handled, the government has received massive amounts of outside support in collecting research on the chemicals in the atmosphere.

“There are schools also that

are helping out,” Nalbandian said. “We have research schools around that are also helping out gathering data and trying to make sure everything is fine. So I think that it’s a lot of di erent groups of scientists that are helping out making sure they’re keeping the events on tabs.”

As for the train itself, federal investigators discovered that one of the railcar’s axles experienced a mechanical issue, causing the subsequent derailment. The Federal Railroad Administration is now in the process of reviewing the accident and determining whether this was a single event or a sign of a bigger issue.

Though there have been mixed opinions about the tragic train derailment in East Palestine, Preston Thompson, sophomore civil engineering major, said that people are being too critical of the situation. He believes that the government has done the best it can in this perilous situation.

“We would have to trust the government is doing what they can do to prevent chemicals from staying or spreading,” Thompson said.

NEWS BRIEFS

WRITTEN BY IGNACIO DOMINGUEZ PRIVATE

SCHOOL SHOOTING

Officers responded to a call reporting shots fired inside The Covenant School in Nashville, a private Christian elementary school, on March 27. The suspect, identified as a 28-year-old former student, was shot and killed at the scene by officers, according to Metro Nashville PD. The shooter entered through the school’s entrance, opening fire and firing at arriving police. Six people were killed, including three children.

PROTEST RESULTS IN CASUALTIES

At least 38 migrants from different Latin American countries died and 29 people were injured on March 27 inside an immigration facility in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico when a fire broke out after migrants lit their mattresses on fire. The bonfire was the result of migrants protesting deportation, as Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez-Obrador said in his press briefing held on March 28.

LIFE-SAVING MEDICINE APPROVED

The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approved the over-the-counter sale of Narcan nasal spray on March 29. The spray reverses opioid overdoses. Legalized in 2015, Narcan nasal spray was available in the U.S. only as a prescription. The FDA stated, “Today’s action paves the way for the life-saving medication to reverse an opioid overdose to be sold directly to consumers in places like drug stores and convenience stores.”

STARBUCKS CEO LOSES POSITION

Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz testified before the U.S. Senate committee on March 29. The company was accused of illegal retaliation against employees involved in unionizing. Schultz acknowledged to the committee on March 30 that some unionized locations were excluded from a pay increase announced in May, according to AlJazeera. Schultz resigned from his position at Starbucks earlier this month.

TORNADO HITS CALIFORNIA CITY

The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed a tornado ripped through a part of Montebello, Calif. on March 22. The Montebello Fire Dept. stated in a press conference that they had inspected 17 buildings of which 11 were red-tagged, categorizing them as inhabitable. The NWS registered winds with a peak of 110 mph on the EF1 (Enhanced Fujita scale), and stated that it was the strongest to hit L.A. since 1983.

Emily McGinn | Banner

ATHLETE HIGHLIGHT

“Knowing how hard it to qualify for nationals, I could not be happier than running there with my teammates. It was an unforgettable moment that I hope will happen again. The biggest memory I have from the cross-country season is from regional championships.

“Competing in D1 for the first time was a big challenge. It made me realize that the level very high and that there are many strong girls in this field. Competing in D1 helped me to be more motivated and confident as an athlete, as well as gaining racing experience.”

A LOOK BACK AT LANCER

ATHLETE HIGHLIGHT

“I think this season my team did really well. However, we could have done it better. We have a lot of potential that we did not use this year. Hopefully it was a lesson for us that can make us better next season.

“Thinking about next season is very exciting because almost all starters graduated or transferred, so we will have the challenge to play as a new team.”

- Laura Walewska, member of the women’s volleyball team and sophomore journalism major

- Marina Trave, member of the women’s cross-country and track team and junior nutrition and food science major

The CBU men’s soccer team won the WAC tournament and advanced to the NCAA postseason tournament for the first time ever to play UCLA on Nov. 17.

The women’s cross country team competed at the NCAA National Championships on Nov. 19 after winning an at-large bid to compete in the race as the No. 14 team in the nation.

is nationals, happier with was will have cross-country regional big is girls be athlete, junior

ATHLETE HIGHLIGHT

“As a team, moving to the Big 12 conference meant we had much tougher competition because Big 12 is the second hardest conference, right behind Big 10. We had some close duels with solid teams, and some duels where we were outgunned.

“However, in all, the team came out to compete every duel and had big wins over Wyoming and CSU Bakersfield. Our team is full of tough guys that want to win, so it was a pleasure seeing my teammates get big wins over ranked competition."

LANCER ATHLETICS 2022-23

WINTER

ATHLETE HIGHLIGHT

“For sure my favorite highlight was beating Washington at their place and beating GCU at home. The atmosphere and support we received while playing against GCU made such a difference.

“Another aspect of the season I loved was the Crazies and the regular fans who supported us through both the highs and lows, it is rare the find such loyal fans, so I am very grateful to have that here at CBU. I am excited to get to work this off season and get ready to compete

SPRING

- Arick Lopez, member of the men’s wrestling team and senior exercise science major

- Hunter Goodrick, member of the men’s basketball team and senior communication major

The CBU women’s basketball team advanced to the WAC Championship on March 11.

The STUNT team continues to dominate, achieving a 50-0 winning streak on March 24.

Design by Emily McGinn Photos courtesy of CBU Athletics

Roald Dahl's books move into literary spotlight

BY VALERIE LA PONZA ASST. FAITH & LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Recently, news came from Pu n Books that the newest reprint of English author Roald Dahl’s classic children’s tales would include changes to the wording of some passages. Some of the novels receiving this treatment include “James and the Giant Peach,” “Matilda” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."

The changes were described as small, focused on inclusive language and not significant to the main storylines. There were changes to the names of gendered characters, such as the Cloud-Men in "James and the Giant Peach," who are now Cloud People, as reported in Manchester Evening News.

Even the Trunchbull, a notoriously menacing character in Dahl’s books, received the rewriting treatment, no longer being referred to as a “most formidable female” but now a “formidable woman.”

With the alterations only being minor, revising Dahl’s words and rewriting of literary history goes beyond omitting select words. For many, this move represented stone-cold

censorship, an attempt by Pu n to rewrite history to suit a modern audience, and left many people wondering whose words were next.

Where is the line going to be drawn?

Is there a limit, or is this one slippery slope away from censorship of books past, present and future?

Dr. Erika Travis, an English and behavioral science professor, said the situation is not this dramatic but is still worrisome.

“Any censoring of any thought process, even if it’s one I disagree with, I find concerning in some ways," Travis said. "So, I’m not ready to shout the alarm that American society is headed for 1984. I’m not there. But I’m not particularly a fan of that kind of adjustment.”

Travis said this new trend of “remodeling” books opens a new question of an altered text's validity and value.

“But, if we’re actually changing what they’re saying, then we have to ask ourselves,

is this a text that’s still worth reading?” Travis said.

Jennifer Tronti, assistant professor of English, said she is torn on the issue. She spoke about a time in her children’s literature classes when a discussion about the word “fat” in children's books came up. She said her students discussed how using words such as "fat" or "ugly" could promote stigma and a ect younger readers.

“If we sanitize and remove content, word choice, plot, characters and anything that is either problematic, or that we don’t care for, then we never grow," Tronti said. "We never develop. We never sharpen our ability to critique that position.

In the long run, I think it is a detriment in a lot of ways to do so.”

She compared it to the idea of radio versions of songs scrubbed of vulgar language so they can be broadcasted to a larger audience.

“There’s a version that's

In their newest reprint, Puffin Books takes Roald Dahl's books and puts them under the modern lens, removing any language deemed objectionable or offensive.

for the public, and then, of course, we know that there’s the explicit lyrics version" Tronti said. "But this is slightly di erent because these are over words like the word 'fat' or the word 'ugly,' which I know can be charged.”

After a flood of backlash

from the public, Pu n Books, a subdivision of Penguin Random House UK, responded to the backlash by releasing a statement they would release "The Roald Dahl Classic Collection," featuring the texts as Dahl originally intended.

Dahl’s books are not the first

to receive this treatment. In the past, Harper Collins, the publisher of Poirot and Miss Marple mysteries, reworked and removed original passages in new editions of the novel, removing comments about teeth and physiques, according to The Telegraph.

Meal prepping o ers lackluster avor for Lancers

BY OLIVIA LENNING ASST. FAITH & LIFESTYLE EDITOR Oceguera

Pre-prepped meal kits are the newest fad in diet and meal prep culture. Many of these kits include pre-made meals that are delivered to your door with a weekly or monthly subscription service. Customers can choose from a variety of meals and select how many meals they would like per week. Meal kits save customers time not only in grocery shopping, but with preparing meals, as well.

Alyssa Oceguera, senior nutrition and food science major and vice president of CBU’s nutrition club, shared her thoughts and positive experience.

“You pick your meals for the week and can see the ingredients and portions," Oceguera said.

"They have vegetarian, mediterranean and pescatarian labeled food kits that are healthy and delicious.”

While meal kits are convenient and have many benefits, Oceguera shared that being able to cook your own food gives individuals more control over the ingredients they consume.

“At a restaurant, seeing what goes into the food is not the full picture," Oceguera said. "When you cook for yourself, you get to choose the best ingredients for you and have full control over what goes into your meal, how much of it and what kind it is.”

explained that while grocery shopping tends to be less pricy, this may not always be the case when purchasing quality items.

“It is possible to shop on a budget by making a list and shopping at multiple places,” Oceguera said. “I get a mix of foods from Trader Joe’s, Ralphs and Costco. This allows me to get the best price for our family.

I also buy in bulk when cheaper and prepare oven-ready meals in the freezer.”

Oceguera felt that meal kits are best when serving one or two people but becomes unreasonable in price with larger households.

“I cook to feed a family of two to six, so meal kits are not cost-e ective for feeding a large family," Oceguera said. “I also prefer to control what we eat, and cooking allows me more choice, freedom and convenience for my situation.”

Jackie Cruz, senior business administration major, spoke on the financial side of meal prepping.

Cruz said grocery shopping will allow for more flexibility in cost and gives customers the ability to find discounts and not be tied down to a fixed budget.

“The flexibility of homecooked meals allows for the cost to fluctuate and even be less than what a kit can cost,” Cruz said. “I believe meal kits are worth it for

Users fall

BY JAMESON SHOWERS FAITH & LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Finding a date used to consist of having chance run-ins with someone or a referral by a mutual friend. Nowadays, thanks to modern technology, those seeking love can click a button and be connected to dozens of potential dating options in their area.

Dating apps and online websites have blown the dating pool wide open by allowing anyone to make a profile and start connecting. Apps such as Tinder, Hinge or Bumble have become wellknown applications to satiate the love craving. But with such accessibility and ease, have these apps enhanced or worsened the dating experience?

There can be many reasons why people use online dating to find their next romantic encounter. Emme Buhl, senior English

Photo Illustration by Charissa Graves | Banner

Meal kits offer a mix of pros and cons for college students and their families, saving time and effort planning but offering limited flexibility in options and price.

a household size of one due to the convenience, time, variety and quality. (A meal kit) saves a person's time and gas.”

However, Cruz agreed with Oceguera that when feeding multiple people, meal kits become financially burdensome and are not worth the cost.

An article titled “Are Meal Prep Services Worth It” by Meal Plan Weekly weighed the pros and cons of meal kits. The ar-

in and out

major, explained how a breakup prompted her to join dating apps. Supported by her recently single friends and excited to experience the hype, she quickly realized the nuances of online dating. “There were very few times where a guy would genuinely try and ask you questions,” Buhl said. “A lot of the conversation starters were surface-level, it’d be like, ‘Your eyes are so pretty’ or ‘You’re cute’ and it was kind of like, ‘Where do we go from here?’”

Most of those on the apps come from a fresh breakup. The recent split creates a void of attention, desire and validation, and the newfound absence is a

ticle explained that meal kits save individuals time, help them achieve their fitness goals, stay organized and even save money in some situations.

These kits take away the stress of having to calculate calories and macros, saving them not only mental energy but also time. This extra time gives individual leeway in their schedules to exercise or focus on other responsibilities, according to Meal

Plan Weekly.

The article elaborates on Cruz’s point that one major drawback is little flexibility in a spending budget. Because meal kits come at a fixed price, customers cannot change their grocery budget depending on the week or month.

“Many meal prep services will price up their menu and packages di erently, but on average, the competitive price for

10 meals per week will cost $60” according to the article. “As a result, you are paying around $6 per meal, and 10 meals per week are usually just lunches and dinners.”

Meal kits have many benefits in terms of options for dietary preferences, such as vegetarian, vegan or keto, but they may fall short if your dietary restrictions are unique or specific to your taste.

of love with dating apps

significant factor as to why they swipe right or left, Buhl said. The need to be seen and heard by others transcends dating apps, but they are a large reason for those who continue to circle back. She later described how some men she spoke to did not hesitate to objectify her and try to quickly meet up, which forced her to question their motives and if they were genuine or not. Understanding the comfort of an online setting, some men say outrageous things that they normally would not say in person. Because of this, Buhl sparingly gets on the apps now.

“When I get sad (I’ll go on

them),” Buhl said. “It’s like a phase and if I’m at home and I’m alone with nothing to do, then I’ll get on a dating app and then it never gets anywhere because I delete it.”

One of Buhl’s biggest complaints is that once you meet someone on the dating apps, you begin to see them constantly in real life. She often sees other Lancers online just for them to walk past her on the way to class. She remarked how this is not desirable if the date went wrong or if one of them “ghosted” each other, which happens often in the online dating world.

Emma Wolfzorn, senior interior design major, found her boyfriend of a year on Hinge.

Wolfzorn said that her experience has been mixed and she had to meet some “wrong ones” before she met Mr. Right, her

boyfriend.

Wolfzorn said she was initially scared o from online dating because her parents spoke badly of them. After moving to California for college, she soon realized the apps were a way to meet new people. But even then, she made sure to be cautious.

“My roommates always knew where I was,” Wolfzorn said. “Every 30 minutes I was texting them an update. It's really important to be in a public setting when you're with these people because you know someone can look nice and be a serial killer.”

Shayna Chapman, social media manager and realtor, echoed the sentiment that people should be careful when talking with online suitors, and that these apps are not designed for everyone.

"It's also very easy for peo-

ple to paint a di erent picture of themselves online than how they are in person which can cause a lot of time to be wasted,"

Chapman said. "There's a lot of ingenuity and superficiality involved with dating apps, and the algorithms are more geared toward trying to get you to spend your money than finding a perfect match or tailoring your swipe feed to your actual interests, which require a ton of time being spent."

Dating apps o er several options for those looking to step into the dating world and have changed the way people approach dating. Whether it is to find a potential significant other or friend, users should take the experience with a grain of salt. Stay mindful of the dating fundamentals, and be careful of who you end up going on a date with.

Photo Illustration by Charissa Graves | Banner

“ If I'm home and I'm alone with nothing to do, then I'll get on a dating app.

Emme Buhl, Senior English major

“If we're actually changing what they're saying, then We have to ask ourselves, is this a text worth reading?

Dr. Erika Travis, Professor of English

BY EMILY MCGINN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

From co ee shops to checkout line at grocery stores and clothing stores, many of us have encountered the rather unsettling warning that chemicals used at that place of business are known to the state of California to cause cancer.

These warnings are a result of Proposition 65, originally passed in 1986 by California voters. The law requires that the state publishes a list of chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm, and it requires businesses with at least 10 employees to provide warnings when they cause significant exposure to any of the chemicals on the list.

“This list currently includes more than 900 chemicals,” according to CA.gov. “Proposition 65 does not ban or restrict the sale of chemicals on the list. The warnings are intended to help Californians make informed decisions about their exposures to these chemicals from the products they use and the places they go.”

However, is there actual reason for concern when consumers spot one of these warnings?

Dr. Melissa Antonio, associate professor of biology, views the warnings as more of a way to raise awareness rath-

Are Prop 65 cancer warnings effective?

er than raise concern.

“Concerns should be validated but, sadly, the reality of the matter is that exposure to harmful chemicals and exogenous agents in our daily lives is inevitable,” Antonio said. “It is a matter of making the right choices to reduce our exposure as much as possible to alleviate any concerns.”

Perhaps more important is the question of whether or not these warnings are e ective in helping Californians, or if they simply cause unnecessary concern. Dr. Chase Porter, assistant professor of political science, said that, in theory, these warnings aim to prioritize and ensure public safety and distribute crucial information.

“Those businesses are also required to warn customers of exposure to the substances, hence the signs that we see all over the place," Porter said. "Theoretically, consumers could then choose to avoid those businesses so that they could avoid exposure. Practically, I doubt the warnings have any e ect on consumer behavior.”

Porter said regulatory burdens on businesses and information overload on consumers can hinder the benefits of health warnings such as these. Ultimately, the business costs of compliance — or the up to $2,500 fee per day for violating the law and the subsequent litigation fees — can harm busi-

Proposition 65 warning are intended to raise consumer awareness rather

using them as a tool for self-education.

nesses economically, which can be passed onto consumers.

The other issue with the effectiveness of these signs lies in consumer indi erence. For many of us as consumers in California, these health warnings no longer pack the same punch that they perhaps once did.

“The Proposition 65 warnings illustrate a problem with general health warnings: The public tends to ignore them when there are too many of them that aren’t serious enough,” Porter said. “It’s the classic ‘boy who cries wolf’ problem. There are

between 900 and 1,000 chemicals on the current Proposition 65 list. This essentially means that every business you go to has a warning sign. The ubiquity of the signs means they get ignored.”

While consumers should be aware of potential hazards, Porter credits the reason for indifference to the nuance between the idea that exposure to these substances can cause health problems and the idea that a substance will cause health issues. While medical studies have indicated reason for potential

detrimental e ects regarding Proposition 65 substances, consumers will largely remain unconcerned, especially when they seem so pervasive that avoiding the warnings — and the chemicals — is virtually impossible.

“A lot of people will spend their entire lives going into places with Proposition 65 warnings and having no problems with cancer or birth defects,” Porter said. “So there’s a real tendency to see the warnings as background noise that do not communicate useful substance.”

However, Antonio encour-

ages people to benefit from the health warnings by using them as a launching point to better educate themselves about carcinogens.

“Citizens should approach these warnings with caution and consideration,” Antonio said. “We are all so busy in our day-to-day activities that we often overlook these warning labels. But it is imperative to be more aware and make better choices for the well-being of our bodies, as well as the well-being of our future generations."

BOOK REVIEW: “THINGS FALL

by Jameson Showers I Faith & Lifestyle Editor

Gloves

White Shoes

Vaseline/painter’s tape

Toxic positivity infects mental health

BY HANNAH NOEL ASST. FAITH & LIFESTYLE EDITOR

The phrase “toxic positivity” or “positive toxicity” may appear contradictory at a first glance.

How can something that is positive by definition become harmful? An example of toxic positivity could be people saying to look at the bright side of things or to “count your blessings,” and while these sayings are well-intended, they can discredit natural “negative” emotions by shifting one's focus, and not giving them the attention they need.

While toxic positivity is not a new term, social media has thrown it into the spotlight. Everyday, people scroll through their timelines and see positive messages and their friends smiling with happy captions. It

can bring joy to see loved ones doing well, but the psychology goes further than the smiles they wear.

Dr. Virgo Handojo, professor of psychology, explained how toxic positivity finds its way into a person’s mentality and how the e ects can become more serious over time.

“It is a response to people who experience su ering by exaggerating positive thinking and positive emotions,” Handojo said. “It can become obsessive, basically invalidating your authentic experience, your pain and su ering.”

Even without knowing the name of it, many people have experienced toxic positivity.

“Do not make me mad,” is a common saying people use to deal with friendships or others in general. Avoiding anger or sadness feeds into the superfi-

cial origin of positive toxicity and extends into social settings.

“When you are in a bad situation but the people around you constantly say things are fine, you feel guilty for feeling bad,” said Mairani Martinez, sophomore nursing major.

People on the receiving end of toxic positivity may be less likely to deal with their negative emotions in a productive and healthy way.

Habits such as the gym, journaling or hanging out with friends are usual outlets to escape negativity. If not used in a constructive way, resorting to these methods can increase stress and anxiety.

When someone is su ering, enforcing an unwavering positive outlook can cause the person even greater distress, making them feel isolated and unheard.

“You blame yourself, you feel guilty, you feel more depressed, you feel more anxiety," Handojo said. "You lose your authenticity as an individual. Instead of helping, that’s more su ering."

Toxic positivity does not always stem from a single outside source and appears often in American culture.

Though well-meaning, popular inspirational phrases like “everything happens for a reason,” “things could be worse”

and “positive vibes only” can be discouraging to a su ering person.

“The feel empty and dismissive, like the same blanket statement no matter what bad things are happening," said Angelina Ortiz, sophomore biomedical sciences major. "It is like the person talking does not really care about you or your problem."

Does this mean positivity is wrong? The answer lies in balance. While it is important not to impose excessive positivity, the key to comfort is the ability to listen to what the su ering person wants and needs.

There is power in removing labels from emotions. Instead of calling them "good" or "bad," they can be used as signals to help someone understand their feelings in the moment. They also give clues for friends and family about how someone perceives an event or their stance on a certain topic, according to an article from Psychology Today.

“Life is not always positive," Handojo said. "When we have to respond to that situation, the best way is to listen and give a safe place rather than diminishing their feelings. We should not impose certain expectations on the person su ering. Acceptance is important.”

" ings Fall Apart," written by Chinua Achebe, is a classic novel set in the late 19th century in Nigeria, during the period of colonialism. e story ashes through the eyes of Okonkwo, a respected and erce warrior in his village, who witnesses the transition of his culture and land at the hands of British colonists. e novel is segmented into three parts. In the rst, Okonkwo is a successful farmer whose work ethic and strength have earned him a respected position within the tribe. Achebe describes the tribe's culture in detail, which provides the background for Oknokwo's physical and mental abuse that toward his three wives and 10 children.

Con ict ensues when British colonizers arrive in their land and subtly impose their way of life onto the tribe. e issue of ghting for one's culture is central to the novel, and Achebe brilliantly explores the protagonist's con ict as he remains loyal to his tribe while still trying to understand the colonizers.

ings begin to fall apart for Okonkwo as his tribe hesitantly allows the colonizers to grow their in uence, churches and towns in their area, leaving everything he has worked for in jeopardy. e fragile relationship with his son, Nwoye, tumbles due to his stubbornness and the slicktalking of a local British missionary, Mr. Brown.

Over time, Mr. Brown fascinates Nwyoye with Christianity's teachings, leading him away from his prideful and aggressive father.

One of the most impressive aspects of " ings

Fall Apart" is how Achebe depicts the distinct disaster between the Igbo people and the British. e author does not shy away from his critiques of colonialism and the damage it caused to African societies. Achebe masterfully shows how the misunderstandings of both cultures lead to the destruction of balance in Igbo society.

While the author appreciates his rich heritage, he also portrays the aws of the Igbo culture. rough Oknokwo's relationship with his family, he demonstrates the mistreatment of his wives and his quick reliance on using violence for con ict resolution. is honest approach deepens the character development and thickens the plot with more complex issues as the reader digs.

While masterful, the novel still has certain pain points. e pacing can be slow in the middle and may require readers to pay special attention to what is happening. is is supplemented by Achebe's overly simplistic writing style that can detract from the sparse action.

"

ings Fall Apart" is a riveting and moving novel that transports the reader into a world that has been glazed over in Western literature. Achebe's e ort to describe Igbo's rich culture, which starkly contrasts with Europe, wraps this novel in a large red ribbon, bringing it all together. As one of the most well-known pieces of African literature across the world, this novel is a must-read for anyone curious about African history and culture through a reliable lens.

Photo by Charissa Graves | Banner

than fear. However, many elect to ignore them entirely instead of

“It is a response to people who experience suffering by exaggerating positive thinking and positive emotions. It can become obsessive, basically invalidating your authentic experience, your pain and suffering.

Dr. Virgo Handojo, Professor of psychology

Students celebrate Indian culture at Festival of Color

Photos by Charissa Graves

1. Students received white T-shirts, bags filled with rupees and instructions to barter at the market booths at the entrance of the event.

2. Students use rupees to barter for a good deal at the market.

3. India’s flag flies high throughout the event.

4. Chitra Raghu, master’s of architecture student, performs as part of a group dance on the Festival of Color stage.

5. A student is lifted into the air as they all throw their di erent bags of color.

Graduating Lancers share future plans

BY FLORIAN LE PALLEC ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Eventually, every studentathlete reaches a point when their eligibility expires, meaning their participation in college athletics comes to an end. While some athletes will stop participating in sports completely, others will stay involved with the community in various ways. After graduation, student-athletes make these decisions for their future that alter their relationship with sports. Regardless of how involved in the sports community they choose to be, they can still apply what they learned in sports to life.

Jordan Pingel, assistant coach of the cross-country and track team, transitioned smoothly into coaching because he received advice and feedback from his mentors.

“The transition from student-athlete to being a coach was, and still is, challenging and exciting,” Pingel said. “It is one that I could not have done without the guidance and mentorship from other coaches. I have had some incredible mentors in my life whom I looked up to as an athlete. I try to emulate and adopt some of their behaviors as a coach and apply them to my own craft.”

While Pingel knew from the beginning that he wanted to coach after his graduation, transitioning from college sports to life can look di erently for others. Anna Mate, a member of the women’s cross-country and track team and master’s of business administration student, will

focus on her career rather than sports after graduation.

“I do not think I would like to pursue running at a professional level,” Mate said. “Even though I could eventually claim to be a half marathon and marathon professional runner, it is most likely that I will continue to run just for fun. However, I will always stay involved in the sports community because I love sports and the benefits it gives me.”

Although student-athletes do not always make it to the professional level, sports teach them essential life lessons. Zlatko Kozuhar, a member of the men’s crosscountry and track team and senior mechanical engineering major, said he intends to rely on these values to succeed in the workplace.

“In sports, it is extremely important to be competitive, hardworking, and believe in yourself,” Kozuhar said. “If I apply these values in life, I believe I can achieve all my goals, fulfill my purpose, and live a happy and successful life. Overall, being a studentathlete in college has given me many opportunities to improve as an athlete and as a person. I am looking forward to the next phase of my life, and I am sure I am prepared for it.”

Mate also said she is grateful for all that her sport has given her.

“(My) sport made me stronger, both mentally and physically,” Mate said. “I did not only become more persistent, but I also learned how to collaborate with

others, deal with failure, and understand what hard work means. In other words, I am sure that I will benefit from all these life skills in my future.”

Sports help people develop di erent skills, such as resilience, discipline and teamwork.

“There are a couple of main ways that I am trying to utilize things I have learned from sports to my own life,” Pingel said. “Habits are everything as an athlete. Firstly, I have learned to adopt positive and healthy habits that keep me grounded and consistent as a coach. Secondly, everyone involved in sports realizes that there are failures and successes, whether in competition or training. The same goes for life. Understanding how to take these moments, recognize them, and grow from them is critical in life.”

This type of outlook is crucial for any athlete not just in sports but in life. It demonstrates the real world applications that lessons from sports teach us. Building, good, positive habits but also learning how to deal with failure can help one better manage the challenges of the real world. More importantly, it gives many athletes the confidence they need as they transition to the real world.

Whether student-athletes choose to continue playing, their transition into life postgraduation is inevitable. Sports have given them many opportunities and taught them many lessons, both of which will serve them well in the next chapter of their lives God has planned for them.

LANCER OF THE ISSUE

JENNA DICKSTEIN, JUNIOR LIBERAL STUDIES MAJOR AND MEMBER OF THE WOMEN’S WATER POLO TEAM

Q: WHEN DID YOU FIRST START PLAYING WATER POLO?

“I first started playing when I was 10 years old. I actually didn’t like it at all for the first month, but once I got the hang of it I fell in love with it. It has been 11 years and I’m still going strong.”

Q: WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE CBU?

“I chose CBU because I really wanted to continue my education and my water polo career at some place where I would feel at home. During my recruitment process, I fell in love with the school and all of the people on the water polo team. This school has changed my life for the better in every way possible.”

Q: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY FROM WATER POLO?

“My favorite memory in this sport has got to be our team’s pregame warm-ups. I am the person who always controls the music on my team and I feel like some of my best moments are when my team and I are just having fun and dancing around while laughing with each other. The group of girls that we have on the team hold a special place in my heart and we are all so bonded that I know they will be in my life forever.”

Q: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD BEFORE A COMPETITION?

“I love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. They are the key to success for sure. If you eat something super heavy before game it can slow you down but the sandwich is perfect sweet and salty snack to give you energy before the game.”

Q: WHAT IS YOUR MUSIC OF CHOICE FOR A WORKOUT?

“Our team knows every throwback song there is so anything from the early 2000s. I personally love some Pitbull and Rihanna because they have so many pump-up songs that help me get excited before games.”

Q: WHAT IS AN OBSTACLE YOU HAVE OVERCOME IN YOUR ATHLETIC CAREER?

“Most people would think that you would face more of a physical obstacle in this sport since it is one of the hardest sports, but the mental toughness you have to have just to get through it is insane. Being at the D1 level has been such a challenge, but it has taught me how to push through no matter what gets in my way in life.”

Photo Illustration by Josselyn Guillen | Banner

Anna Mate, member of the women’s cross-country and track team and master’s of business administration student, said that although she intends to continue running recreationally, she intends to focus on professional development after graduation.

e White House calls for TikTok ban

BY MIKEALA ALDREDGE ASST. B&T EDITOR

The White House made a statement on Feb. 27 announcing that federal employees had 30 days to delete TikTok from their government-issued phones. Most of the U.S. government, from Congress to the U.S. Armed Forces, has already banned the app due to privacy concerns according to a White House statement.

Congress passed the “No TikTok on Government Devices Act,” which prevents the usage of TikTok for national security, law enforcement, and research purposes. This was done under the Biden/Harris Administration back in December.

According to an article written by ABC News, ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, would give user data (i. e. browsing history and location) to the Chinese government or push propaganda and misinformation. Denmark and Canada have also blocked TikTok from government-issued phones, and the executive branch of the European Union has temporarily banned the app from employee phones.

The statement made on Feb. 27 is similar in preventing usage of TikTok on government devices. House Republicans gave President Joe Biden the power to ban TikTok nationwide on Feb. 28.

Civil liberties organizations have pushed back against the bill, with a letter sent from the American Civil Liberties Union to Rep. Mike McCaul and Rep. Gregory Meeks arguing that a nationwide ban on the app would be unconstitutional and would “likely result in banning many other businesses and applications as well.” As of now, there

is no nationwide ban of TikTok in place.

E orts to ban the app began in 2020 when former President Donald J. Trump and his administration tried to ban dealings with the owner of TikTok, force it to sell o its U.S. assets, and remove it from app stores for security reasons. The courts blocked this e ort, but Biden has raised the issue of whether or not the app should be banned in the U.S. once again.

Brooke Oberwetter, a spokesperson from TikTok, made a statement in the White House announcement on Feb. 27.

“The ban of TikTok on federal devices passed in December without any deliberation, and unfortunately that approach has served as a blueprint for other world governments,” Oberwetter said. “These bans are little more than political theater.”

Dr. Brian Bovee, associate professor of computer information technology, gave two reasons why the software could be dangerous surveillance and manipulation.

“Surveillance refers to American user data being accessed by TikTok and, possibly, the Chinese government,” Bovee said. “Manipulation refers to manipulating, via algorithms, pro-Chinese sentiments and minimizing or eliminating pro-American sentiment.”

Bovee addressed whether people with TikTok should be worried about their safety.

“There is room for legitimate concern,” Bovee said. “Felix Krause has identified ways that the app can track all user keystrokes, including credit card data or other personal information.”

In Krause’s tweet posted on Aug. 18, he explained that when

you open the app it injects code into the phone to observe keyboard input. This connects to Bovee’s statement about how there should be a concern with users’ safety.

As more information is released about TikTok, is a nationwide ban on the horizon?

“This is part of a broader conversation that needs to happen in order to, minimally, better hold tech companies accountable for producing technology that is both secure and humane,” Bovee said.

“We know, for example, that social media such as TikTok is harmful to young people. Humanetech.com is a great resource for those who are inter-

APP OF THE ISSUE

ested in learning more about how to join a movement to help mitigate and, hopefully, solve some of these types of problems.” If the proposal for a nationwide ban is passed, it would give the government the ability to ban any software applications that threaten national security.

“Anyone with TikTok downloaded on their device has given the CCP a backdoor to all their personal information,” said Republican Rep. Mike McCaul in a statement on Feb. 27. “It’s a spy balloon into your phone.”

Camdyn Taylor, freshman elementary education major, does not think TikTok should be banned despite security con-

cerns as she believes it benefits many people who use the platform.

“I think that it is not really a good idea to ban TikTok because this is content that allows people to connect with one another,” Taylor said. “People enjoy TikTok and it would be a shame for it to be taken away.”

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified on Mar. 23 before Congress where the House Energy and Commerce Committee asked him about the company’s privacy and data security practices along with the relationship that the app has with the Chinese government. Chew was questioned for over five hours by Congress. Chew

said that the company was “building what amounts to a firewall to seal o protected U.S. user data from unauthorized foreign access.”

“I think a lot of risks that are pointed out are hypothetical and theoretical risks,” Chew said. “I have not seen any evidence.”

TikTok has spent $1.5 billion on data security e orts called “Project Texas” with nearly 1,500 employees contacted to OracleCorp to store user data from the U.S.

“The bottom line is this: American data stored on American soil, by an American company, overseen by American personnel,” Chew said.

FBI reports highest losses in ve years due to online phishing scams

BY MIKEALA ALDREDGE ASST. B&T EDITOR

Last year, Americans lost $10.3 billion due to internet scams, according to the FBI. This is the highest amount of losses in five years, according to the report published by the FBI.

More than 2,000 complaints come into the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) per day. Over the last five years, 651,800 complaints are made each year. The most reported crime was phishing.

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Zombies, Run! KEY FEATURES WHY I LIKE IT

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Phishing occurs when companies or people fraudulently use texts, phone calls or emails to trick people into giving them their information. For example, a fake email may look like a real email from a certain person or company but will give an unsecured link. This link can then receive private details such as bank information. The FBI report lists that 300,497 victims reported more than $52 million in total losses in 2022. Data breaches claimed 58,859 victims, while non-payment scams claimed 51,679 victims.

Another issue is ransomware. Ransomware is a type of cyber intrusion that locks up a device’s data until a ransom is paid. This is a concern for cybersecurity professionals due to the under-reporting of ransomware attacks by victims. Only 2,385 cases were reported with losses of more than $34.3 million. The healthcare industry is targeted the most, followed by critical manufacturing and the government.

“The IC3 has seen an increase in an additional ex-

tortion tactic used to facilitate ransomware,” the IC3 said. “The perpetrators pressure victims to pay by threatening to publish the stolen data if they do not pay the ransom.”

The report gives actions that people can do to protect themselves from ransomware.

The FBI advises people to update their software, implement user training on risks, secure their Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), which allows you to connect to another computer over the network connection, and make an o ine backup of data.

Phone scams that primarily come from India are responsible for over $1 billion in losses. These scams mostly target the elderly, who have lost $1.3 billion.

“Call centers overwhelmingly target the elderly, with devastating e ects,” the report says.

“Almost half the victims report to be over 60 (46%) and experience 69% of the losses (over $724 million).”

The FBI has a 73% success rate of getting money back, but how can the CBU community protect themselves from being scammed by advanced technology? California was reported to have the most cases in 2022, with 80,766 incidents. While people under 20 are the least a ected, adults ages 20-29 have lost $383.1 million.

Even with warnings every year from the government about scammers, this problem continues to grow larger and larger. Dr. Dan Grissom, associate professor of computer science and department chair for computing, software and data sciences, said scams can look appealing initially.

CBU does a good job of protecting students online. I never hear complaints about it. I always feel protected with CBU’s multifactor authentication.

Briana Willis, Freshman business administration major

“People only listen to what they want to listen to,” Grissom said. “At the end of the day, there’s an allure of getting a good deal oftentimes. It’s almost always a good deal. It is something you want or you think you want so you then try and get it impulsively.”

Grace Akintimoye, freshman architecture major, shares on how she feels about CBU protecting her privacy.

“I feel protected online and I think CBU does a good job of protecting students’ privacy,” Akintimoye said.

Briana Willis, freshman business major, shared a similar opinion.

“CBU does a . good job of protecting students online,” Willis said. “I never hear complaints about it. I always feel protected with CBU’s multifactor authentication.”

The ITS Department recently emailed students on Mar. 20 about internet safety and phishing. Students should also be aware of financial aid phishing scams and remember that CBU will never ask for your personal information in an email.

Emily McGinn | Banner

Photo Illustration by Charissa Graves | Banner

Gene editing with CRISPR fights sickle cell anemia

BY KRISTIE WISEMAN ASST. B&T EDITOR

After a lifelong battle with sickle cell anemia filled with hospital stays and unpredictable pain, 34-year-old Victoria Gray became the first patient to receive an experimental CRISPR treatment targeting the gene responsible for sickle cell. This treatment was conducted in 2019. During the week of March 6-8, Gray spoke at the International Summit on Human Genome Editing and she did it symptom-free — thanks to successful gene editing.

CRISPR gene editing is an emerging technique that holds potential for genetic conditions such as sickle cell anemia.

“CRISPR has a very unique feature that allows you to direct an enzyme to a particular area in the genome,” said Dr. Daniel Szeto, professor of biology and biochemistry. “You are able to incorporate another stretch of sequence to replace the one that

you cleave.”

This process essentially allows you to cut out incorrect segments of DNA and replace them with the correct sequence. Since sickle cell anemia is a genetic condition, CRISPR has the potential to “fix” the mutation.

“Sickle cell anemia is a single point mutation,” Szeto said. “It is a well-characterized mutation. They know exactly where the mutation is within the genome of hemoglobin. They are able to attract the enzyme to the area first, creating a cut and then bringing in a particular sequence that is correcting the mutation.”

Gray said in an interview with NPR that her experimental CRISPR treatment began with the removal of some of her bone marrow cells. Researchers genetically modified these cells with CRISPR. The modified cells were designed to produce fetal hemoglobin to compensate for the defective ones that caused sickle cell anemia. Gray

then received infusions of billions of her genetically modified cells and began to see her symptoms subside.

“The life that I once felt like I was only existing in, I am now thriving in,” Gray said in her speech to the International Summit on Human Genome Editing. “I stand here before you today as proof that miracles still happen — and that God and science can coexist.”

Since Gray received the treatment, 31 other sickle cell patients were given the same treatment. All 31 patients are now symptom-free, according to the American Society of Hematology. These results are encouraging. However, CRISPR is far from a perfected science. Detailed research is required before CRISPR can be o ered as a solution to chronic disease.

“Guide RNAs are a very small stretch of sequence, but remember that your genome has a billion bases,” Szeto said. “So you may have o -targets

that create unnecessary or unwanted cleavage.”

Guide RNAs are small fragments of RNA that enable the CRISPR associated enzyme to cleave the desired DNA segment. The problem remains that in the billions of bases in our genome, more than one region may be recognized by the enzyme, resulting in unintended cleavage.

“The drawback is really the search to understand how we can generate specificity in terms of the enzyme targeting a specific region of the genome,” Szeto said.

Over time, research has uncovered a lot about sickle cell anemia. Even so, we are just beginning to see the results.

“There’s a di erence between animal models and the application in human trials,” Szeto said.

“When you apply CRISPR to human clinical studies, you have to create a system that tests the specificity. You test many, many

di erent overlapping sequences within the region you are targeting to see which gives you the highest specificity before you actually take it into a clinical trial.”

This is where CRISPR sees perhaps its greatest disadvantage.

“In theory it is a very good advancement in medicine, but who can a ord that?” Szeto said.

Looking beyond the practical concerns of CRISPR, other ethics-based questions arise.

“There are ethical concerns with CRISPR because we are dealing with human genes that can then be passed down to other generations,” said Valeria Molina, senior biomedical science major.

CRISPR has encountered much controversy over its potential in reproduction. Its ability to alter genes could enable CRISPR to “design babies” based on desired characteristics. This would allow parents to

EDITOR’S REVIEW

“Townsmen: A Kingdom Rebuilt”

BY JASMINE SEVERI I B&T EDITOR

Netflix has been moving forward fast with its mobile games. Netflix’s mobile games launched in late 2021 and as of March, they have more than 50 mobile games and plan to add more this year.

I have played several of these, including both of their “Stranger Things” games and “Poinpy,” which was a popular game in 2022, but the one that newly caught my interest was “Townsmen: A Kingdom Rebuilt.”

“Townsmen” is a Netflix mobile game that is a casual strategy simulation game. One reason it caught my interest is it reminded me of one of my favorite computer games, “Age of Empires.” While

it is like “Age of Empires,” Lite edition. “Townsmen” is much simpler and I would rather be playing “Age of Empires,” but it was entertaining anyway.

You play as a noble and a ruler of an approximation of a medieval town. Your character was exiled from the kingdom’s court after being wrongly accused and framed for stealing money from the King’s treasury. This is a small, run-down town that you have to build up by repairing old buildings and adding new ones, and the further you go and the more research you do, the more buildings you have access to.

You also have to make sure your vil-

CBU hosts 15th annual Natural and Mathematical Sciences Symposium

BY JASMINE SEVERI B&T EDITOR

California Baptist University had its 15th Annual Natural and Mathematical Sciences Research Symposium on March 25 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Business Building. Approximately 300 students, faculty and guests were in attendance this year.

The main goal of the symposium was to give students experience in presenting their research in the style of professional conferences. The event featured poster sessions, oral presentations and a keynote speaker.

Dr. Tom Ferko, professor of chemistry and associate dean of the Division of Natural and Mathematical Sciences (NMS), organized the event with the help of the NMS faculty.

“Originally, when we started, the goal was to just give our students some experience with research,” Ferko said. “So we didn’t have many students do research when we started, just a couple with our faculty. We had a mix of outside speakers and our students. Now we have over 110 students who are presenting their research.”

The symposium had sessions where students presented their research through slideshow and oral presentations, as

well as poster sessions of student research from the Division of Natural and Mathematical Sciences. The poster sessions had 21 groups of students present their research on subjects ranging from “Observations of Brood X Periodical Cicada Emergence” to “The Influence of Game-Based Learning.”

Abigail Semple, junior biochemical and molecular biology major, along with Annika Haugan, Kimberly Alva and C.J. Wood presented their research on “The Influence of GameBased Learning” in the poster session.

“We went and taught some honors chemistry students from Ramona High School,” Semple said. “We were focusing on an active-learning approach to a high school lecture. We did this by doing an interactive lecture, with demonstrations of reactions that were really cool and exciting, and they pertained directly to what we were teaching them. We talked about balancing reactions, [and] predicting products, solubility rules and reaction types, which are four general chemistry concepts. We also had them do an interactive puzzle that was going to help them balance reactions physically in a more tactile manner so it would be easier for them to interact with the information.”

After the poster sessions,

the slideshow and oral presentations had 28 groups of students present their research to guests, faculty and fellow students in subjects ranging from the “Study of Deep Sky Objects via Astrophotography” to the “Inclusion of Kinetic Friction in the Classic Comparison to Predicting Happiness Factors in OECD Countries: Does Money Buy Happiness?”

The keynote speaker at the event was Dr. Joshua Swamidass, who talked about his research in reconciling the theory of evolution and universal genealogical ancestry with a literal reading of Genesis. He wrote a book on the topic called “The Genealogical Adam and Eve.”

“What I want students to get out of this is whether or not evolution is true. Jesus rose from the dead, so follow him,” Swamidass said. “That’s how we know God is good, exists and wants to be known. And because of that confidence, we can actually approach evolution with an open mind to see whether or not it could be true, particularly because it’s not in conflict with even a very literal reading of Genesis.”

CBU has given science and mathematics students valuable experience in conducting and presenting research that has grown from its small roots to a vibrant symposium.

lagers are happy as you assign them to di erent jobs, have them build things they need and control the taxes they pay.

If you raise the taxes, you get more money, but your people’s happiness and motivation decreases. If it is too low, villagers will start to leave: it is a balance.

In addition to building and beautifying your town, you also have to face disasters, including raiders, blackmailers and natural crises such as fires. You also repair natural wear-and-tear on your buildings, survive rough winters, and even plagues.

I did get to a point where my villagers were not very happy. The raiders devastated my town and I was too focused on

How

change hair color, eye color or any other trait of their children.

“That used to be a fantasy, but with the precision of CRISPR people are beginning to worry that this could one day happen,” Szeto said. Trait selection is just the tip of the iceberg of the ethical dilemmas presented by CRISPR.

“You could create an army of superhuman soldiers so that their mentality is no longer afraid of dying,” Szeto said. “Their mission is just to kill. Suddenly, you don’t have to send your brother or your father or someone you know to the battlefield, just somebody out of the lab.”

Despite ethical concerns, CRISPR provides hope to those struggling with chronic genetic disorders.

“When you are weighing the risk, if you have an incurable disease, you are going to die from it,” Szeto said. “Then even a 10-15% chance is still better than nothing.”

providing for the villagers’ needs that I neglected their desires. As a result, they lost motivation and some started leaving, especially when the town got a plague and we did not have enough resources to build the infirmary quickly.

It is a pretty simple game, but fun. You do have to pay attention or things can quickly get out of hand. I did play most of this past midnight, though. It is a simple and fun game to play in your spare time and it is free with any Netflix account.

Just download the Netflix app on your phone and find the game in the Netflix “Games” tab.

quickly, making it difficult to exhaust the resource. These towels are also washable, allowing for more than one use and reducing waste.

Where to buy:

$9.95

for a 20-sheet roll at Amazon

e color black transcends seasons

BY ZERENITY LOPEZ A&E EDITOR

Ominous, mysterious and mournful, or elegant, prestigious and slimming? Black can be perceived in many ways and di erently across various cultures. What is typically perceived as mournful, gothic and at times emo is slowly but surely transforming into sleek, attractive and empowering.

When thinking of black in terms of color theory, various factors contribute to the psychological and emotional attributes associated with the color black. Kristie Lippire, professor of visual art, is knowledgeable about color theory and how it can be perceived.

“Color theory is the study of color arrangement, its psychology in terms of what it triggers in a person,” Lippire said.

Color theory’s psychological e ects are determined in a more scientific way than many would expect. The way colors are perceived and evoke emotions is based on how the wavelengths of the color are received. Light is a key factor when it comes to the way colors are viewed. The way light reflects o color determines the wavelength that is being received. As light, which is a combination of all wavelengths, hits an object, the amount of light absorbed is what allows us to perceive colors, according to Hunter Lab.

Lippire discussed how different colors have been designated based on how the color is recognized, such as orange.

“We use (the color) orange for emergency or tra c cones

because of the color theory of complementary pairs,” Lippire said. “The sky is blue and the asphalt can also be considered a type of blue. The orange cone is going to stand out more against it. It all makes sense we –just don’t think about it.”

Since black is the darkest possible color, it has a naturally ominous nature. The color black is the hardest color to produce when dyeing clothing. Due to that di culty, it was an expensive color to own and rarely seen outside of mourning periods, Lippire said. Typically worn for funerals in Western culture, it is often viewed as a somber color because of its direct association with death. As time progressed, the color became more mainstream. In the 1800s, black was seen as a prestigious color that conveyed elegance, power and sophistication, according to the Harvard Crimson.

As we move into the 21st century, black has a new meaning. Grunge and alternative music were issued in a new wave of fashion that matched the emotions conveyed by the artists. As angst took over, so did dark clothing. The emo and goth communities were now being identified by their black uniforms.

“Now the youth has reclaimed black and it’s a way of not sharing anything about yourself,” Lippire said. “It’s an anonymous color — you’re so emotionally sensitive you want to protect yourself.”

Along with the grunge and alternative scene that black caters to, the current generation treats it as one of the most flat-

tering and confidence-boosting colors to wear. The “little black dress” is a staple in the wardrobe of many and the color is often considered the ultimate color for formal events, according to Elle Magazine.

However, due to the absorption properties of the color, it is often left behind during summer and branded as unsuitable for heat.

Victoria Coria, sophomore interior design major, is someone whose wardrobe scarcely features black.

“I rarely see anyone in all black, especially in the heat,” Coria said. “As someone who steers clear from black clothing, I think having some color on could help you beat the heat.”

Despite what a majority of the public deems appropriate, a niche group of black clothing enthusiasts see nothing wrong with wearing the color in any and all climates.

“I try to avoid wearing black in the summer because I don’t deal well with heat, but usually I fail. i find that it doesn’t make that big of di erence as long as I am not outside all day. If I was hiking, I would avoid it, but to go to a BBQ it is fine.” said Taylor wheatly, senior creative writing major.

With breatheable materials and accomodating designs, I find no reason to avoid black during the summer. Many find it to boost their confidence and wardobe adaptability.

“It is a fashion choice as it makes me feel powerful, allows for focus on accessories and has meaning behind the color,” Wheatley said.

AAPI community celebrates victories in media representation

BY GABI RIGGIN ASST. A&E EDITOR

In honor of the approaching Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage month in May, the amount of representation for Asian American and Pacific Islanders blossoms.

Growth in AAPI media representation has increased over the past years, with a notable increase of 4.6% overall in 2021 compared to 2020, according to a study released by Nielsen in 2022.

Most recently, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (2022), directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, won seven awards at the annual Academy Awards. The Oscars marked a historic number of AAPI community nominations, namely actress Michelle Yeoh. The Malaysian-born actress became the first Asian woman

to win the Academy Award for best actress, according to AP News. This is not the first film to highlight members of the AAPI community on screen. One of the earliest, “Lilo & Stitch,” the first full-length animation set in Hawai’i, came out in 2002, according to Hawai’i Public Radio. Other films like “To all the Boys I’ve Loved Before” (2018), “Crazy Rich Asians” (2018), “Turning Red” (2022), “Big Hero 6” (2014), “Raya and the Last Dragon” (2021), “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (2021), “Big Hero 6” and “Moana” (2016) have all become commercial successes. These recent movie releases are proof of the increase in representation of the AAPI culture and community.

“‘Avatar: The Last Airbender,’ isn’t made by Asians,” said Angel Araujo, a Filipino and

Peruvian sophomore psychology major and API club member.

“But it was just seeing somebody with tan skin or seeing an Asian kind of culture in something so popular. My family really held on to that.”

For many students on campus, finding representation in the media and seeing someone who looks like them is important. Five years ago, the API club was created to support the growing AAPI student community. Tanner Foster, senior business administration major who is Filipino, Polynesian, Japanese and Mexican and one of the original members of the API club, believes that representation is definitely increasing around our communities and within the CBU campus.

Foster mentioned a book he read in a class taught by Dr. Kenya Davis-Hayes, professor of history, and its impact on

him.

“The book is called ‘Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet’ and was one of the required readings for Minorities in America,” Foster said. “I really enjoyed reading it because it deeply elaborated on the internment camps during WWII. Although the fictional main character is Chinese-American, the book touches upon his innocent love for a Japanese girl and the confusion that came along with it during this troubling time. My grandmother was fully Japanese and managed to avoid being sent to an internment camp during WWII because she was from Lana’i, Hawai’i.” Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders often have not been represented in media. Roughly 39% of movies fail to portray any API character, 40.2% of films did not portray any Asian

character, and 94.2% did not involve any Pacific Islander, according to a study done by the University of Southern California Annenberg analyzing statistics from 2019.

“There was a period of time where Asians were kind of invisible,” Araujo said. “Asians are known for being in America as model immigrants because you never really hear about us. I think it’s been really cool just to see more celebration of Asians stepping out into movies (and) into the culture, even like K-pop becoming super popular here.”

API club members agreed that representation of Asian American and Pacific Islanders has been lacking for years before the most recent film releases.

“Other than the stereotypical Asian characters, I don’t think there was much repre-

sentation in the media,” said Malia June Moorehead Lizama, senior health science major and president of the API Club, who is Chamorro, originating from Guam. “As for the reason why, I think the world was just so focused on sticking to their own cultures. This is not just in America. I grew up watching primarily Asian movies and TV shows and noticed that the only times they would have a character of a significantly di erent race, they played a role dedicated only to that ethnicity.”

Araujo’s excitement growing up and seeing those on screen who looked like her resurfaced when coming to CBU and joining the API Club and the Heritage celebration for the first time.

Now, Araujo and fellow API club members look forward to this years Heritage celebration April 2.

DCEU aims to restructure with upcoming ‘The Flash’ lm

BY SARAH MURPHY ASST. A&E EDITOR

There is heavy debate about whether DC or Marvel movies are superior, and the debate has sparked once again as the 2019 film “Avengers: Endgame” marked the end of Marvel’s Phase Three, ending storylines and revealing the shocking deaths of characters.

Attention has now turned to DC with a new movie, “The Flash,” set to release on June 16. This movie will reset the DC Universe. Viewers of the film have high expectations as DC faces pressure to fix its reputation for producing “bad” movies. As of 2017, 47% of Americans prefer Marvel, whereas only 11% prefer DC Comic movies, according to an Ipsos poll.

The trailer suggests that the Flash will travel back in time to prevent the murder of

his mother, but he will become trapped in an alternate reality that does not have superheroes, ultimately changing the DCEU timeline. This jump backward creates a new timeline in which Bruce Wayne is killed, Martha Wayne is the Joker and Thomas Wayne is a murderous Batman. This compels the Flash to find his younger self and save the universe.

Despite its exciting storyline, there is much controversy surrounding the new movie, particularly around the actor playing the Flash, Ezra Miller. He faced numerous allegations and arrests in 2022. Miller was charged with disorderly conduct, had a temporary restraining order issued against him and burglarized a home, according to the Evening Standard. He is currently seeking mental health treatment and must undertake periodic drug tests.

This series of events has made him widely unpopular, causing some fans to demand that “The Flash” not be released with the infamous actor as the star. However, DC decided to proceed with the film due to the $200 million already spent on production.

Despite Ezra Miller’s criminal activities, “The Flash” has recieved some of the highest scores at test screenings since Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” movies, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Andy Muschietti, director of “The Flash,” shared his favorite element of the movie during an interview with Fandango.

“What captivated me about the Flash is the human drama in it,” Muschietti said. “The human feelings and emotions that play in the drama [of it]. It’s going to be fun, too. It’s a beautiful human story.”

Kaleb Bravo, freshman film major, looks forward to the film’s release after seeing the trailer. He believes that there is an underlying intention behind the time travel in this movie.

“When the Flash does fix the time shift, things are going to be changed,” Bravo said. “That way, they can fire old actors and hire new ones and have di erent people play the same characters.”

The DC Universe will undergo many changes set by the new co-chairmen and CEOs of DC Studios, James Gunn and Peter Safran, who intend to reboot the film franchise. However, the question remains as to whether or not DC can meet the success rates of Marvel.

Jonathan Mejia, junior English major, was impressed by the Flash trailer and looks forward to seeing how Gunn will fix DC’s hastiness with produc-

ing movies in the past.

“I think DC got too ambitious and tried to catch up after seeing the MCU’s success,” Mejia said. “Marvel had a long-term plan for their first 10 years that paid o , and DC just wanted to jump onto this big superhero team-up movie with Justice League only a few movies into their franchise without introducing certain characters first.”

On the other hand, some moviegoers have recently been unhappy with the Marvel franchise. Many criticize its declining quality compared to its more acclaimed movies in the past. Morning Consult found that 82% of Marvel fans still enjoy the studio’s movies, down 5% from their fall 2021 survey. Almost one-third of respondents also admitted they are “getting a little tired of so many” MCU films.

“Marvel recently has been

doing terrible with the CGI because they are flooding the market with it,” Bravo said. “They cannot keep their production team to stay on one piece long enough before they have them move over to a different movie.”

This has created another reason for audiences to turn to the DC Universe for quality entertainment. Although fans have high expectations for “The Flash” movie, its success may not be important in the long run for the grander storyline of the DCEU. “I think whether the film does well or horrible, it will not matter because it is DC’s way of ending this current franchise,” Mejia said.

Only after “The Flash” is released will fans discover whether the film is disappointing or if it is a new DC favorite that finally brings the franchise out of Marvel’s shadow.

Photo Illustration by Josselyn Guillen | Banner

Emily McGinn, senior journalism major and editor-in-chief of The Banner, poses in her signature all-black ensemble.

Theology takes the screen

REVIEW Trends to Expect after

ALEXZA BAHNMILLER MANAGING EDITOR

“Jesus Revolution” is proof once again that Christian films have a significant place in the theater. Categorized as an indie Christian drama, “Jesus Revolution,” directed by Jon Erwin and Brent McCorkle, premiered on Feb. 24 and has grossed over $45 million, surpassing all of Lionsgate’s post-pandemic films and recent box-o ce successes, such as Darren Aronos y’s “The Whale,” according to an article by Sam Kriss for The Telegraph. The film marks Erwin’s second Christian box-o ce hit, after he directed “I Can Only Imagine” in 2018 alongside his brother Andrew. That film made over $85 million in ticket sales, according to Box O ce Mojo.

The plot of “Jesus Revolution” revolves around the true events that inspired the TIME magazine 1971 cover story titled “The Jesus Revolution.” Throughout the film, there is a passive character on the sidelines (presumably the TIME journalist) that watches the events as they unfold, notes them in a notebook and asks a few questions of main characters here and there. The historic revolution happened in

the ‘60s and ‘70s and was called the Jesus Movement. Baptist Press describes the movement as “an evangelical phenomenon in which tens of thousands were baptized during spontaneous celebrations.” The movie focused on Lonnie Frisbee (played by Jonathan Roumie), who was one of the leaders of the movement, and how he met Pastor Chuck Smith (played by Kelsey Grammer) and was invited into Smith’s church, Calvary Chapel.

Despite the film being an achievement commercially, it succeeds in many other areas, raising the bar for the Christian film industry altogether. The production quality is top-tier and the acting is superb. The film deals with mature content that could easily appear cheesy, but thanks to the screenwriting skills of the director himself, this is not the case.

Entertaining throughout, even secular viewers will find themselves engaged in the storyline that does not try to push an ideology but instead focuses on character development and relationships — something relatable to all. A pinch of romance, a sprinkle of comedy, a splash of drama and a handful of faith conversations take this film from a B-level to an A-level production.

However bar-raising this film might be, it still is not

perfect. While the film does an excellent job at illustrating a real event, the angle of the film is not clear. When Frisbee reaches the height of his fame, a montage begins of people and articles questioning whether Calvary Chapel has become a cult and if Frisbee is an egotistical fraud.

To continue the narrative, Frisbee is then shown as being fired and his wife admits that he can be abusive and tries to receive outside help. While I was anticipating seeing how the film would debunk these allegations — allegations Frisbee faced in real life — the film introduces the controversy and then drops it. Frisbee leaves his house, acknowledges his great friendship with another main character, Greg Laurie (played by Joel Courtney), and somehow, with no context, is on great terms with his wife again.

I left the theater feeling perplexed by the angle. Were they just trying to bring up everything about the movement and leave audiences to decipher for themselves? If so, why was everything up to that point highlighting the movement in a clearly positive manner? Why not dispute the allegations?

I can only assume the directors wanted to play it safe — and due to this, my ranking of the film in its entirety is reduced to 3 out of 5 stars.

Fashion Week

Spring/Summer 2023

One of the most prevalent pieces on the runway for the SP/SU 2023 season was surprisingly pants. Cargo pants in particular were featured in the shows of Coperni, Diesel and Fendi.

Sheer clothing took over the runway and soon after, the streets. Solid, patterned or lace sheer pieces are being worn in formal and casual wear. Jason Wu and Rodarte featured sheer pieces in their shows this season.

Last seen on Carrie Bradshaw, flower appliqués bloom just in time for the spring season. Featured on shoes, dresses, tops and accesories in a variety of colors, this small detail can elevate any look. Fashion label Puppets and Puppets did well showcasing them this season.

A bold and daring choice, red is by far the most surprising trend to come out of the SP/SU 2023 shows. Sandy Liang and Giovanni Giannoni both included heavy red looks in their shows this season.

Ballet flats are the biggest shoe trend to come out of the SP/SU 2023 season. Tory Burch, Jacquemes and Chanel provided flats of all styles.

Video games level up health bene ts across the leaderboard

BY MARC AGBAYANI ASST. A&E EDITOR

It is no secret that the video game industry often receives a mixed reputation. Thrillbased games like “The Last of Us Part 1” or “Resident Evil Village” often feature frightening monsters, gory scenes and weapons like grenades, guns or flamethrowers. Skill-based games like “Valorant” and “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” can be addicting as players quickly compete against one another. However, with so many di erent titles on the market, is it possible for gaming to provide health benefits?

Michea Oring, a marriage and family therapist trainee, said that gaming can have positive attributes, especially in a world full of deadlines and endless responsibilities.

“Video games can be beneficial in several areas including, but not limited to, reducing stress,” Oring said. “Cortisol, a stress hormone, can flood our bodies due to a number of factors, whether it be work, school, family, peers, romance, etc. This is where an activity like gaming can o er a healthy escape and relief from stress. An escape can be beneficial for the brain, allowing our bodies a moment to unwind or relax, and — dare I say it — have fun.” While it is true that some games are designed to hype up players, there are certainly others with simplistic elements meant to soothe players. Depending on the genre of the game, slower-paced titles may o er calming features, from world exploration and relaxing music to the opportunity to perform therapeutic tasks.

Jonathan Mejia, junior English major, commented on how the atmosphere of a video game can be a significant factor in a ecting his mood.

“Pokémon Legends: Arceus” for the Nintendo Switch is one game he often plays to help him relax.

“Catching Pokémon and seeing them interact in this near-open world is very soothing and adorable to observe,” Mejia said. “I think what I find relaxing about this game is the music. Some (songs) are very peaceful and some are adventurous, so it helps me get immersed in the game play.”

Aside from alleviating stress, video games may also function as a way to treat those who su er from mental illnesses, including depression. This is because gaming also works as a medium that creates social

EDITOR’S

environments for players, new and old, to connect.

“Gaming is a tool from which comes community, and thus social support, which is a huge benefit to those su ering from depressive symptoms,” Oring said. “Various games such as MMOs (massively multiplayer online), MOBAs (multiplayer online battle arena) and FPSs (first-person shooter) all work together to cultivate online communities where people can connect and relate to one another via commonalities.” Video games are also found to improve other areas of cognitive activity. Since gaming requires players to use a lot of repetitive motions, quick decisions, and even communication, it may also work as an opportunity for learning.

According to the journal

REVIEW

BY ZERENITY LOPEZ I A&E EDITOR

“The Strays” is one of the newest mystery/thriller Netflix Original films to hit the streaming service. The film, released Feb. 22, follows an upper-middle-class woman’s life as it unravels and reveals a dark, cruel past. “The Strays” explores several themes, including abusive relationships, abandonment and — most prevalent — internalized racism. While writer and director Nathaniel Marello-White does well in introducing these themes, he does not allow these themes to develop fully throughout the film. This lack of development makes for a melodramatic film that gives o the same feeling as a Lifetime movie.

Despite the undeveloped screenplay, performances from the lead actors were stellar. Ashley Madekwe (Neve), Jordan Myrie (Marvin) and Bukky Bakray (Abigail) took the script to a new height with performances that were shocking and thrilling. Madekwe did well in portraying a woman who has abandoned her past and her culture.

Throughout the film, her character attempts to su ocate any part of African American culture in herself and her children. Her shame spiral ends in an explosion of anger delivered

by Madekwe, which is shocking and helps define key character aspects.

As for Myrie and Bakray, the duo worked together to create an eerie and ominous tension that worked perfectly with their character arcs.

As the story unfolded and plot twists were revealed, the plotline suddenly became predictable. With the climax unveiling the biggest plot twist of the film, it felt as though the storyline’s optimism went downhill from there.

Toward the tail end of the film, the thriller nature that was merely sprinkled in before came to the forefront. Marcello-White used elements like sound, distinct camera angles and long bouts of silence to create a cohesive and tense environment for the finishing scene.

The ending was the most upsetting and shocking aspect of the film. With chaos unfolding and Neve’s family su ering a majority of the consequences, her reaction was shocking yet not surprising. The abrupt ending to the film left me dissatisfied and angry.

3 out of 5 stars.

“The Benefits of Video Games on Brain Cognitive Function: A Systematic Review of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Studies,” video game training could be beneficial for the brain’s frontal lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobe, hippocampus, striatum and other areas.

Video games cause significant changes in the structure and function of the brain area and ascend an individual’s sensory perception, attention, and memory capacity, and enhance the neural basis of individual brain function.

Besides mental well-being, it is commonly believed that video games can negatively affect one’s physical health. This is because most people often associate gaming with the stereotype that players spend hours on end sitting, increasing stagnant activity. However,

the couch potato stigma is being broken. With how far gaming has developed with motion controls, this no longer seems to be the case.

“Games like ‘Dance Dance Revolution’ and others such as those found on consoles like the Nintendo Switch promote healthy physical activity,” Oring said. “Therefore, yes, physical benefits in correlation with video games may become more and more common,” Oring said.

With so many di erent styles of play and the wide variety of communities available, players will find that gaming may produce positive e ects. From titles with mind-challenging puzzles to games with a relaxing atmosphere, there are many games out there capable of removing the stress and struggles one may face.

Emily McGinn

“The Strays”

Teams build bonds to prevent con ict

BY HANNAH GORDON ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Since sports teams, in the most simple terms, are groups of people, they are prone to disagreements and misunderstandings. It is also something that is a fact of life for many athletes.

“[Conflict] is considered to be an inevitable part of any group,” said Dr. Kyle F. Paradis, lecturer in sport sociology and psychology at Ulster University.

Conflicts are often rooted in activities and social interaction and may result in disagreements or negative emotions. Negative emotions left to fester can a ect the performance of the team as a whole. Sarah Shiers, freshman biology major and member of the swim team, attested to the e ects of chemistry on a team.

“The main way that I have seen conflict a ect performance is by disrupting the team chemistry on deck,” Shiers said. “Swimming is a very mental sport, and the most successful races occur when you know you are supported by everyone on the team. When conflict is occurring, the team chemistry is a ected and brings the whole group’s energy down. This directly impacts how the team shows up in the eyes of competition and how individuals on the team perform.”

The consequences of conflict can be extreme.

Paradis said conflict can have a “detrimental influence on performance and satisfaction within groups… understanding the influence of conflict would be of paramount importance for coaches and athletes alike considering the potential implications for many important outcome variables such as performance and satisfaction.”

Conflict between teammates is a poison that can destroy a team and its performance. The roots of conflict can be found in bad communication and selfishness.

“From my experience, the main conflict on a sports team is lack of communication and approaching the sport in a self-centered way,” Shiers said. “Especially in a sport like swimming that is technically based upon individual races, it is so easy to act in selfish ways or put your needs and desires over those of the team. Without healthy communication and accountability, conflict can arise and impact the success of the team.”

Conflict must be dealt with head on and in a productive way. Shiers shares the ideal way to handle conflict.

“Team conflicts are resolved in positive ways through open conversations that aren’t about making anyone feel badly but instead about getting to the root of whatever problem has come up,” Shiers said.

Shiers added that the key to conflict resolution is the heart of the individual. If someone is not willing to make amends, a conflict may never be solved.

“Resolution is only reached when you have teammates and coaches who are willing to hold one another accountable and make decisions for the good of the team, even when those decisions are di cult,” Shiers said.

Conflict can be avoided by taking active steps against disunity.

Shiers avoids conflict by placing an emphasis on communication. The key to having good relationships with others is to actively pursue those good relationships.

“To avoid bad chemistry with my teammates, I rely heavily on open and honest communication,” Shiers said. “Limiting any gossip or badtalking is crucial in building healthy and long-lasting team relationships. I am huge on treating others how I wish to be treated and believe that that golden rule directly correlates to teammate interactions.”

Despite the inevitability of disagreements, it is important for teams to get along and to take active steps toward unity.

“I have an excellent relationship with my teammates,” said Anna Máté, a master’s of business administration student and member of the women’s cross country and track team. “They are my family. We always trust and support each other in everything.”

Máté has been on the track team for a long time and is one of the oldest team members. She has become the “mom of the team.” Teammates come to her for advice, food and other needs.

Máté said she intends to stay close to her teammates, even when her time as an athlete

Baseball players touch helmets to show team solidarity during their game

ends.

“This is the last semester I am eligible to train and race with my teammates,” Máté said. “Honestly, I cannot imagine how my last two semesters will look without them. Even though I will not be able to spend as much time with them as before, I will definitely stay in touch with them.”

Shiers said she experienced a familial bond with her teammates.

“My relationship with my teammates is very much family-like,” Shiers said. “My teammates are my sisters, brothers and built-in best friends. I am beyond blessed to have such an incredible group of individuals that push me to be the best version of myself as both a person and athlete. This team genuinely means the world to me, and these people are the center of my life.”

Shiers said Christian faith present at CBU makes a di erence when dealing with conflict.

“Coming into CBU after spending my first two years at a state school in Florida, I can confidently say that the conflict resolution that happens here is

successful and handled well,” Shiers said. “CBU, as a Christian university, approaches conflict resolution in a way that reflects the school’s priorities and the Christian belief system. To see disagreements or conflict and approach them with love and care is a huge di erence in comparison to most other college athletic departments. I have seen hard situations handled in a very diplomatic and Christ-like way at CBU, and I am thankful to be part of a program that emphasizes the importance of handling situations in that way.”

Small ti s that occur can result in performance-altering situations.

“I hardly ever disagree with my teammates,” Máté said. “We are all easy-going. Whenever we have minor disputes, we can discuss them easily without impacting our relationship.”

In sports, it is not uncommon for competitiveness and comparison to sneak in and destroy relationships.

“We all want to be successful,” Máté said. “That is why we help one another to reach our goals. If we [compete against one another], the

University

team would be a mess, and none of us would succeed.

Over-competitiveness leads nowhere.”

Máté also discussed the e ects of comparison.

Relationships thrive when people take intentional steps to maintain that relationship.

Máté said she takes active steps to maintain the bond with her teammates.

“We have meals together at least twice a day, and I invite my teammates once a fortnight for crepes, a movie or a chat,” Máté said. “These activities connect us even more.”

Good relationships take time and intentionality. For athletes, it is important to get away from the game spend intentional time with their teammates.

“I make a conscious e ort to connect with individuals outside of the team environment,” Shiers said.

“Our coach used to tell us that we should not compare ourselves to our teammates, but it is unavoidable,” Máté said. “Some of us are more talented than others, and everyone recognizes this. We all have di erent strengths, and we should take advantage of those. Individuals should be aware of their talents and stop comparing themselves to others. Constant comparison hinders individual success.”

“Obviously, training together is a large portion of the time we spend together, but I have found that reaching out and connecting one-on-one over dinner, just meeting up to chat or heading to the beach is great for further developing personal relationships and, in turn, building team chemistry.”

This only reinforces just how important communication and connection is for team success.

Elijah Hickman | CBU Athletics

against the

of San Diego on March 20.

“

We all want to be successful. That is why we help one another to reach our goals.

Anna Máté, Master’s of business administration student and member of the cross country and track team

The main way that I have seen con ict affect performance is by disrupting the team chemistry on deck.

Sarah Shiers, Freshman biology major and member of the swim team

LANCER ON THE STREET

Nike or Adidas?

Isabella Correa Angel Bravo Prinsi Nasit Pruthvi Parekh Kevin Walls Freshman Sophomore Kinesiology Kinesiology major Civil engineering major Construction management major Marketing major Graduate student Freshman Senior

“Since I wore Nike since I was little I’ve always been a Nike girl.”

I’d take Nike over Adidas. I grew up with Nike.”

“I prefer Nike because I feel like there are good arches in Nike.”

“I always prefer Nike because Nike has a good collection of shoes and it is also comfortable.”

Good-bye, from your editor-in-chief

time. I have felt it as I watch friends move across the country — or across the world — to gain experiences that I will not be a part of. Now, after 15 issues of The Banner — one and a half years — as your editor-in-chief, it is time for my era to come to an end.

BY EMILY MCGINN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Endings are perhaps one of the strangest feelings of all. They are not simply an occurrence, but a cocktail of conflicting emotions tugging at me: nostalgia, relief, loss, excitement, fear and an emptiness that is both gaping and eager. I have felt it on long flights home from grand trips that have taken me away from reality for a

When I first walked into a bustling meeting in the newsroom in the basement of the James Building freshman year, I almost didn’t come back. But four year later, I can confidently say I would have regretted that decision. Though I would have dodged 2 a.m. nights during print weeks and long days in the basement, I would have never met many of the lovely people who have believed in my vision for the newspaper and shared in my passion for it.

I would like to thank my Banner sta for being the best group of humans I could have asked for as a sta during my final semester as EIC. I will miss

the lively chatter at our meetings and seeing the passion each of you have when writing about topics you care about.

To my section editors, thank you for showing up consistently and putting in hard work on tight deadlines. I will always cherish our late-night talks and designing each issue alongside you guys. You made each minute of lost sleep worth it.

I would like to thank Casey Maldonado for always having her door open for a chat.

Thank you to the professors who shared their knowledge and expertise with me in interviews over the years. I have loved learning from you and having the opportunity to meet faculty members I would have never met had I not written articles for The Banner.

I would like to thank you, the readers, for taking the time to look at this newspaper that we spend hours prepping every two weeks. I hope you have gained

something, learned something or read something you loved during my time here.

Finally, I would like to thank The Banner itself. It was not always easy. There were bumps, storms and ups and downs along the way, but ultimately, it allowed me to grow.

From creating the Banner Busters column that I love so much in Lifestyle (flip to page 7 right now to read it) to sharing strong opinions on Chickfil-A and unpaid internships, this newspaper has allowed me to develop as a designer and a leader. Most of all, though, it has allowed me to do what I love most: to write.

The Banner has been a piece of my identity for years, and now it is time to let go. For so long, EIC of The Banner has been something I am; now, it is becoming something I was. For once, I am out of words. So, for the last time, thank you for reading.

Good-bye, CBU, from the B&T editor

this era.

from Irvine Valley College to Bakersfield College to Riverside City College.

But CBU is my real love. It was refreshing to come to a Christ-centered school where I learned ancient languages important to the church (Koine Greek and Latin — I’ll have to do Hebrew and Aramaic on my own), and got to understand more about the Bible.

Tech editor, where I have stayed for three and a half years, filling several other roles at di erent times, including website administrator.

BY JASMINE SEVERI B&T EDITOR

I met wonderful people in the Department of Modern Languages and Literature as an English major and Spanish minor. You helped cultivate my interest in languages, stories and culture that started as a child and expanded here.

As a commuter, Lancer Media Group has become my home on campus as the newsroom was where I would spend my time. I started freshman year as an assistant news editor and quickly became the Business &

Misty, my sister, was very involved with LMG when she was here. She was an inspiration. Now she is living her dream with our dad as a reporter in Washington D.C. and I will join her with my mom when I graduate. The school year that I got to spend with both my sisters was wonderful and I loved to see the theater productions that my sister Brittany Anderson-Severi and her husband Josh were involved in.

I certainly did not expect the pandemic, and it interrupted some important things including my time as president of the Latin Club and Brittany’s graduation, but it helped me to learn adaptability in the digital age, which is valuable knowledge in

This has been a busy semester as the secretary of the Spanish club, being inducted into the Spanish Honor Society and being vice president of the English Honor Society. I also presented a paper at the convention for the English Honor Society after presenting poetry at the Distinguished Public Lecture and my capstone at the Arts & Letters Symposium. My internship digitizing the P. Boyd Smith Hymnology Collection in the Annie Gabriel Library has helped me realize my love for preserving history and making it accessible to anyone who wants to learn.

Thank you, CBU, LMG and The Banner. Without you, I would not have gotten to know this campus as deeply. I have interviewed some pretty amazing people because of you and I will always appreciate that.

“Probably Adidas. I don’t have a strong opinion on either but I’ve had those more recently than Nike.”

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Christianity is a faith, not a social media aesthetic

BY ALEXZA BAHNMILLER MANAGING EDITOR

in the media space begin to become our realities, such as the popular ‘clean girl’ image that I, personally, despise, but that millions have adopted. We are influenced to change ourselves to fit a look others deem commendable and to be proud that we were able to twist and fit ourselves into the box. And while I don’t find joy in doing this, I realize others do and if it makes them happy, why not? However, a recent trend that has been added to the world of aesthetics is Christianity, and as a Christian, I don’t think this is acceptable.

For those who haven’t chosen to succumb to the space of social media (I have fallen victim), I will provide some examples of the “Christian aes-

thetic.” One major example is of nonbelievers wearing crosses on their clothing or jewelry. It is blasphemous to wear crosses because they look ‘cool’ but to deny that Jesus Christ died for our sins.

One of the trends on TikTok are videos titled, “How to become ‘that’ Christian girl,” “How to be a Christian ‘It’ Girl” and “Healthy Christian Girl.” These videos include tips, tricks and day-in the life segments of, essentially, being a good Christian. All of the girls dress in pink, wear crosses and carry around their Bibles in their purses. To be “that” Christian girl, you must wake up at 5 a.m. to study your Bible, listen to worship music at the gym, only eat healthy food and buy cloth-

ing from popular (and sponsored) Christian Instagram shops.

I understand how people could support this trend. It is great to see people being proud of their faith, but it is the way it is presented that is bothersome. Already, people are producing TikToks poking fun with exaggerated reenactments of girls doing “Christian” type things, like going to Starbucks to solve world peace by posting pictures of their co ees and Bibles. Being a Christian is mocked because it is being presented as purely an aesthetic — a ‘look’ that is cute and surface-level.

Christianity is not a trend, and if this is someone’s only angle of seeing Christianity, it is not the right one. Trends are

fleeting and faith isn’t. Christianity is about so much more than posting a video showing that you highlight in your Bible. Although it’s great to study your Bible, do you genuinely have a relationship with God? Are you committed to your faith or are you just putting on a show and editing the same clips of you doing the same actions everyone else is? There is no way to know.

Almost every post says the same thing: You must follow steps 1-3 and then you’ll be certified and marked as an o cial

“Christian It Girl.” If you appear to do the right things and look the part, you too can fit into this category. To me, this is not what Christianity is about. Christianity is about the exact opposite. It is about uncondi-

tional love. It is about the fact that you can mess up on every step — on steps 1, 2 and 3 — and you understand that you have a God that loves you so much that he died for you to have the ability to try again every single day. It’s about the fact that God wants you to come to him exactly as you are but willing to grow to be like Jesus by following the instructions given to us through the Word of God, the Bible, not through trending videos or posts. He doesn’t actually care if you woke up late and had to pray on the drive to work or if you show up to worship with messy, dry-shampooed hair. He wants you to have a relationship with him and to value that relationship more than the clout that may surround bragging about it.

Cartoons by Carly Brunner and Santos Garcia