acp 13-Time National Pacemaker Award Winner
Wednesday Oct. 9, 2019 | Vol. 83, Issue 7
Online Exclusive
The Orion met Sacramento YouTube sensation Susdudes at Chico State. Check out our interview with them only at theorion.com! News
Assault reported near Nord Avenue On Oct. 3, Chico State’s daily crime log reported a rape that occurred in the 1100 block of West Sacramento Avenue.
POLITICS
Governor to NCAA: Pay student athletes fairly Kimberly Morales Staff Writer
For years, student-athletes have fought for the right to earn benefits in return for the work they put into playing in order to place their school on the map. On Sept. 30,
California changed collegiate sports forever as it became the first state to address this issue . Governor Gavin Newsom signed the California Senate Bill 206--or more popularly known as the “Fair Pay to Play Act.” Contrary to popular belief,
the signed bill will not result in college athletes receiving a salary from their school, but rather the rights to use and profit off of their name, image, or likeness. This would be demonstrated through hire agents, signed endorsement deals or licensing contracts or
CITY
even charging for autographs. However, in the case that this bill does not get struck down, it will only begin to go into effect starting in 2023. While many student-athletes believe that this legislation is long overdue, schools, lawmakers, and See A3
CRIME
Chico’s 30th Annual Parade of Lights
Man pleads not guilty on sexual assault and burglary
See A2 Sports
Great fishing not far from campus Chico is home to aweinspiring, beautiful parks and waterways that allow for plenty of enjoyable outdoor activities without needing to travel far.
CHICO POLICE DEPARTMENT
Felipe Jesus Marquez-Segura, 23, is currently being held in Butte County Jail awaiting his preliminary hearing.
Kimberly Morales Staff Writer
THE ORION | JULIAN MENDOZA
Top: Naval Sea Cadet Corps line up at the Broadway and West Third intersection for the parade. Bottom Left: Pleasant Valley High School’s marching band performs in the square for the parade.
See A7 Art
‘Macbeth’ reimagined by local group The Legacy Stage theater group has created a unique twist on Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”.
See A4 POLICE
University Police works to improve safety Angelina Mendez Staff Writer
See A6
Opinion
Chico State needs better counseling availability post-Camp Fire
See A9
Index
Corrections Weather Blotter
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With a tight staff and high demands, University Police Department is working to address a variety of safety concerns at Chico State. Chico State’s University Police Department is located next to campus and states their mission is “to provide a safe environment for our campus community through proactive, progressive, and professional law enforcement services” as stated on their homepage. “With a string of recent events concerning student safety - such as burglaries, a break in at Whitney Hall and a student’s death by train, UPD wants to give an update and more information about the services they offer and provide. Police Commander Chris Nicodemus detailed the exact services that UPD offers and provides. “We offer a lot of services to students,” he said. “We offer a lot of training [and information]. Information can be found on our website… about the police department,
Briefs News Features
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A&E Sports Opinion
23-year-old Felipe Jesus MarquezSegura of Chico, entered court on Thursday. He is being held on charges of sexual assault and burglary. The defendant pled not guilty to forcible sexual penetration and first-degree burglary. According to a Chico Police Department press release, the Chico resident had been arrested after a caller reported that an unrecognizable suspect had entered their neighbor’s residency after prowling the area for some time. During the investigation, the victim successfully identified Marquez-Segura to the California State University Police Department after she ran out of her home. Despite being able to recognize the perpetrator, the victim said she never had any previous connection to him. According to the Chico Police Department’s crime portal website, the Butte County resident was arrested Saturday, at 5:54 a.m. on 721 West Third Street. Marquez-Segura is currently being held in Butte County Jail on abond of $256,000 with a preliminary hearing set for Oct. 17 at 8:30 a.m. If anyone has more information about the suspect, they are encouraged to call the Chico Police Department Detective Bureau at (530) 897-5820. Kimberly Morales can be reached at orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com or @kimberlymnews on Twitter.
CAMPUS THE ORION | ANGELINA MENDEZ
University Police Department located on the corner of Chestnut St and W Second St.
live scanning, ways to report crimes, and more general information about the campus. As well as the campus alert system to keep students aware of the situations going on and general contact information.” “We want students that are interested in law enforcement to come and work with us. They obviously know the campus and are of age, so they can relate to the students,”Nicodemus said. Nicodemus provided new information regarding patrols and actions being taken to improve student safety. “We are constantly monitoring and assessing the needs of the faculty, students
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and staff in order to keep them safe and we are trying to increase our foot patrols on campus,” he said. “We are documenting the dates, times and locations when we do foot patrols on campus. We don’t want to arrest people and take them to jail, we want to try to prevent that from happening so that people can learn and not have to have arrest on their records. ” Nicodemus also said that UPD does walkthroughs at students’ housing and on-campus to maintain a presence. “UPD has 18 officers including the chief, while
Government Affairs holds transparent meeting Carolyn Allen Staff Writer
The Associated Students Government Affairs Committee met in Trinity Commons Thursday to discuss upcoming events and other new business. AS President Trevor Guthrie said the reason the meeting took place in Trinity Commons was to increase the transparency of the weekly business that the committee engages in. The agenda had a variety of items including approval of funding for events, reports from each member and the implementation of the Resolution Supporting Civil See A4
See A4
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Vol-83 Oct. 9, 2019 Issue 7
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Monday Partly Cloudy Tuesday Partly Cloudy
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TheOrion.Com
The police blotter is a section of information cited directly from Chico Police Department and University Police Department
University Police Call Type: Battery Tuesday, Oct. 1 1:52 a.m., 1531 Esplanade Call Type: Battery/ Trespassing Tuesday, Oct 1, 8:15 a.m., 1016 W Sacramento Ave Call Type: Warrant/ Disorderly Conduct: Alcohol
Chico Police Call Type: Vandalism: Deface W/Paint/Etc Monday, Sept. 30, Engineering Center
7:35
a.m.,
Langdon
Call Type: Vandalism: Deface W/ Paint/Etc Monday, Sept. 30, 1:43 p.m., Meriam Library
Tuesday, Oct 1, 12:30 p.m., 401 Broadway St.
Call Type: Threats Received
Call Type: DUI ALCOHOL/0.08 PERCENT
Tuesday, Oct. 1. 10:12 p.m. University VIllage on W. Sacramento Ave.
Tuesday, Oct 1, 11:53 p.m., 1865 E 8th St. Call Type: Trespass: Refuse to Leave Property
Call Type: Outside Warrant Arrest Misdemeanor
Wednesday, Oct 2, 4:04 a.m., 1531 Esplanade
Thursday, Oct. 3, 6:18 a.m., Sierra Hall
Call Type: Disorderly Conduct: Alcohol
Call Type: Vandalism, Damaged Property
Wednesday, Esplanade
Thursday, Oct. 3, 7:10 a.m., 909 Warner St, Chico
Oct
2,
3:33
p.m.,
3269-142
Call Type: DUI Alcohol/0.08 Percent Thursday, Oct 3, 1:48 a.m., 100 W 1st St./Main St. Call Type: Disorderly Conduct: Alcohol Thursday, Oct 3, 12:18 p.m., 411 Main St. Call Type: Disorderly Conduct: Alcohol
Thursday, Oct. 3, 8:04 p.m., Esplanade/So-Wille-no Av, Chico Call Type: Send/Etc False Fire Alarm
Thursday, Oct 3, 10:49 p.m., 1250 Esplanade Call Type: Vandalism/ Damage to Property
Call Type: Disorderly Conduct: alcohol
Call Type: Disorderly Conduct: Alcohol Friday, Oct 4, 11:25 p.m., 818 W 5th St. Call Type: Disorderly Conduct: Alcohol
The best entertainment is free. Head online and listen to The Orion podcasts. theorion.com/podcasts
Call Type: Under 21 Possession of Concentrated Cannabis
Friday, Oct. 4, 6:34 p.m., University Police Department
Friday, Oct 4, 11:34 a.m., 720 Mangrove Ave
Check out Angel Ortega’s movie critique of “The Joker” online at theorion. com!
Friday, Oct 4, 11:22 p.m., 1200 Nord Av, Chico Call Type: Drunk in Public: detention only Saturday, Oct. 5, 12:34 a.m., Whitney Hall Dormitory
Friday, Oct 4, 11:48 p.m., 115 W 3rd St. Call Type: Minor in Possession/ Open Container Sat, Oct 5, 12:20 a.m., 629 W 4th St. Call Type: Minor in Possession/ Open Container Sat, Oct 5, 12:20 a.m., 629 W 4th St.
Call Type: DUI Alcohol Only Saturday, Oct. 5, 2:05 a.m., 710 Nord Ave, Chico Call Type: DUI Alcohol Only: Under21-Driving / Alcohol Possession Saturday Oct. 5, 8:24 p.m., W 2ND St/Walnut St, Chico
Crime
Sexual assault reported by West Sacramento Avenue Kimberly Morales Staff Writer
On Oct. 3, Chico State’s daily crime log reported a rape that occurred in the 1100 block of West Sacramento Avenue. According to the map report, the incident occurred at midnight. The victim at the time was also reported to be incapable of giving consent. When asked for further information on the case, Chico State University Police Department (UPD) directed The Orion to Shane Murphy, Media Relations Coordinator.
At University Communications, The Orion was instead directed to another source, Chris Nicodemus, commander of University Police Department. UPD said that UPD’s chief of police, John Reid, is out of town and unable to comment on the event. When contacted, Nicodemus stated that he did not know if the crime was being investigated and was looking for more information. Further inspecting the daily crime log, reporters found that the report had been removed from the map earlier that day.
The next morning, Friday,, the report was back on the map. When reached Friday, Sergeant Glander of UPD said no further information will be released on this case, in the next week or later on, “due to the circumstances of the case.” The only information that will be available to students regarding this case is the information currently on the UPD crime map.
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Kimberly Morales can be reached at orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com or @kimberlymnews on Twitter
Corrections Contact | Editorial This space is used Phone: 530.898.5672 Email: editorinchief@theorion.com for corrections Editor-In-Chief Visuals Editor and retractions in Natalie Hanson Melissa Herrera stories submitted to News Editor Copy Chief Natalie Hanson Salma Reyes The Orion. A+E Editor Rayanne Painter
Assistant Copy Chief Christina Cahill
Opinion Editor Rayanne Painter
Art Director Alex Coba
Sports Editor Podcast Editor Lucero Del Rayo-Nava Mitchell Kret
Contact | Business Phone: 530.898.6919 Email: orionadvertisingmanager@gmail.com Website www.theorion.com Business Manager Brooke Martin Adviser David Little
Fax 530.898.4799
News
POLITICS
Vol-83 Oct. 9, 2019 Issue 7
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Governor to NCAA: Pay student athletes fairly Continued from NCAA A1
athletic associations such as the National Collegiate Athletic Association have been quick to make their case opposing the bill, citing the same reasons it took so long to be signed in the first place--this change could forever alter collegiate athletics for better or for worse. Those opposed to the bill still have the interest of college athletes at heart but want to make sure students are more focused on earning their education over their salaries. Others fear that the integration of agents would result in certain schools having an advantage in recruiting, thus spoiling the appealling element of collegiate sports in which students are acknowledged for their raw talent, not their networks. For supporters of SB 206, the ratification of the law would reinvent sports to the benefit of the athletes who are held to the standards of professionals but not treated as such. Responsibly compensating athletes would not only be fair but would also level the playing field. Many students who sign with schools are sold on the idea of receiving an initial athletic scholarship and the temporary benefits, but find themselves struggling to afford food and housing. Few players become professionals, while the rest who still dedicated themselves to their sport leave with an incomplete degree and no money from their collegiate career. Although the bill cannot be integrated until 2023, many students have already POLICE
Government Affairs Committee hold transparent meeting
formed their opinion on the subject-especially those who may reach the 2023 bill before they graduate. “[The bill is] definitely long overdue, it’s not something you would think of right off the bat, but it also should be acknowledged,” said Cielysse Robinson, a freshman and outside hitter for Chico State’s volleyball team . “Student-athletes put a lot of work into the school, we do more than just be in the classroom, go home, and do our daily lives. We go to class and then straight to practice right after, it’s a hard 12-hour day. We’re tired, and have to wake up every day and do it again,” Robinson continued. “Student-athletes work hard regardless, but people, in general, would do anything for money, it’s fair. But being able to earn a profit off of this would just be a plus,” Robinson said. Aside from the morality and rationality of compensating students, another issue is at play with the NCAA, which is integrated with schools across the country--including the California State University system to ensure student athletics are fair and safe. The bill signed by Newsom directly violates the rules set by the NCAA and if not amended, could result in ineligibility for California schools to participate in their highest-turnout conferences. For now, students will have to wait until the ball is in their court. Kimberly Morales can be reached at orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com or @kimberlymnews on Twitter
THE ORION | KIMBERLY MORALES
History of the NCAA
COMMUNITY
Butte Environmental Council shares new interactive mural
Continued from Government A1
THE ORION | AMELIA STORM
The Government Affairs Committee takes public comments on Trinity Commons
Disobedience. The audience had many students in attendance to watch the proceedings, including many clubs and organizations that presented to the committee. The vice president of the oncampus club, Chico State Democrats Sara Bilotta said she came as an exampletoencourageotherstudents to increase their civic engagement. “We’re trying to encourage students to kinda take our campus back and making it so the students are in charge, so I feel like connecting with our elected representatives is really important and a really good step in the right direction,” Bilotta said. Also on the agenda was the moving of the AS elections to April 1. There was much discussion surrounding this agenda item, but the motion to move the date was approved. Public comment on the change was not taken. “Associated Students could go about listening to their constituents a little better. I think some of the questions that were asked were kind of not directly answered,” Bilotta said. The committee also discussed implementing the Resolution Supporting Civil Disobedience which encourages students to stand up to social injustice. By implementing this it shows support of students challenging social issues. Public opinion was taken during the discussion. Some who spoke were concerned that some protests and on-campus social movements would be supported more than others in regards to funding. “It is important for us as students to be involved in this process,” Melys Jerez, a third-year intern for California Faculty Association said. Jerez said that she is happythat she has time in her schedule to come to these meetings and be engaged with what is going on with the school. “I would say that these meetings encourage me to be more vocal and louder on campus because I know what’s going on,” Jerez said. Carolyn Allen can be reached at
orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com or
@carolynallen48 on Twitter
THE ORION | MELISSA HERRERA
(Left) Wyatt Hersey sketched the mural on the wall and Danielle Baxter managed the overall event. (Right) All ages came to the event and took their turns painting on the mural.
Carolyn Allen Staff Writer
The non-profit organization Butte Environmental Council had an interactive mural painting event Saturday at their Chico office. The event featured live music, food from Gnarly Deli and Kombucha from the Chico Natural Foods Cooperative. The mural was done by Chico-based illustrator and muralist Wyatt Hersey and others were invited to help paint it. “One of our strategic goals this year was to use our physical space being a nonprofit to open it up to the larger community and community groups to come and join us on collaboration on environmental planning and environmental events,” said General
Manager of BEC Danielle Baxter. Baxter said the room where the mural was painted will not only be used to conduct the business of the organization, but also as a community space where others can come to host meetings. The interactive mural featured many of Butte County’s natural features and creatures. “This image is a portrait of the landscape it has, all of the wild beings that live on the land., from the trees and plants to hawks and humans,” artist Wyatt Hersey said. Hersey said he was given the opportunity to do the mural in his own way, aside from a few requests. According to Baxter, many of the elements within the mural represent events and other aspects of the organization.
“We have a focus on bikes here representing the Chico Bicycle Music Festival that we host in June,” Baxter said. “We have some oak trees because we do native oak restoration projects in upper park, big Chico creek running through and some other fun plants and animal species.” Hersey said this mural is very much inline with the type of work he has made, and the general themes of his works deal with the human relationship with nature. “It’s basically a way for me to connect with the natural world,” said Hersey.
Carolyn Allen can be reached at orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com or @carolynallen48 on Twitter
CAMPUS
University Police works to improve safety Continued University Police from A1
Chico Police has four times as many officers,” Nicodemus says. “If there’s a situation we need assistance with, we have that relationship with Chico PD in place and that relationship is day-to-day. We printed out and laminated some campus maps for Chico PD and that way if officers need a way to find a place on campus, they will have the maps. This is all a part of building our relationship.” First-year student and criminal justice major Gina Gallia was asked about her input on campus safety and if she thinks it’s a good idea to have more police on campus. “So far I haven’t seen UPD on campus as much but I noticed that there hasn’t been active violence or any issues so they must be doing a great job,” Gallia said. “I don’t question my safety on campus. I’ve never felt threatened or in danger. I’ve heard a lot of stories of police officers helping students who feel unsafe to get to a safe place and I think it’s a really great thing they do. I honestly think that they have been doing a good job with responding to crime reports.” Gallia said However, even though Commander Nicodemus explains they’ve improved their presence on campus, some students
are still failing to see them. “I believe to make improvements, it might help to see them around campus more often for students to be reminded
THE ORION | AMELIA STORM
Chico State and Chico city have come together to give University police more power within a one mile radius of campus
that they are there to help keep them safe as well as to maintain confidence within the student body that safety is their number one priority,” Gallia explains. Nicodemus also explained what exactly Blue Lights are, the number on campus and an update on when more will arrive.
“We have 44 blue lights on campus. They are strategically placed on campus so if you are at one blue light you can see another one. That’s the way they are positioned and they are all over campus. When you use a blue light and make that call, that immediately goes to our dispatch center,” Nicodemus said. “We have our certified dispatch center that’s open 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Some of the locations where the blue lights are located have cameras as well so we have eyes on what’s going on as well. There will be more coming in the future.” Nicodemus advises students to check out the UPD website where a large amount of information is provided. “Always travel in groups and try to stay in well-lit areas,” Nicodemus said. “Always inform someone what you’re doing, where you’re going and to be aware of your surroundings. We are here 24 hours a day, if you see something, say something. We are always here.” UPD has contact and general information located on their website through Chico State’s main website as well. Angelina Mendez can be reached at orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com
Community responds to incoming Oroville vape bans
CITY
Features
Vol-83 Oct. 9, 2019 Issue 7
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Chico’s 30th annual Parade of Lights
Jessie Imhoff Staff Writer
THE ORION | ANGELINA MENDEZ
Nick Bowman(Left) Gabe Trujillo (Right)
Chico State’s campus is usually lined with students tabling for different reasons, such as recruitment. Others go to campus and table to share their ideas about the world with students. That’s what Nick Bowman and Gabe Trujillo set out to do by tabling with a sign that read “vaping is not bad for you, change my mind.” In the midst of all the illnesses and deaths related to vaping, and government officials calling for various bans on vape products, the two were sharing their pro-vape stance with those on campus. Oroville’s City Council recently approved moving forward with a ban on flavored tobacco products, which would include flavored vape juices. Bowman stated that he is against the idea of banning flavored vapes. “If you’re gonna ban those flavors, people like me that enjoy those flavors are probably not gonna want to vape a tobacco flavor,” Bowman said. “I feel like that can make people turn over to cigarettes and backfire in a way.” Trujillo said that he thinks flavored vapes can attract people who usually smoke cigarettes and draw them away from cigarettes. “That would help them from getting away from that taste of tobacco in their mouth,” he said. There is also the concern that flavored vapes are targeting children, which seems to be the main reason why city council members in Oroville are moving forward with the ban. Roxy Hoofard, the manager at Darkside, a store in Chico that sells vapes and e-cigarettes, does not believe that banning flavored vapes is a solution to kids vaping. “People assume that it’s targeted toward children, but adults are the real sweets-eaters,” Hoofard said. Others, like Chico State student Daniel Nguyen, think that banning flavors is a good way to get vapes away from kids.
THE ORION | JULIAN MENDOZA
Top: School buses in Chico were spotlighted with special float. Bottom Right: Hooker Oak School wore different costumes. Bottom Left: An Elvis impersonator is featured on a float.
Continued from A1
Board for the Chico Parade of Lights. “The pirate ship had too tall of a mast and got caught in the trees and it completely tore the mask off the top of the ship, that was pretty hilarious,” said Largen. “So they had to adjust it, make it shorter this year so it would fit under everything.” Largent would love to have more volunteers. He wants to see more floats next year and encourages anybody to go to chicoparadeoflights.com to help.
radio station, The Blaze, get asked by Azad’s Martial Arts and they are always glad to do it, according to Wessles. “They had the pirate float coming by and if for no other reason than fun, they managed to navigate around some trees that were hanging over the street with a very tall float,” said Wessels. “And they didn’t delay anything at all, they got around those trees very nicely and it was a well done float and there was a lot of fun to see.” The planning for the parade can start as early as January. Julian Mendoza can be reached at In June they begin reaching out to schools to get them orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com or involved, according to Brent Largent the Chairman of the @JulianMTheOrion. on Twitter
Baja Club stays low in Plumas Julian Mendoza Staff Writer
THE ORION | ANGELINA MENDEZ
University Police Department located on the corner of Chestnut St and W Second St.
Nguyen, however, also brought flavored alcohol into the mix, questioning why flavored vapes are being singled out as a negative product that targets kids while no one is calling to ban flavored alcohol. “You can’t choose one vice over the other,” Nguyen said. “If you are choosing tobacco [to ban], you can’t skip over alcohol.” “Flavored alcohol needs to be the first thing to be banned before we ban flavored vaping… Kids think that smoking is bad,” Hoofard said. “They’re generally not gonna start smoking until they’re at least 17 or 18.” While most students on campus who passed by the table voiced their support of vaping, Bowman and Trujillo were prepared for students who had a negative opinion on vapng, comparing the harms of vaping to the harms of cigarettes. As for Chico, mayor Randall Stone, when asked if a similar ban would make its way to Chico, said that a ban on flavored tobacco products has not been requested. “However, it is possible this will cause (at least a temporary) ban on cannabis cartridges as the city works to legalize dispensaries in Chico,” Stone said. The vaping ban will be discussed at Oroville’s planning commission’s meeting on Oct. 24 at 7 p.m.
Jessie Imhoff can be reached at orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com or @JessieReports on Twitter
Every Monday and Wednesday, dozens of students arrive in the parking lot located in Plumas Hall, discussing, experimenting, engineering and getting their hands dirty on the old version of their car for Baja Club. The Baja Club has been working on their cars until as late as 4 a.m. They use what they learn in class for competitions against other schools across the nation. Baja Club is part of the Baja Society of Automotive Engineers, a global organization specializing in getting engineering students to work together to create an off-road vehicle designed to navigate rough terrain. Chico State has been a part of SAE Baja since 1986, where they have designed a new car every year and competed with other schools. Perrey Cheney joined Baja Club two years ago when he came to Chico. He doesn’t remember whether he saw them at Wildcat Welcome or Choose Chico Day. He does remember thinking that Baja Club was cool. “I saw it and I was like ‘These seem cool they know what they’re doing real engineering work, applying everything they’re learning in class’,” president of Baja Club, Cheney, said. The club is split up by different groups of students working together on one part for their car. Areas of practice include: Chassis Suspension Steering CVT Gearbox Data Acquisition Brakes and Throttle Ergonomics “The club’s main purpose is to supplement all the students for applying what they learned in engineering coursework. That’s kind of the whole premise of why Baja exists as an international organization,” Cheney said. The club organizes into their own subteams for each part of the car, letting younger students understand what
THE ORION | JULIAN MENDOZA
(Top) The car gets taken out on Mondays for the club to check out. (Bottom) A Baja club student working on a car part.
design work is being done since it is master level coursework. Last semester, the Baja Club entered two of only three official competitions throughout the year. In SAE Baja-Midwest, the 2019 Tennessee competition, their car got 12th place out of 89 and their suspension won second place. The Baja Club designs a new car every year. The rules could change every year, such as getting bonus points for including four-wheel drive. Desirae Jones is the main driver and the suspension lead for the car, and currently they are going through the geometry of the car. According to Jones, if the suspension is weak, then the car could get easily damaged. She has been in the Baja Club for five years. According to Cheney, she is the smallest and lightest person, despite
the fact that she has been in the club the longest. “We all just like it that’s it! That’s it!” Jones said. “You almost learn more in this club than you do in classes because you get to apply what you’re learning and it honestly helps you more with getting jobs or internships.” Another reason Jones is the main driver is because she has had experience with off-road racing, seeing the car go from 600 pounds to today where it is 300 pounds. “It’s super beneficial,” Jones said. “It’s definitely helped me and it can help any freshman that’s thinking about joining, definitely do it!” Julian Mendoza can be reached at orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com or @JulianMTheOrion. on Twitter
A+E
Vol-83 Oct. 9, 2019 Issue 7
A5
‘Joker’ is a beautifully sinister film
Warner Bros. website photo
Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is a failed comedian who’s a downward spiral into madness transforms him into the Joker.
Angel Ortega Staff Writer
“Joker” is a gruesome, poignant adaptation of the infamous DC Comics villain. Arthur Fleck, played by Joaquin Phoenix, is a failed comedian who makes his living as a clown-forhire. Fleck suffers from mental illness stemming from the abuse he experienced in his childhood and from the turbulent conditions of his current life. When Fleck’s life begins to take a turn for the worst, he begins a descent into madness and insanity that ultimately leads him to becoming the villain we all know today. Phoenix is one of, if not the best actors in American cinema today. If there’s anything reflective of his performance in the 2017 film, “You Were Never Really Here,” it’s that Phoenix’s abilities as an actor are truly versatile and he can portray a character suffering from psychological trauma well. Phoenix’s Joker is grim and menacing. However, he’s also depressing to watch. As an audience,
we finally see an origin story behind a character whose origin in previous films has always been clouded in ambiguity and obscurity. Fleck’s character arc is made even more sad since both his work-life and homelife is in absolute shambles. For the sake of keeping this review spoiler free, I won’t go too much into detail about Fleck’s descent, but with that said, the build-up and rising action behind Fleck’s downward spiral into madness is revolting and hard to watch, yet captivating enough that you can’t take your eyes away from the screen. On top of Phoenix’s performance, his physical preparation for the role was shocking. His commitment to method acting is reflected in his physical appearance throughout “Joker.” I believe Phoenix starved himself because he was so skinny that he looked unhealthy. Very few actors commit themselves to these extreme body transformations. Actors like Christian Bale and Matthew McConaughey have undergone similar transformations in films like “Vice” and “Dallas
Buyers Club,” respectively, and have done it well. Not every great actor or actress should strive for this extreme of method acting, but it’s something worthy of respect when they do reach that level because to make your body endure so much stress for one role shows true dedication. Phoenix’s dedication in “Joker” is apparent in every element of his appearance and performance. I would argue that Phoenix’s Joker is on par with Heath Ledger’s legendary portrayal of the Joker in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight.” The narrative of “Joker” was a lot more cohesive than I had originally anticipated considering Warner Brothers’ awful track record with DC Comics films. The overall film flowed well and did not have a single dull moment. Considering the film is based off of a villain from the Batman franchise, there were many moments where the film could have shoe-horned in references to the superhero, but the film does an exceptional job of focusing mainly on Joker’s character while giving a few subtle nods to the original superhero.
What I admire the most about this film is its unwillingness to hold back. The film is gritty, violent and abhorrent in its aesthetic. The abundance of grotesque visuals do not detract from “Joker,” but rather compliment the film because they allow the film to explore a darker, depressive side of the human condition. Plus, it allows the film to showcase a violent and cruel Joker at his true potential. “Joker” exceeded all my expectations, and then some. I cannot recommend this film enough to fans of both comic book characters and gritty cinema. Rating: 5/5 stars
Angel Ortega can be reached at orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com or @AngelOrtegaNews on Twitter
‘The Last Generation’ gallery at BMU Emily Neria Staff Writer
Chico State art major Rafael Orti Garcia welcomed guests to his art exhibit titled “The Last Generation” in a reception on the third floor of the BMU Thursday afternoon. The exhibit featured surreal artworks primarily done in ink and charcoal. Each piece depicted eclectic scenes of machinery, wildlife and ruin with the presence of people featured as a key component in each piece. Garcia’s style focused on combining classical and contemporary techniques. He used realistic depth and spacing as seen in classical artwork in combination with the flat, two-dimensional style of contemporary art. The title “The Last Generation” is in reference to Garcia’s own generation which was the last to grow up without cell phones. Garcia believes that if he had a cell phone as a kid, his hyperactivity would have been satiated too easily, and he never would have developed his artistic skills or creativity. Themes represented in Garcia’s art center around consumerism and the negativity it propagates. “This promotion of ‘we need to work more so we can buy more stuff’ -- That started getting into my head when I first came here to the U.S. to study,” Garcia said. “I realized a lot of people were really hungry for success which pushed me to become better, but on the other hand, it was also too fast for me compared to how people live in Spain.” Garcia has attended Chico State for four years now. Originally, he studied animation, but after taking a few figure drawing classes, he decided to switch his major to art. Some of the pieces in the show are class projects Garcia has done over the last two years. Others, he completed in the last three months in preparation for the exhibit. Once Garcia graduates, he plans to either continue with a graduate program or to get a job and work on art in his spare time. “I definitely want to keep developing my skills,” Garcia said. To see Garcia’s artwork, check out his website rafaeilorti.com or go to the third floor of the BMU. His art will be on display until October 17. The exhibit is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, and 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday.
Emily Neria can be reached at orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com
THE ORION | HANA BEATY
(Top) A piece called “Overwhelmed” done with charcoal and black ink. (Middle) One of Garcia’s anti-consumerism pieces entitled “Progress” (Bottom) Rafael and his mom standing next to his favorite piece in the exhibit entitled “S-hell”
A+E
Vol-83 Oct. 9, 2019 Issue 7
A6
gets Chico Unplugged spotlights songwriters ‘Macbeth’ an inventive new twist
COURTESY BY | LEGACY STAGE THEATER GROUP
Danielle Kessler Staff Writer
THE ORION | ABRAM MELENDEZ
(Above) Winners of ‘Chico Unplugged’ pose together. (Bottom) Tori May and Jahai Baruti perform together.
Abram Melendez Staff Writer
The Chico Unplugged contest began at Madison Bear Garden on Thursday. This Chico State School of the Arts event is an American Idol-style competition in which contestants play two songs. After everyone is finished, the judges decide who wins and places in the competition. This was the first round of Chico Unplugged, which will continue every Thursday until October 17. The winners and runner-ups will perform in a winners showcase after the competition has ended. The two winners of that event will then be able to use the recording studio on campus to record any music of their choosing. Chico Unplugged really serves as a way for local amateur artists to gain exposure for their music as well as a chance to gain experience in front of a live crowd. A standout feature of this event is that it provides a supportive environment filled with artists that want to contribute to an entertaining, engaging event. Chico Unplugged is based only around acoustic elements. This means that during a performance, rather than having a pre-recorded beat to perform over, the crowd would have to participate and give the rap artists a beat to flow off of. Chico Unplugged featured different genres and subgenres of music mixing, including music styles that evaded definition. Rock, rap, hip-hop and soul showed up in a number of different performances, giving each
artist their own flavor and identity. One stand-out performance was from a Chico State second-year student, Jeremy Roads, also known as Jerm Deezy. The Sacramento native took a lot of inspiration from modern rappers, including SoundCloud rappers. “I’m a mix of Trippy Redd and Mike Sherm,” Roads said in reference to his style. One of the last people who went on for the night was funk singer Tori May. With 20 years of performing a fusion of pop, punk and other genres, she brought passion and talent to the stage. May didn’t know that she had to play a second song during her set, but still knocked the performance out of the park. For her second song, she included a live rapper, Jahai Baruti. Baruti also had a plethora of performative knowledge and experience. Their combined styles lit up the stage. May and Baruti ended up being the winners for that Chico Unplugged. If you are interested in Baruti’s discography, you can find it on Spotify. Chico Unplugged will continue for the next two Thursdays. If you are interested in supporting local artists, come out and support local artists down at Madison Bear Garden. Abram Melendez can be reached at can be reached at orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com
Your Spotify algorithm is limiting you Kati Morris Staff Writer
“Your weekly mixtape of fresh music. Enjoy new discoveries and deep cuts chosen just for you.” This is the message you’ll see tagged onto Spotify’s “Discover Weekly” feature. It’s a playlist of curated music recommendations updated every Monday. The idea behind it is to expose the user to music they have never heard before, but how effective is this feature? Spotify has briefly explained the process behind “Discover Weekly” as being based on something called an “affinity score” which they assign to artists on the platform. The score is essentially a guess about how well a particular artist reflects your taste. There is actually a quiz that you can take on their website that supposedly helps them create a better profile. When I went to take the quiz, I noticed that every song I was prompted to rate was one that I had already saved to my library or added to one of my playlists. After the short survey, I was redirected to my “curated” playlist. Unfortunately, it was a disappointing mix of songs I had seen a million times already. With the amount of times a song by Rex Orange County or Clairo appeared on my “Discover Weekly,” it seems like Spotify has just been recommending the same 20 lo-fi, “chill” indie songs since 2015. Like all social media algorithms, Spotify’s recommendations do little more than cultivate a niche for its users. For the casual music listener, it’s not likely that they will go out of
Spotify app displayed on iPhone
their way to listen to a variety of new albums every week. The majority of their music listening probably takes place in the car, commuting to school or work or walking to class. Thankfully, there’s a playlist called “Your Daily Drive,” so they don’t have to spend too much time thinking about it. Playlists are perfect for the casual listener. Spotify has a huge focus on moodthemed playlists, designed to be endless streams of background noise that require little to no actual attention from the listener. The outcome of consuming music this way is of course that we aren’t straying far from our typical listening habits, leaving little room for discovery. It’s not just Spotify that does this either. Apple Music and other major streaming services have similar algorithms that feed us recommendations, often boiled down to whichever artists they want to promote.
PHOTO BY | SARA KURFEß
We have every song at our fingertips, but we are exposed to very few. The possibilities for music discovery are virtually endless now. Compared to the days of swapping CDs and digging through record bins, we aren’t faced with physical or monetary limitations anymore. In a world where we can essentially experience music from any point in history, it seems counterintuitive to only pay attention to what our recommended feed suggests. Algorithms are a part of everything we do online these days, from our Instagram Explore pages to the suggested content on Youtube and Netflix. In the niche-driven era of digital streaming, these algorithms exist to drive you closer to what you’re already consuming. We are only limited by how we choose to engage with them. Kati Morris can be reached at orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com or @neutralsoymlk on Twitter
The Legacy Stage theater group has put a unique twist on Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.” For this performance, they’ve dropped all the qualities of traditional theater. This means no stage, no seats and a two-mile walk around Bidwell Park at night. For a performance this unique, audiences should be prepared to experience Shakespeare as they’ve never seen before. Co-founder, Erin Horst said that their ultimate goal for a performance this special is to create something that really brings out the great writing of Shakespeare. “This concept supports our mission: there is nothing better than speaking Shakespeare’s words in the park, under the stars and with the audience in this intimate
COURTESY BY | LEGACY STAGE THEATER GROUP
way.” Horst says that the elements of “immersive, site-specific and promenade” theater add to this once-in-a-lifetime entertainment experience. With the audience being in a promenade, or walk through the environment, they are able to get up close and personal with the characters. Being provided with flashlights, they are even part of the show by creating an audience-made spotlight for the actors. Audiences can expect to walk away with a truly unique sense of involvement that most don’t get out of a traditional theater setting. “Before I went, I didn’t really know what to expect but I loved the idea that it was in the park,” audience member Kelsey Faytak said about the show. “The immersion aspect of the play was unique and really made me feel as if I was in the scenes and also feel what the actors were experiencing,” Faytak said. She said that the overall essence of the show made a great pair with the acting of the performers. Of course, the show includes William Shakespeare’s original text and, while the performance itself is inventive, it never distracts from the folks at Legacy Stage’s passion for his playwriting. “Macbeth” will be showing until Nov. 2 and Legacy Stage welcomes any and all theater fans to come see an immersive show that puts them right in the middle of the action. Legacy Stage is excited to introduce people to a whole new type of performance, and will have a plethora of shows to come in the future, including a Christmas Cabaret called “Give My Regards to Christmas” opening from Dec. 12 to Dec 22.
Danielle Kessler can be reached at orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com or @reserv0irpups on Twitter
Sports
Vol-83 Oct. 9, 2019 Issue 7
A7
Great fishing, not far from campus
Matthew Ferreira Staff Writer
Chico is home to some of the most beautiful parks and waterways with plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy without needing to travel far. One of these activities being fishing on the Sacramento river, with a fishing license, rod and reel and a basic tackle kit you can get out there in no time. The Sacramento river is home to a plethora of species of fish, making it an ideal fishing waterway at all times of the year. Some of the most popular species caught on the river include catfish, trout, bass, sturgeon and striped bass. The river also sees anglers from all over the country to fish for King Salmon every fall, but Chico locals and students don’t have to travel far to enjoy all of the good fishing it has to offer. Just ten minutes from Chico State there are multiple areas both on and offshore to test your luck at reeling in a big one. One of the spots located at the BidwellSacramento River State Park is where the river meets Pine Creek. This spot can be accessed directly off of River Road, and has parking just steps from the water. A short, one-minute walk leads to the bed of the river where you can cast away and hope for a bite. Due to the diversity of species in the river, anglers can use many different types of lures but spinners and swim baits work well for catching salmon and trout swimming downstream. This spot is located on a section of the bank with a fair amount of vegetation, as well as some small coves and nooks, making it ideal for morning fishing when
the water is still cool and the fish are biting. Another spot located not far from the Pine Creek access point is the Boat Launch at Scotties on River Road. The spot is accessible by foot and leads to a calmer section of water that can be fished in, but due to traffic from other anglers launching and picking up their boats, it isn’t ideal to fish until after dark. Anglers with a boat however can use the launch to access a large portion of the Sacramento River that is within minutes of the launch. Being in the boat allows you to reach many of the riverbed spots in Chico that are inaccessible by foot. These hard to reach places are where fish love to hang out, and launching from Scottie’s Landing gives anglers the opportunity to catch more fish at these sites. Fishing offshore also lets you use different lures that may not have worked as well in a river bed area, and gives you the ability to “troll.” Trolling is a practice where you drive the boat slowly while leaving a lure (typically a swimbait) following behind you. No matter how you go about fishing in Chico, there are plenty of spots up and down the Sacramento River within minutes of downtown ready to be fished and explored by beginners and experts alike. With the different spots and strategies mentioned above, as well as other places along the river, there are many ways to get into fishing and enjoy all of the beauty that Chico and the Sacramento river have to offer without having to go too far from home. Matthew Ferreira can be reached at orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com.
THE ORION | MATTHEW FERREIRA (Top) View from the boat launch at Scotty’s Landing. (Left) The Bidwell-Sacramento river information board. (Bottom) Sign for Scotty’s Landing, a popular restaurant and boat launch in Chico
Sports
Vol-83 Oct. 9, 2019 Issue 7
A8
Strong October offense for volleyball
Karina Cope Staff Writer
The first week of October is off to a solid start for Chico State volleyball, as the Wildcats were victorious in two of their three home games this past week. With a win against Cal State East Bay and a loss against Sonoma State, Chico State went into Saturday’s game against Humboldt State with a hopeful and determined mindset. The long week of games ended in Chico State’s favor, as they took the win away from the Humboldt State Lumberjacks. The first set of the match was a real nail biter as both teams were neckand-neck in their fight to 25. Especially in the latter half of the set, the score fluctuated from a one-point lead to being tied. The Wildcats came back with three consecutive points as the Lumberjacks were held at 24, but Humboldt State won the last point with an out ball hit on their side, finalizing the score of the first set at 23-25. Chico State avoided getting discouraged and as a result came back to win the following three matches in a row. The scores of sets two through four were 25-17, 25-14, and 2516. Chico State’s offensive game was on fire throughout the whole match and largely is what lead the team to their victory. Outside hitter Grace Shepherd demonstrated her power on the court
with her elaborate approach and strong, controlled swing. Coming in as a freshman, Shepherd had to slightly adjust her attack and arm swing to match the faster pace of volleyball she is now seeing in college. “The blockers come up much higher and they’re more aggressive, so you can’t just swing low anymore,” Shepard said. “You have to attack that ball at a higher point. So for me, that’s what I had to change and notice.” Shepherd also has her own special technique she uses to avoid getting stuffed by opposing blockers. “I actually see the set, I look at the blockers, and then I look back at the ball so I can see where they’re lined up and where they’re hands are,” Shepherd said. Another aspect that adds utility to the offense is tipping. “It is effective because it throws off the blockers. They’re not ready for it, especially when you’ve been swinging hard all night,” Shepard said. Not to mention, upon entering the third set, Assistant Coach Tommy Gott was giving Shepherd some pointers regarding where to start her approach. He was advising her to begin her approach closer to the net, as she was moving a little too far back and was therefore contacting the ball outside her body. Shepherd says she is known for going way out of her approach. Minor tweaks and fixes to sharpen up
THE ORION | HANA BEATY (Left) The Wildcats cheer as they beat Humboldt State Saturday night. From the left Brook Fogel, Grace Shepherd, and Esti Wilson. (Right) Makaela Keeve spiking the ball over the net.
the offense lead to a much cleaner game of volleyball and allow the Wildcats to improve upon the little things in their technique. Middle hitters, like Makaela Keeve, are not only a huge asset offensively, but they play a large factor in setting up the defense, as well. Keeve hustles the length of the net, putting up double blocks with both outside and opposite hitters on the left and right side of the net. The double blocks that she coordinates is the first defensive barrier that opposing hitters encounter. Nailing down the timing on a double block with the middle blocker and hitters is a volleyball skill that requires much practice and repetition.
Keeve, in addition to Shepherd, is another dominate swinger. She attacks with intensity and explosiveness and is able to slam the ball. “It’s definitely really exhilarating (getting a kill),” Keeve said. “I think the best part for me is seeing how excited my own teammates get and how much it electrifies us as a team.” With Chico State’s offensive powerhouse, they look to steal the win during more games in the near future. With a current overall record of 9-6, the Wildcats hit the road to face Cal State Monterey Bay on Oct. 12. Karina Cope can be reached at sportseditor@gmail.com or @KarinalCope Twitter
Sonoma State takes reign, defeating the Wildcats
THE ORION | WESLEY HARRIS (Left) Brooke Fogel rises for a serve Friday night. (Right) Brooke Ono on the right sets up a kill for Kim Wright on the left
Wesley Harris Staff Writer
Chico State volleyball failed to take the top overall record in the conference over Sonoma State. After coming out of the gates strong in the first set, Chico could not stop the points from flowing in. Seawolves’ Kiana Richardson’s 18 kills was too much to handle for the Wildcats. “Game one we obviously came out and played well,” coach Cody Hein said. “They made some adjustments, and we had some mismatches. It didn’t matter who we put on number 6, she was hitting over us, around us, and through us.” Grace Shepherd led the way for the Wildcats with 11 kills. Gretta Kirkby and Kelly Jacome combined for nine kills each with Jacome adding four blocks to her total. Kim Wright followed right behind with eight kills.
“Once we start slipping points, there’s like a couple key points that we miss,” Wright said. “Maybe a miscommunication between players. Once that happens and it compounds, we start to lose energy. Our team is all about energy.” The first set was positive for Chico State as they held the lead for most of the set. After creating some leverage late in the set, Sonoma went on a run to force the set to extra points. Chico prevailed to take their only win of the night 26-24. “I think this game is on us,” Wright said. “I think we came out with the right energy and right attitude in the first game, and the second, third and fourth, we just dropped.” The second set featured more of the same exciting back and forth action. Sonoma made a great adjustment in trying to shut down Chico’s talented
group of middle hitters. “Our middle hitters are Kim Wright and Makaela Keeve,” coach Hein said. “They’re two of our better players, so they made sure they had 2 blockers on them all the time.” The third set became a disaster for the Wildcats as Sonoma went on an early 6-0 run to break the game open. The onslaught of points continued to flow for the Seawolves on their way to a 25-11 win. “They were using, what we call, a right pin where number 6 plays,” coach Hein said. They were setting her up a ton and she was just getting ... kills, so she exploited our block.” Chico desperately battled to force a fifth set. They played with optimism to try to stop Sonoma from taking the head of the conference. “That’s our style of play, we like to call ourselves gritty, Wright said. “We
like to call ourselves relentless because we’re able to get ourselves out of deficits like that. There wasn’t a second in that third set that I didn’t think we could come back and win because that’s all of our mindsets.” Chico State only trails Sonoma State in the CCAA conference standings. They’re tied with Stanislaus State, a team Chico defeated twice, at 4-2. The Wildcats continue conference play against Humboldt State Saturday night at home. “It’s going to be a mindset correction,” Wright said. The biggest thing our coach always says is to look ourselves in the mirror at the end of the night and be honest with ourselves. We’re going to wake up tomorrow, have a new day, and we’re going to win.” Wesley Harris can be reached at orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com or @jiggy_wes on Twitter
EDITORIAL
Opinion
Students need better post-Camp Fire counseling
Vol-83 Oct. 9, 2019 Issue 7
B5
TikTok is innovative, but reinforces stereotypes Danielle Kessler Staff Writer
ILLUSTRATION | MELISSA JOSEPH
Natalie Hanson Editor-In-Chief
For the past year or more, getting counseling when you need it has become more and more of a struggle at Chico State. If you need to go through the Student Health Center, getting a same-day appointment requires being ready before 8 a.m. to call ahead and try to get in on cancellations. Otherwise, you’re left waiting for setting appointments weeks ahead. This is not acceptable, and yet students continue to have to wait for mental health services if the Student Health Center is their only resource. It’s not much better around town, either - if you have MediCal the waitlists are long, and same-day help is nearly impossible. However, all of this is even more of an issue in the aftermath of the Camp Fire. This was made clear last year when mental health services were left extremely shorthanded after over 20,000 people were displaced. It has a huge impact on the medical community, and it certainly has impacted students as well. Yet Chico State still does not offer any specialized counseling to address this issue and only has about 11 counselors on hand to address the needs of over 17,000 students and those directly or indirectly affected by the fire. While Chico State did not have
as many students directly affected by the fire as Butte College did, as a major employer in Chico its faculty were severely impacted as was the community. This has had serious ramifications on everything from housing and employment to homelessness, healthcare and more. These things all affect the livelihood of students also struggling to get by while attending college. I recently called the Student Health Center to inquire about counseling and asked what was offered if I were to want counseling specific to trauma around the Camp Fire. I was told that while the center continues to offer counselors at normal hours, they have no training or special programs available for issues specific to the fire or to disaster-related trauma. That means that students possibly struggling with trauma and anxiety caused by the aftermath of the fire have to wait, and that there aren’t specially-trained counselors available to them either, at least according to the nurse I talked to. This is very alarming, particularly as a local who has gone to school here for nearly a decade. An entire town was basically destroyed due to this fire, over 20,000 people were displaced (largely in Chico), including hundreds of students - and there is still no additional counseling available? Even if it weren’t for this fire,
the situation for those who need counseling and don’t have the money to go to another provider in the city (or time to wait to get added as a new patient) is dire. Students need a resource for getting counseling more easily. I understand that it is difficult to secure enough money to pay the providers well enough to keep them at the clinic. But there have to be more options for providing to the increased number of patients still struggling less than a year after the fire. There definitely needs to be a stronger effort on the part of the university to help the population of students still dealing with the effects of the Camp Fire. Whether they fled their home down the Skyway through flames or now struggle to find housing or employment, their needs have to be met. It’s a mental health crisis that things have not gotten any better almost a year later. I think it’s a real shame that the university has hardly provided for affected students and community members, when it prides itself on saying #WeAreChico. Nothing has affected Chico like the Camp Fire in decades - so it’s time start doing more for the mental health of students and of this community. Natalie Hanson can be reached at orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com or @nhanson_reports on Twitter.
When it’s antidepressants vs. sex Melissa Joseph Staff Writer
When I’m stuck in a pit of wallowing depression, having sex isn’t first on my list of priorities, especially if I’m taking my antidepressants. At the age of 13, I was “diagnosed” with depression. I use air quotes because therapists don’t straight up say “you have severe depression,” but when you proceed to be in therapy for the next five years, it kind of comes with the territory. After a few years of therapy, I ultimately decided to try medication. I have this sick love for the doctors (I’m sure it can be traced back to some childhood trauma), so I was pretty eager to get some meds. But honestly, I had no idea what I was really getting into. The first few months of taking antidepressants went really well, but I noticed a shift in my sexual desires and drive. Imagine being at the height of your sexual awakening, just to lose all sexual tendencies in a matter of weeks. Depression affects an estimated 17.3 million adults in America, yet society seldom talks about depression, never mind being medicated for it. Having no one else, I turned to Google, where I realized thousands of people suffer from a stunted sex drive as a side effect of antidepressants. It made me wonder how many
ILLUSTRATION | MELISSA JOSEPH
individuals experience this side effect, accepting the problem, before ever reaching out for help. To cope with my sudden lack of libido, I explored different areas of my sexuality to find what would turn me on, regardless of medication side effects. By conducting little investigations on porn sites and researching I articles, Cosmopolitan discovered what helped sustain my sex drive and learned to work with the side effect rather than around it. For instance, I learned that “teasing” greatly sustained my sexual arousal, rather than something quick and one-noted. Experimenting and researching your sexual tendencies is one of
the most beneficial things you can do as a patient suffering from these side effects. If you struggle with libido, I strongly recommend to continue your therapy treatment and explore your needs and desires. A lot of people see low sex drive as a small price to pay for happiness, but if you think you might be suffering from side effects of antidepressants, that hinder your sex life, don’t be afraid to ask questions and seek help from your medical specialist. No one should be forced to choose between a happy life and good sex. Melissa Joseph can be reached at orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com or @Melisstweetz on Twitter.
ILLUSTRATION | MELISSA JOSEPH
Since TikTok was launched in 2017, the world has never been the same. Well, not really, but the app has had a huge impact on Gen Z culture and on mainstream media in general! With every new app that comes out however, it seems that we see the same trend of younger girls being at the receiving end of criticism for their personalities and styles choices, and TikTok is no different. I would like to preface by saying I am obsessed with TikTok. I could spend hours on that stupid app and completely lose track of time. This goes without saying that I’ve seen a lot of the content on the app, and while a majority of it is great, there are some issues. A common thread that comes with social media apps is the ability to categorize the people who use it, specifically young girls. New terms like “E-girl,” “VSCO girl” and “soft girl” are creating stereotypes for young girls based simply on their interests. This isn’t a new trend - we’ve seen it with Tumblr, Instagram and Vine. Girls being called “edgy” for wearing combat boots, “basic” for wearing Uggs and drinking coffee, “hipsters” for liking classic rock - the list goes on. TikTok has brought back many of those stereotypes in brand-new forms. Girls who like punk music and fashion are labeled “E-girls,” “soft girls” wear cuffed jeans and wear lots of blush and a “VSCO girl” is pretty much anyone with a Hydroflask wearing a scrunchie. Many girls who use the app are between tween and teenage and it’s harmful for them to see people policing their style and their personal interests, especially at a time when they are still developing their own personal styles and learning about themselves. However, there are tons of amazing content creators on TikTok. While lots of their content is for laughs, there is also a great amount of social issues being spotlighted by short video clips. It’s amazing to see so many young people being so active and socially aware, and creating content that spotlights issues that are important to them. My favorite example of these is a current thread of TikToks where children are expressing their fear of police brutality by simulating how they would react to being apprehended by the police. I have no doubt that TikTok will continue to be a huge influence on the youth of our generation, and I hope that because of all the social awareness being spread through the app, it will lose the stereotypes that have categorized young people for so long via social media. Danielle Kessler can be reached at orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com or @reserv0irpups on Twitter.
Calendar B6 October Vol-83 Oct. 2, 2019 Issue 6
Wed. 9 • Tue. 15
10 WREC 10-year celebration 10 a.m.–11:30 am, Wildcat Recreation Center
don't forget to take a
NEWS BREAK
The WREC is 10 years old! Come help us celebrate a decade of providing play, wellness, and adventure to the Chico State community.
14HOUSING GUIDE
3rd Story: Prints with Prose noon–4:00 pm, Multiday, The Janet Turner Print Museum (ARTS 123) Come for lunch and engaging conversation with new faculty at Chico State.
15 dAily digitAl coNtENt oN
thEoRioN.com
Speed Mentoring & Networking Event 5:30 p.m.–8 pm, Yolo Hall Join us for a casual evening of networking with Event Planners, Community Recreation Professionals, Resort & Hotel Managers, and more.
Champagne Brunch & DIY Bloody Mary Bar
Every Saturday & Sunday 9 AM - 2 PM