The Orion Vol. 81 Issue 13 by The Orion Publisher

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Wednesday Dec. 12, 2018

Vol. 81, Issue 13 |

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INSIDE Vol. 81, Issue 13 CONTACT | EDITORIAL Phone: 530.898.5627 Email: editorinchief@theorion.com

Editor-in-Chief / Business Manager Julia Maldonado Content Managing Editor Alex Grant Art Director Sergio Delgado Chief Copy Editor Katya Villegas News Editors Josh Cozine Mathew Miranda Opinion Editor Karen Limones Sports Editor Andrew Baumgartner A+E Editor Natalie Hanson Multimedia Editor Caitlyn Young Designer Chris Godbout Griffin Wooldridge Copy Editors Salma Reyes Hailey Vang

Adviser Diego Aparicio CONTACT | BUSINESS Phone: 530.898.6919 Email: orionadvertisingmanager@gmail.com Website Fax www.theorion.com

DOMINIQUE WOOD—THE ORION

Cover Story: Meet The Orion’s Artist of the Week Nikki Renaud.

PAGE 8

PAGE 14

JOSH COZINE - THE ORION

CAITLYN YOUNG—THE ORION

Students stories discuss the effects of climate change and what impacts will be on Chico State for its 150th anniversary.

Chico Native, senior and rebounding extraordinaire Mckena Barker is this week’s Wildcat of the Week.

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530.898.4799

CORRECTIONS

DAELIN WOFFORD - THE ORION

The Virtual Reality Game Night gave students the opportunity to explore new worlds in a safe space.

GETTY IMAGES PHOTO BY PATCAMERA

Should alcohol in dorms be allowed?

BRIEFS

Firefighter evacuee overwhelmed by Camp Fire Dan Christian

Wednesday Dec. 12, 2018 ble so he can begin helping others recover. “I’m not trying to waste time. I’m trying to get back on my feet and I need to do it now.” Dan Christian can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or @DanoftheOrion on Twitter

Staff Writer

Skylor Michale Kimball hadn’t even been a resident of Magalia for six months when the Camp Fire came and destroyed his home. Like many others, Kimball lost everything he had because there was no time. “The day of the fire I had no chance to grab anything,” Kimball said. Kimball left with only his wallet, a pair of shorts, and a tank-top. He didn’t even have time to put on shoes. “It was get up and leave.” Everything was on fire, even the road. “We had to get out of one of the vehicles I had and jump into my aunt’s car because my car was on fire,” Kimball said. As Kimball fought to escape the intense flames he could see animals running from the forest. “They were completely covered in fire or ashes and burning.” There was nowhere to run. “They were trying to get away from the fire and there’s no way to get away from it.” “I’ve never gone through anything like that,” he said. Even though he had trained as a firefighter and spent time cutting lines during the Carr fire, Kimball felt overwhelmed by the experience. “I’ve never seen so much destruction happen so quickly,” he said. With the fire extinguished and the ash settled, Kimball is focused on recovering as quickly as possi-

Rookies debate in tournament Justin Jackson Staff Writer

In a day of civil discourse, the Chico State Speech and Debate Team hosted a rookie speech and debate tournament on campus. From the nervous to the persistent, many students who participated in the speech and debate tournaments came to test their skills for the first time. In the public speaking event, each competitor would speak for a set number of minutes on respective topics such as sex work, gun control or radicals from the left and right of the political spectrum. They could either compete in persuasive speaking for five to six minutes, or give an informative speech, speaking for seven to nine minutes. Judges would then rank the speakers from one to four which would determine their standings each round. In the debate section of the tournament, two students would clash against each other while being judged in a similar process as the speech tournament. They would get a different topic each round—like criminal justice reform or the death penalty—and each student would be assigned

Chico residents start toy drive for children affected by the Camp Fire. to the negative or the affirmative side. In the final debate of the evening, the competitors had their highest level of enthusiasm that day. The topic was the death penalty. After a long day of discourse, the day ended with Ross Potter as the debate champion. “This was pretty cool for being my first time doing this,” Potter said. “There were plenty of points where the judges told me I messed up, but I just kept confident and went up there and spoke.” Winners of the persuasive speech tournament included: Luke Zearfoos, first place, Claire Walters, second place, and Dylan Kolon, third place. Winners of the informative speech tournament included: Kikuye Fujii, first place; Joseph Rosenberry, second place and Gretchen Kirkreit, third place. Justin Jackson can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com

or @JustJack0176 on Twitter.

Toys for Camp Fire victims Olyvia Simpson Staff Writer

Among all of the shops in downtown Chico, there is one that stands out with a bright banner and hundreds of toys stacked in the window, as if it were Santa’s Workshop. It doesn’t belong to Santa however, but a Butte County native who has taken the initiative to help children affected by the Camp Fire, filling an empty location at 825 Main Street. Kozette McGowan started volunteering at evacuation shelters as soon as the Camp Fire broke out. While volunteering at the Elk’s Lodge shelter, McGowan met a little girl who needed warm clothing, but said the little girl just asked for a toy to hold. “I couldn’t seem to get her out of my mind,” McGowan said. That’s what inspired her and her husband to host the toy drive

OLYVIA SIMPSON—THE ORION

so that children impacted by the Camp Fire can still have the magic of Christmas. “You’re going to buy dinner before you buy a pogo stick,” McGowan said. But with so much tragedy, the kids need something to make them happy. All of the toys donated are itemized so that everything that comes in goes out to a child who needs it. The toys are organized by age group so voulnteers can help the parents pick out a gift. “It might be a little thing, but it can make a big difference,” McGowan said. Camp Fire Toy Drive donations can be dropped off at the store located at 825 Main Street. They will be accepting new toy donations until Dec 18. Olyvia Simpson can be reached at newseditor@theorioncom or @OSimpson15 on Twitter.

Read more on theorion.com

NEWS FACULTY Chico State professor retires after 50 years Wednesday Dec. 12, 2018

Justin Jackson Staff Writer

fter a successful career in teaching and discus throwing, Thomas Davin Fahey, jokingly explained that his first purchase after retiring would be a small sign that reads “Will lecture for food.” Fahey, a 71-year-old kinesiology professor, began teaching at Chico State in August of 1984. The alumnus of San FranTHOMAS FAHEY cisco State previously worked at UC Berkeley, San Jose State University, Stanford University School of Medicine and as a Doping Control Director for the 1984 Olympic Games. Fahey also holds an extensive background in discus throwing, beginning in 1969 when he was named a NCAA All-American. He went on to be ranked number one in the world for 12 years, win 11 straight national championships, and receive the USA Track and Field lifetime achievement award in 2008. Fahey elaborated on his role as an educator and its value to younger generations. “The students are very good people persons and for the most part they’re very dedicated,” Fahey said. “We have a really important role to help them be the best they can and help the kids of California.” Katelyn Douglas, a senior majoring in Kinesiology, credits

Thomas Fahey warms up with the class by doing kettlebell swings each morning. the Strength and Conditioning professor for introducing her to Olympic lifting, teaching the proper form and helping her fall in love with the sport. “He is able to break down hard concepts and tell it to you in a way that you’re going to smile when you think about it later,” Douglas said. Douglas along with other members in his Kinesiology 390 class decided to pay homage to Fahey by ordering shirts with some of his famous sayings. These include, “add more weight”

and “best buns on campus.” The class plans to unveil the shirts to Fahey on Friday. Douglas also spoke on why his presence will be missed. “Fahey’s door is always open, he’s always joking and laughing so I think it is definitely going to damper the department and everyone is going to talk about him and miss him,” Douglas said. “Everyone that knows Fahey loves Fahey,” added Douglas. Fahey, an author of over 25 books, wrote “Getting Into the Olympic Form,” in which he in-

terviewed Olympians to find out what makes them so successful. He discovered they identify the nature of a problem and determine a way to overcome it. Fahey attempted to pass this lesson down to his students throughout his years of teaching. “Life’s kind of a competition and I think we tend to forget that at Chico State,” Fahey said. “When you get out you’re going to be up against everybody. You should ask yourself ‘what is it going to take to achieve this’ and then you just go out and do it.”

MATHEW MIRANDA—THE ORION

After retiring, Fahey plans to help people internationally. He’s working with individuals from Latin America to set up a sports medicine institute that will certify strength coaches in Spanish speaking countries. He hopes to start off in countries with a solid science infrastructure and branch off from there. “You have to look for opportunities and this is just a great opportunity,” Fahey said. Justin Jackson can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or @JustJack0176 on Twitter.

NEWS

Wednesday Dec. 12, 2018Wednesday Sept. 26, 2018

CLIMATE CHANGE

Chico 2037 shares a much different future than most are considering they were when my dad graduated from Chico State, or else I’d have to make sure my family sits on the east side of the stadium to avoid direct sunlight,” Geiser wrote. According to his story, again

Josh Cozine Staff Writer

tudents of Mark Stemen’s Community Service and Geography class shared stories, Dec. 5, written from the perspective of students living in a much warmer and very different future from what we now face, during a Community Action Planning (CAP), organized by the First-Year Experience Program. With data taken from cal-adapt. org and based on the fifth climate assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)—a multidisciplinary group of thousands of scientists from across the globe—each member of the class was tasked with writing a story. Each one related to a specific topic and took place in the year 2037, the 150th anniversary of the university. The stories were taped along the walls of Colusa 100, with poster-sized paper taped below them where attendees could suggest how to change the future after 2037. Greenhouse gasses already released will continue to contribute to global warming until at least then, according to Stemen, and the IPCC. “We’re still running on a business as-is model,” Stemen said. Although the university has accepted climate change as a real thing, and taken steps toward educating students and making carbon neutrality pledges, they’re all based on older models which don’t recognize the acceleration of climate change. According to Stemen, even more action is

Chico State students write their ideas for a resolution to act on climate change. necessary. “We’re demanding the university be prepared with knowledge,” Nate Millard, Sustainability Pathway Coordinator said. Millard believes the university is in a unique position to act on its research and values and make real changes towards a better future. “We’re all frustrated by campus inaction… and Today Decides Tomorrow,” Millard said, echoing the words every Chico State student, faculty and alumni knows by heart. Millard’s hope, and the plan of the CAP Talk, is to receive input from as many people as possible to incorporate into a resolution

that will be presented to the Academic Senate next semester. Sophia Lepore’s story touched on the possible future of the outdoor adventure group, Adventure Outings, she joined. In accordance with data from cal-adapt. org, she paints a picture of the Northern California with far less snow, and many more wildfires as the climate warms. “The hills surrounding the river were blackened and dead, with no sign of life. It was a horrible sight, but rafters’ grim faces were set in determination. This was why they were here,” Lepore wrote. She tells of a new preroga-

JOSH COZINE—THE ORION

tive for the group, planting and regrowing after wildfires, rather than simply enjoying the great outdoors. According to her story, and cal-adapt data, wildfires are expected to continue and accelerate. It’s her hope, that while the group will lose access to ski trips as snow-packs falter, rafting trips might change into reparation trips, repairing damaged zones from wildfires. Jared Geiser, student of Community Service and Geography and Executive Vice President of the Associated Students, elaborated on an issue which may one day affect all Chico State graduates. “I am glad the graduation ceremonies are not the same as

drawn from data from cal-adapt. org and the fifth climate assessment, temperatures will get hotter, much more often to the point graduation dates might be made earlier or held indoors. A rise in extreme temperature days increasing exponentially by 2037 will call for precautions beyond sunblock to combat issues like heat stroke. These are of course works of fiction, but they are firmly rooted in real results from modern climate scientists not pushed, or taught currently by the university except in fringe sustainability courses. “Stay engaged. The powers that be aren’t going to do it for you,” Stemen said at the end of the presentation. “You’re gonna need to do it for yourself,” Stemen added, again asking for people to fill in their suggestions to include in the upcoming resolution. Stemen and Millard, with student help, plan to combine as many of the suggestions as possible into a resolution that will be brought to the Academic Senate next semester for action. Time being already against us, they hope for immediate action. Josh Cozine can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or @joshcozine on Twitter.

Wednesday Dec. 12, 2018

RECAP

SPORTS

Chico State men’s basketball prevails in second consecutive home win Wesley Harris Staff Writer

Chico State found their groove in their second consecutive win over Cal State East Bay. The tenacious defense from the Wildcats left East Bay flustered. Chico continued their unselfish play, finding ways to score from nearly everyone who got playing time. Chico State finally got their feet under them in their victory after their unconventional start. They packaged a game that moved them a lot of steps forward as a unit. “We were set back a little bit but we’re starting to get in a a groove,” Head coach Greg Clink said. “We’re starting to figure out rotations and who should play and who should start.” The Wildcats jumped out to a great start on Cal State East Bay with a 10-0 run. They were well balanced in their offense, spreading the ball all around the floor for everyone to make a play. They moved fluidly as a unit, seeming to have no one player searching for a way to score outside of their sets. “They give me a lot of confidence because they buy in and want to be coached,” Clink said. Kevin Warren lead the way with eight points in the first half, scoring with a couple of mid range jump shots off the dribble. The 30 points they put up in the first half was sparked by their defensive efforts. They held East Bay to the fewest points they have scored in a half for the season with only 15 points and 6-23 shooting. “The whole week of practice, coach was talking about putting

together whole game of defense,” Nate Ambrosini said. “Forty minutes of high intensity defense, guarding the ball and helping each other out.” The Wildcats operated their well-balanced offense effectively in the second half as East Bay raised their intensity in their attempt to recover. East Bay figured out how to maneuver between their well moving defense, scoring 30 points in the second half. The offense moved efficiently with nine different players putting the ball in the basket. Justin Briggs and Malik Duffy combined for eight rebounds each. Briggs got the crowd rocking with a tip jam from a missed lay up down the lane. Kevin Warren finished the game with 13 as the leading scorer. The defense held solid as the Wildcats swept their home stand. “I definitely think we do have our feet under us now, and we know the potential we have, sweeping this weekend,” Ambrosini said. Chico State is now 2-2 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association conference with a lot to build off of. The Wildcats will play their next game at Humboldt State on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

WESLEY HARRIS—THE ORION

Nate Ambrosini watches the action from the corner on Saturday night in a game against Cal State East Bay

Wesley Harris can be reached at sportseditor@theorion.com or @flacko_flame on Twitter.

WESLEY HARRIS—THE ORION

Kevin Warren and Isaiah Brooks operating the Chico State offense against Cal State East Bay on Saturday.

SPORTS VICTORY

Wednesday Dec. 12, 2018

Wildcats women’s basketball wins third in a row Ricardo Tovar Sports Editor

hico State women’s basketball came into Acker Gymnasium against California State University East Bay looking to extend a two-game win streak.

MAURY MONTALVO—THE ORION

Myli Martinez (#20), Rachel Fielder (#43), Natalie Valenzuela (#12) and Shay Stark (#21) and the rest of the team cheers from the bench.

MAURY MONTALVO—THE ORION

It didn’t show on the stat sheet but Shay Stark helped the Wildcats on defense and with the flow of the game.

Extend they did, beating Cal State East Bay 78-59, riding a career high of 26 points from junior guard Madison Wong. “It was a team effort, it was good team win,” Wong said. “I don’t think it’s hit me yet because that’s my career high. I think it just feels good to be in this environment again at Acker Gym. With the fire and everything that happened when we were supposed to have our home game, it just feels good. I think this weekend was important for establishing momentum for the rest of the season.” This was a game where Chico State dominated from the start and never surrendered the lead. With this win the Wildcats are now 6-1 on the season and 3-1 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. These two teams were the top two in defense coming into tonight, Cal State East Bay had held all their opponents to under 60 points all season, but that didn’t matter for the surging Wildcats. Aside from Wong’s big night there were other notable Wildcats that contributed to the win: Natalie Valenzuela added 17 points and McKena Barker had eight of her own, along with eight rebounds and three assists. Shay Stark lead the team with five

assists and was a big contributor on defense by keeping the Wildcats pace intact with her floor spacing. “I wanted to find other ways, other than scoring, to help my teammates, “Stark said. “Defense was one of them, doing my job on who I was guarding. Just getting us moving, getting the flow and closing out the game.” The defense held East Bay to 30.4 percent shooting and 14.3 percent from three. The Wildcats in contrast shot 48.1 percent and 50 percent from three, it was an all-around team effort. “I am pleased with the way we are competing right now,” Head coach Brian Fogel said. “I fee like our defense is getting better. Our transition game is very strong. We still turn the ball over a little bit too much and I know we can do a lot better from the foul line. We got a long way to go, it’s only December. Seven games in, I feel very happy with where we are at.” Chico State travels to Arcata next Saturday, to take on the Humboldt State Lumberjacks (6-2, 4-1 CCAA). Tip off will be at 5:30 p.m. and you can watch from the Chico State women’s schedule page. Ricardo Tovar can be reached at sportseditor@theorion.com or @rtovarg13 on Twitter

Wednesday Dec. 12, 2018

SPORTS

Mckena Barker Lucero Del Rayo-Nava Staff Writer

cKena Barker is a Chico native that has been a part of the Chico State women’s basketball team since fall of 2014. She received her bachelor’s degree in public administration in spring 2018 and is currently working on her masters for public administration. In her previous season with Chico State she received AllCCAA Honorable mention, which would be the second in her Chico State career. She led the Wildcats in rebounds for the third straight season and is ranked fifth in the CCAA overall. Barker has been remarkable since her freshman season posting five double-doubles which was more than any other Chico State player since 2007. She is currently a six-time CCAA All-American selection and has received three Division II Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement awards. When did you start playing basketball? I started playing basketball when I was in second grade, so it’s been a while. I started young and was just playing in local leagues. I fell in love with it so I just kept going. Do you have any routines before a game? My routine before a game, I eat a big meal usually pasta like spaghetti. Then I usually listen to pump up music and just get

hyped with my teammates. Nothing too crazy just being around my team and getting excited.

How did your mother and you start wearing matching socks on game day?

How do you manage your time being a student athlete? Being a student athlete is a lot of time management you got to prioritize when you’re going to do homework, when you’re going to get into the gym and go to practice. So, usually I try to get my homework done before practice in the morning and if I have stuff left over I do it after practice at night. But mostly it is just setting a schedule and sticking to it. What are you most excited about for the current season? This season is going to be a huge one for our team we got a great squad, everyone likes each other and we got great team chemistry. I am excited to get after it with these girls and play my last season with them. And hopefully bring home a conference championship. As a senior on the squad how will you lead the team? I think my role as a senior this year has been one that I kind of grown into. Just getting used to using my voice and helping the younger girls with what to do and where to go. I’ve been really focusing this year on always bringing energy and just being excited for every practice and every game. Then use that to help lead the team.

It happened last year she got me a new pair of socks for Christmas. Me and my brother actually got her a new pair of socks which were the same brand. It’s just a little tradition that we do, game day socks. So before the game if she’s there, I look up at her and she lifts her pant leg up to show me that she is wearing her matching socks. It’s a little family thing we do and it gets me really excited for the game. What’s your favorite thing about basketball? My favorite thing about basketball is probably just the team dynamic. The way it feels after a big win to just celebrate with all these girls that you worked really hard with. That feeling never goes away and it’s something that I really cherish. Lucero Del Rayo can be reached at sportseditor@theorion.com or @del_rayo98 on Twitter.

CAITLYN YOUNG - THE ORION

Senior McKena Barker said she looks at her mother as an inspiration.

SPORTS INEQUALITY

Wednesday Dec. 12, 2018

Game of genders: comparing women and men in sports

PHOTO COURTESY BY GARY TOWNE

Jack Emanuel and Teddy Kassa participate in the NCAA championships in Pittsburgh. Connor Mcpherson Staff Writer

ports are meant to be a unifying force. For decades, people have used sports to relax, forget about their problems and just have a good time. They have the power to pull together people of different religions, races, classes and even genders. However, this is not always the case, and many athletes have complained that there is an inequality between men’s and women’s sports, in terms of pay, media coverage and popularity. In fact, even here at Chico, attendance to men’s games is much higher compared to women’s games. Soccer saw almost 900 more fans attend men’s home games than women’s this last season. Baseball had 219 fans attend each home game, while softball

only had 116 (Softball even made the NCAA Championship bracket). And even in basketball, the men’s home opener had 784 fans in attendance, while the women’s had just 272. Men’s and women’s cross-country head coach Gary Towne recognizes that this is an issue that needs to be corrected. As head coach of both teams, Towne has experience working with both genders. In fact, he even has said that he often times trains both teams together. “If we’re just going out to do mileage in the park, it’s not uncommon to see some of the men running with women on the team and vice-versa,” Towne said. “Our team is just one big family together, and we have been since I’ve been a part of team, even as an athlete years ago.” Towne has been able to coach both cross-country teams

extremely consistently, with the men’s team finishing in 7th overall and the women finishing in 8th, both out of 32. He has said that he is able to do this by treating both similarly, and tweaking each team’s practice based on their needs. “Part of it is having the same approach together with both groups,” Towne said. “Most of the time I’ll address the groups together, and a common approach leads to common results.” These cross-country athletes have even said that there isn’t much difference in their training, due to the similarity of their competitions. “We both pretty much do the same exact thing,” Chico-native freshman and cross-country runner Jack Emanuel said, “It just depends more on the individual.” This could be helping both teams get treated equally, and

thus have a similar level of interest from the fans. Even Junior cross-country athlete Nora Pizzella has said that fan spirit has not been an issue for the women’s cross-country team. “Women’s sports do need to be represented more, but not at Chico,” Pizzella said. “I think we do a really good job at that.” While all of this may show why women’s sports should get the same respect as men’s, this is not usually the case on a more national scale. According to a USC study, ESPN’s “Sportscenter,” designates only two percent of its coverage to women’s sports. This could be caused by a lack of women in anchor positions. In fact, 95 percent of anchors, co-anchors and analysts are male. Coach Towne shared his sympathies with the women who get overlooked in the athletic fields. “I’ve seen first-hand how tough

the women are on our team, and I cringe when I hear people say things that demean a women’s running, like ‘you run like a girl,’” Towne said. “It’s been a constant struggle for women’s athletics.” Pizzella also agreed with her coach, adding “I agree that women’s sports need to be represented more equally.” The cross-country team is clearly not letting this issue get the best of them, and are continuing to work well as a cohesive unit. They are often both coached and trained together, and coach Towne is continuing to do a great job of making teams of either gender better, as he has now lead both teams to top ten finishes in the NCAA championships. Connor McPherson can be reached at sportseditor@theorion.com or @theGOATMcphers1 on Twitter..

10 HOLIDAY QUIZ

Wednesday Dec. 12, 2018

WHICH AM I?

How easily do you get excited about things? ○ A. I don’t get excited about most things ○ B. I’ll get excited for things I’m interested in ○ C. I’m always stoked about things! ○ D. Depends on the day

How ready are you for Christmas this year?

○ A. That’s a loaded question ○ B. IT’S SANTAAAAA!! ○ C. Meh, I’m not feeling it this year ○ D. I’m pretty excited! I love this time of year

Be honest. What’s your ideal gift this season? ○ A. A huge warm blanket and cozy socks. I like to be cozy ○ B. New makeup! I have my eye on some holiday sets. ○ C. I jsut need money, man ○ D. Something that fits my interests, like a board game or DVD

What’s your current favorite activity at this time of year? ○ A. Decorating the tree and the front door and my room and putting up the lights outside and... ○ B. Eating lots of baked goods and candy. ‘Tis the season ○ C. Staying inside and keeping warm ○ D. Avoiding Carolers and social gatherings

What’s your go-to Christmas treat?

○ A. Eggnog, of course and spiced cider. And more nog ○ B. Christmas cookies of course!! ○ C. I’m waiting for that Christmas ham ○ D. As many candy canes as possible

ARTS RESULTS MOSTLY A’S: It’s a Wonderful Life You love traditions, and you also love the holidays when they’re about spending time with others and showing how much people mean to you. You’re probably a very warm and understanding person, flexible in most situations. You’re also practical at heart. Honor an old tradition with this classic Christmas treat. MOSTLY B’S: Love Actually You’re fun-loving, positive and LOVE Christmas. Like, love it. You see the bright side of things and know the value of treating yourself. You always have a cheesy, romantic side, so this one is just right for you. MOSTLY C’S: Elf Honestly, you’re not that into Christmas. The holidays are a stressful, expensive time and everyone’s losing their minds over a few decorations. But it is pretty, everything smells good, and you do love a good comfort movie with plenty of belly laughs. So this might just what you need. MOSTLY D’S: Die Hard You’re not really into this season at all, and you might not know why you took this quiz. You’re probably tired of the commercialism of it all. For someone with a critical mind and a taste for the more serious things, this might be time to watch “Die Hard” if you haven’t seen it yet. Yes, it’s technically a Christmas movie. Give it a try.

ARTS

Wednesday Dec. 12, 2018

ASSOCIATED STUDENTS

Virtual Reality gives students a glimpse into the future Ulises Duenas Staff Writer

xperiencing virtual reality (VR) for the first time is a special moment. Whether

someone is skeptical or excited going in is up to them, but the initial reaction is usually the same. Even though they’re wearing something over their face, you can tell that their eyes are wide open. That experience was evident at the Virtual Reality Game Night hosted by AS Productions Thursday. One of the students attending, Nicholas Gutierrez, was using a VR headset for the first time and he was already very impressed. He was able to comment on his experience while he was in the tutorial. “This is something...it’s so cool,” he said. The most common barrier for anyone who wants to try VR is the price. On top of the headsets, which are usually expensive, someone would also need a pretty powerful computer in order to run the software without running into technical issues. Daniel Lopez,

Carlos Pioroda and Kendrick Short experiencing VR gaming Night in the basement of the BMU.

DAELIN WOFFORD—THE ORION

another attendee, was very excited to hear about an event where he

opportunity students have to try

could try VR for free.

this stuff out.

“I’ve always wanted to try one,

“We decided to do a virtual reali-

but I never wanted to buy one

ty event just to get students aware

because they’re expensive,” Lopez

of the kind of things that they can

said. “So this event right here

use on campus that are literally

is pretty much what I’ve been

just getting to us,” Torres said.

looking for.” AS Productions has been orga-

Students were using different headsets with different apps.

ter event to gauge student interest.

To an outside observer, it was just some people in headsets hanging out in a dark room with some colorful lights spinning around.

one,” Torres said. “That one will

gether around a new and exciting

have more attendance and a lot

technology, and if everything goes

more hype.”

right, then the next event should

Watching everyone enjoying their own experiences in VR was a little surreal. To an outside observer, it was just some people in headsets hanging out in a dark room with some colorful lights

nizing and promoting events on

Some were using the Google Maps

and near campus to increase stu-

app to see different locations in

“President Gayle Hutchinson

spinning around. To them, each one was in a virtual world where

dent involvement. Justin Torres,

VR, while others were in a space

really loves VR so we’re gonna do

they could experience a variety of

the entertainment coordinator for

setting on the moon. Torres also

one (event) next semester and she

things at a moment’s notice. It’s

ASP, talked about what a unique

mentioned that this was just a tes-

definitely wants to come to that

good to see Chico State come to-

be bigger and better. Ulises Duenas can be reached at artseditor@theorion.com or @OrionUlisesD on Twitter.

COVER

ALL PHOTOS BY DOMINIQUE WOOD

Nikki Renaud, artist of the week, with her guitar on Thursday.

STORY

Alex Coba Staff Writer

usic has always been a part of Nikki Renaud’s life. As an adult, she is ready to take on the music industry. Armed with her trusty guitar Alistar, nothing will get in her way of pursuing her dream. Renaud is a Chico native and is a singer-songwriter who is incredibly passionate about her craft. Though she hasn’t performed

her own music in front of a large crowd as much, she performed her own music for the first time at Open Mic Night at Blackbird Cafe. Watching her perform, one might think, by her confidence, that this was her 100th performance. Renard gave some personal insight on her musical journey.

[Q]: How did you first get involved with music? [A]: I’ve been singing ever since I was a child since I could sing, so I was always into that. But in eighth grade, I met someone who could play the guitar, and fell in love with her and the guitar, so I just really wanted to learn how to play. So I learned some chords and ended up just teaching myself.

[Q]: How did you develop your musical style? [A]: It all came just came pretty

natural to me actually. I tried to play different genres of music but I just felt like I was straining to create, and then I just let natural things flow and that how I created my music.

[Q]: How would you describe your music? [A]: A lot of it is pretty sad and emotional because it’s based on like traumas that I have, but I’m working on happier things too. A lot of my music, I wanted to begin with a story of struggle, and end with perseverance.

[Q]: Going off that, are those the things that are running through your head when you’re writing a song? [A]: Yeah. sometimes I just am improvising though and a song happens and I read through it and analyze it and I figure out what it

means afterward.

[Q]: Do you still get nervous performing? [A]: Yeah I get incredibly anxious and feel like I’m going to vomit, but then I get on stage and I just feel like comfortable up there, I guess like I should be performing.

[Q]: What are some of your musical influences? [A]: Oh, that’s a big one. I listen to a lot of David Bowie and Elton John and Billy Joel. They’re really inspirational, but also I love the band Paramore and Hayley Williams from Paramore. She’s the lead singer and she’s amazing. I’ve been in love with her forever. She’s kinda why I wanted to pursue music.

[Q]: So do you plan to pursue music as a career? [A]: I plan to pursue it as a

career. I don’t have a backup plan because that’s the way to do it. I don’t have anything I can just fall back on if I want to give up. Renaud plans to move to Los Angeles to continue to pursue her music. She recently signed with an acting manager after having performed at an industry network competition in Los Angeles where she performed in front of 50 of the biggest agents, managers and casting directors in the country. It’s clear that big things are in store for Nikki Renaud, and we should all keep a lookout for her. Alex Coba can be reached at artseditor@theorion.com or @ThatOneGuyCoba on Twitter

ARTS

Wednesday Dec. 12, 2018

JOSH COZINE—THE ORION

The A Capella Choir performing “Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind.”

A horn ensemble performing “ In Duci Jubilo from Musae Sioniae, Part II,” front stage.

Josh Cozine News Editor

he lights dimmed, hiding the movement of ensembles as they quickly filed down from the Harlen Adams Theatre stage, lining the walkways alongside the audience. A spotlight focused on a small group, on the stage-left walkway, their brass bass instruments glimmering in the light of the otherwise darkened theatre. More performers shuffled to other areas of the stage and theatre as the well-known melody of “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch” bellowed out in deep bass. The audience barely had to time to laugh at the fun rendition before the spotlight shone across the to the stage-right walkway,

as a small choir opened right away into “Ding Dong Merrily on High.” Lights focused seamlessly back on stage where a children’s choir jumped into “‘Twas in the Moon of Wintertime,” before “A Holly Jolly Holiday,” where the audience joined in and sang along. This fast-paced, one-into-thenext style performance was the scene each evening this weekend as multiple choirs, bands and symphonies took over Harlen Adams for “The Glorious Sounds of the Season,” full of non-stop holiday hits. “Unless you wanna be here until midnight, no applause,” director David Scholz said, addressing the audience before the performance began, and making note of how the show was designed

JOSH COZINE—THE ORION

to go immediately into the next number once one had finished. The show ran for about 90 minutes from start to finish, with absolutely zero breaks or downtime, and used the entirety of the auditorium—with, at some points, conductors even amongst the audience, directing bands lining the side walls. Interspersed were sing-alongs, with the audience warming up and participating more and more with each passing song, until the finale, “Hark The Herald Angels Sing,” when all stood and sang together, filling the air with hundreds of voices and symphonic accompaniment. If it could be said anyone stole the show, it was two solo performances, a saxophone jazz solo in the middle of a jazz rendition of “Frosty the Snowman,” and

a lounge-style performance of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” by Hayley Finetti, with a simple piano accompaniment.

“Every time I’m performing, whatever stress I feel about assignments, finals and life just washes away.” Hayley Finetti, Performer

“It was wonderful,” Finetti said about performing her solo after the final performance. She said she hadn’t sung for an audience since high school. “Every time I’m performing,

whatever stress I feel about assignments, finals, and life just washes away,” she said. Dr. Scholz said the audience really enjoyed the performance as well. “People enjoyed the atmosphere,” he said. “It gets them out of their regular life for a bit and into the holiday season.” Josh Cozine can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or @joshcozine on Twitter.

ARTS PERFORMANCE

Wednesday Dec. 12, 2018

Chikoko variety show presents spectacle for good cause Alex Coba Staff Writer

If someone had to describe the “Vroom Vroom Variety Show” they would say “wonderfully weird.” Chikoko, the same people who put on “Evoke-An Experimental” fashion show back in October, put on their annual variety show this past Friday at the Chico Women’s Club. The show showcased talent from all over the community. Throughout the night, the show’s hosts Nel Adams and Muir Huges gave out raffle prizes, each donated by a local artist for the raffle. All raffle prize purchases are to be given as donations to the North Valley Community Foundation, who have been accepting donations for Camp Fire relief. The prizes ranged from paintings to handmade jewelry and even items that were featured on the runway at the Chikoko fashion show. The night was jam-packed with many performers with weird yet fun talents, with everything from contortion to reverberated saxophone playing. The night started off with a Native American prayer by Veronica Saray. She “blessed” the room with her prayer, then played her own song. The show had some unintentionally funny moments. As raffle tickets were being drawn, one name kept coming up. Conner M. made this moment stand out, with the fact that he didn’t just win one or twice, he won a total of five. It became something of a joke with the audience members as every ticket drawn, the audience would shout “Conner M!” Performer Mr. I, who has been a

show regular, said that everyone should take the opportunity to play on stage and if that’s something anyone would like to do, you should “...stop wasting your time and just do it.” The performance got more and more interesting as the night went on. At one point the host

had one side of the room shout “queef ” and the other “fart,” leading to the next performer performing “farting yoga.” It was clear that all one needs is to do yoga and have a fart track playing in the background, and the audience will be laughing in no time. As the curtain came to a close, Muir Huges had some final words to say to the audience. “I could have a living room in Chico and people were invited to share their voice, their performance, their talent it would be this,” Hughes said. “I’m so appreciative to have everyone here with their talent. This is a really important time for us to really love each other. So anyone in this room or as you go about your day, take the opportunity to say hello to somebody. I meet so many people I would have never meant if it wasn’t for this horrible disaster so I’m grateful for that and I’m grateful to all of you. “I hope we can continue to be strong and make our community as good as it can be,” Hughes said.

TARA KILLORAN—THE ORION

Chico local youth duo Snowing in May preforms an acoustic cover of the popular song “Take on Me” by a-Ha.

Alex Coba can be reached at artseditor@theorion.com or @ThatOneGuyCoba on Twitter

TARA KILLORAN—THE ORION

Snowball, one of the organizers for the variety show, offers up a picture of Bruce Springsteen as a prize during a raffle drawing.

Wednesday Dec. 12, 2018

BLOTTER SOCIAL MEDIA @theorion_news @theorion_arts

Call Type: Theft Monday 10:29 p.m., Shasta Hall Lock was found cut to bike. Bike was last seen two days before. Call Type: Not Specified Tuesday 9:28 a.m., University Police Department Reporting party claimed they were scammed through their campus email. Call Type: Civil Problem Wednesday 12:21 p.m., Whitney Hall Reporting party found their bike locked to another bike with a passive aggressive note attached. Call Type: Sex Crime Thursday 8:40 p.m., Konkow Hall Reporting party claims unknown subject has photos of her when she was a minor and is sending those photos to others. Call Type: Battery Friday 3:40 a.m., Student Health Center Provider reports student was assaulted the night before on a street near UPD. Student does not wish to file a report at the moment.

Chico Police

University Police

The police blotter is a selection of information cited directly from the Chico Police Department and the University Police Department. Call Type: Threats Monday 6:21 p.m., 200 Vail Drive Reporting party states ex-boyfriend made a threat he was going to kill her. Subject confronted reporting party as she left Kmart the night before. Call Type: Stolen Vehicle Wednesday 7:42 a.m., 00 Glenshire Lane Reporting party allowed an evacuee to stay with them the night before, woke up to the subject and car missing. Call Type: Harass Complaint Thursday 10:51 a.m., 900 Pomona Avenue Reporting party has ongoing harassment from an ex-boyfriend who now lives in Southern California. Subject is trying to extort money from reporting party or else they’ll release photos and videos of her. Call Type: Civil Problem Friday 6:01 a.m., 1000 Raven Lane Reporting party’s roommate broke into reporting party’s locked room, removed property and put the property outside. Call Type: Resist Arrest Sunday 9:34 a.m., 400 West 15th Street This is a reopened incident. Subject that lives by himself, breaking glass and blasting loud music.

@theorion_sports @theorion

TheOrion75

EDITORIAL

NOW YOU KNOW A WEEKLY FACTOID FEATURE

What have past “Orionites” done after or during The Orion?

A: One Chico State alumnus works at the Wall Street Journal. Other notable places are The Sacramento Bee and Yelp.

Wednesday Dec. 12, 2018

A few current journalism students worked with the Associated Press and The New York Times to cover the elections and stories from the Camp Fire.

Two students on The Orion this semester have worked as fellows with National Public Radio and Capital Public Radio.

Students worked with NSPR and Chico EnterpriseRecord to cover the Camp Fire.

The editorial process is completely student run. Have a question? Email us at orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com.

THUMBS Thumbs up to the holidays being right around the corner. Nothing like drinking hot chocolate and wrapped in a warm blanket to set the mood. Thumbs down to professors who teach during Dead Week. We’re burned out from this semester. Thumbs up both women’s and men’s basketball teams winning this weekend.

Thumbs down to virtual reality equipment being so expensive. It would be nice to see warm Hawaii from cold Chico right before our eyes.

Students need time for finals, rather than assignments After returning from the Camp Fire, the first few days seemed intense. All you could hear was the constant chatter between individuals talking about the mass destruction of flames that terrorized Paradise and surrounding communities.

of their workloads. While I heard some students around campus talking about their courses becoming easier, some were also struggling to meet their deadlines. As a student on campus I believe we were all affected in some way by the

While Chico State encouraged faculty members to finish their semester off strong, not everyone seemed to be on board with the transition they were asking for. While it is understandable that professors wanted to “make-up for lost time,” for all the course material we missed, transitioning back into learning is quite challenging. For many, going back into course material can become a form of distraction. For others, transitioning back into the workload is not a form of coping with tragedies or a crisis. In reality, with such a small time frame, the pressure to get good grades is terrifying for those struggling in classes. We came back from the Camp Fire extended break by jumping right into due dates, study guides and for some, exams. Some tests are even squeezed in during dead week. Furthermore, its obvious our transition did not run as smoothly for some students as it may have for others. Of course, the Camp Fire is not an excuse to ask your professors for extensions or an excuse for why you’re consistently late to class. Students can’t abuse the circumstances to take advantage of their professor during this difficult time. But at the same time, professors need to nurture a welcoming learning environment. So the question is, why wasn’t an extension given to you in the first place? In a letter to faculty members, they were asked to be considerate of students’ feelings and to be mindful

Camp Fire crisis. Hearing the stories, seeing families outside store parking lots and trying to be supportive as a community all had an impact on many. However, there also seemed to be many more ways to solve solutions on campus that seemed to be neglected. I know this crisis time is hard for not only students, but all faculty, administrators and staff on campus. Solutions are easier said than done, but it would have been nice to see some of these solutions; • Creating manageable course material • Giving tuition refund checks to students who were affected by the fire • Offering drops without penalties We know that this trauma will continue to affect us for months to come. Most students though were fortunate, as only some lost their homes. For those students who lost family members and/or their homes, this trauma will affect them not just for months, but for years. However, this experience has also taught us to donate, give a helping hand and support one another during our academics. As Chico State Wildcats, keep supporting one another and do the best to finish your semester strong and start the new year right. Karen Limones can be reached at opinioneditor@theorion.com or @theorion_ news on Twitter.

Wednesday Dec. 12, 2018

CALENDAR

UPCOMING EVENTS Wed 12

sat 15

Yoga in the Meriam Library

A Light in the Darkness: Gospel Choir Presents ‘Soulful Christmas’ Concert

Students, staff members and faculty are invited to do yoga in the Meriam Library. There will be mats provided and the Wildcat Recreation Center is

Butte County’s Celebration Gospel Choir is having its first “Soulful Christmas“ concert to

providing the yoga instructor.

celebrate Christmas. There will be Christmas classics as well as original songs and numbers.

Where: Meriam Library Fourth floor

Where: Bethel AME Church, 821 Linden Street (9th and Linden)

When: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Price: Free

When: 4 to 5 p.m.

Thu 13

Price: Free, Freewill offering

Celtic Woman: The Best of Christmas

Student Learning Fee - Request for Proposals – DEADLINE EXTENSION A campus fund created by the consolidation of course fees, the Student Learning Fee

Celebrate Christmas by listening to an all-female ensemble. The Celtic

(SLF), is now available for the submission of proposals that will lead to the enhancement

Woman are on its “The Best of Christmas Tour” and it’s performing with the

of student learning. The estimated amount available for the 2019-2020 award year is

North State Symphony

$1,700,000. Awards will be determined by colleges, the Division of Student Affairs,

Where: Laxson Auditorium

When: 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

and the Campus Fee Advisory Committee (CFAC), each of which has received specific allocation amounts.

Price: $68 Premium | $58 Adult | $56 Senior | $46 Youth | $15 Chico

CFAC accepts proposals from non-college academic units and interdisciplinary teams.

State Student

In this context, “interdisciplinary” refers to proposals that cross college or division lines.

Fri 14

Proposals may be submitted by students, faculty, and staff via the SLF web application

Chico State Guitar Ensemble: Fall Recital

college office or the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs.

located at: https://slf.csuchico.edu/. If you are part of an academic college, or the division of Student Affairs, please discuss your funding needs, and how to submit a proposal/expenditure request, with your Please refer to the SLF website (http://www.csuchico.edu/slf) and go to the Guidelines

The Chico State guitar ensemble has a mix of solo acts, duets, quartets and

section for more information on the proposal process.

large ensembles. The concert will feature works from Gaspar Sanz.

Proposals may be submitted online until the final submission deadline of 5:00 p.m. De-

Where: Rowland-Taylor Recital Hall

cember 20, 2018. Please note that the submission period has been extended by a week

When: 5 p.m.

from the original date of December 13, 2018.

Price: Free

If you have any questions or issues, please send an email to: slf@csuchico.edu. Thank you for your participation in this opportunity to support and enhance student learning.

CALENDAR

Wednesday Dec. 12, 2018

UPCOMING EVENTS sun 16

Mon 17

Tues 18

Butte Strong Sessions

Magical Winter Discovery

Fall 2018 Grading Oasis

Songwriter Mark Kozelek will be performing at the Chico

Have some beer, grab a brush and take home a beautiful

Relax and take a rbeak from finals in the Rose Garden

Women’s Club. Proceeds will be going to the North Valley

masterpiece at Logan’s Roadhiouse Chico.

Room (Meriam Library 459). This event ends on the 21.

Community Foundation.

Where: Logan’s Roadhouse

Where: Meriam Library 459

Where: Chico Women’s Club When: 7 to 10:30 p.m.

When: 7 p.m.

When: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Price: $35

Price: $45

Price: Free

OPINION

Wednesday Dec. 12, 2018

HEALTH

Tips on tackling the flu season for the holidays Brooke Martin Staff Writer

hristmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s. The holidays are here and so is the sickness. Winter is a great season for romance. It’s filled with matching ugly Christmas sweaters, the sexy New Year’s Eve kiss and much more. What’s not so hot though, is the flu. The flu is a very common winter illness and peaks between December and March, but it doesn’t stop there. Many illnesses increase in frequency during the winter months and can last well into spring. This time of year can also bring influenza, the common cold, foot-and-mouth disease and others. Overall, there’s a decent chance you will get sick in the winter months. The good news is there are lots of things you can do to stay healthy. To avoid cuddling with a blanket and a thermometer instead of your hot date, follow these tips: 1. Sleep When we go home for the holidays, we will no longer be pulling all-nighters to cram for our exams. Sleep as often and as much as humanly possible. It won’t be long before the spring semester is upon us. 2. Eat more than ramen and energy bars Eating in the dining hall or grocery shopping at WinCo can sometimes lead to unhealthy eating habits. However, over the holidays we are home and that means one thing: home-cooked meals. This is probably one of

the things I look forward to most when I go back to my hometown. Eating more nutritious food will keep you satisfied and continue keeping your temperature normal. 3. Exercise regularly Spending a little time on the

You should always wash your hands. It’s a sanitary thing, but it’s particularly sanitary during the colder months. Before touching your face or eating, realize that sickness is all around you. That door you opened could’ve been touched by someone who

something your mom made up to keep you inside. A warmer body temperature can help viruses from spreading. Netflix, hot chocolate and Christmas movies may be your best bet to not getting sick this holiday season. You can use this as an excuse if you start

treadmill or lifting some weights will not only keep the germs away, but also keep you nice and fit during one of the most caloric times of the year. 4. Wash your hands

threw up this morning. The Starbucks you ordered might have been made by a sneezing barista. As they say, better safe than sorry. 5. Stay warm Turns out that being cold is not

to feel lazy over break. All of this advice will not only make it less likely for you to get sick, but also increase your overall health and well-being. As a college student, I tend to put

Enjoy the holidays and winter break avoiding the flu.

my health on the back burner. There’s not much time between classes, friends, parties and everything else. But we’re going home now and if you don’t want to be sneezing throughout the entirety of watching Home Alone, then take these tips to heart. Brooke Martin can be reached at opinioneditor@theorion.com or @bmartin471 on Twitter

GETTY IMAGES PHOTO BY LJUBAPHOTO

OPINION

Wednesday Dec. 12, 2018

SELF-CARE

Midst of the campfire aftermath still lingers among students Rayanne Painter Staff Writer

elcome to “dead week,” you’ve finally made it. This semester has felt like it’s gone on for far longer than usual. Unless this is your first semester of college, you’ve probably been through a few of these final weeks of the semester. It’s a struggle for most people: project deadlines are quickly approaching, essays or lab reports are due nearly every day of the week and the first finals are only days away. It’s a lot to handle, especially with what our community has been recently going through.

This semester has felt like it’s gone on for far longer than usual. Since returning to the normalcy of classes and campus operations, nothing quite feels the same in the aftermath of the Camp Fire. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be directly affected by the devastation while trying to finish out the semester. Hundreds of the students and faculty here can’t go home at the end of the day. Most have lost possessions or property, jobs and possibly loved ones. And for those of us who weren’t directly affected by the blaze, watching our community struggle is off-putting, to say the least. Everything is different, yet we must go on. I’ve spoken to some of my professors about this, and they all have witnessed the same phenomenon of the oddity of these past few weeks. They

GETTY IMAGES PHOTO BY WUNDERVISUALS

We can overcome any tragedy as long as we have a helping hand. know they owe us information – we paid for it and need it to be successful – but they feel that students aren’t absorbing new information that’s being given to them.

It’s not that we don’t care, but it’s almost like we’ve lost focus in the midst of all this tradegy. I can’t say I’m surprised by this. As a student who is unaffected by the fire, sitting through

lectures has been frustrating. My peers and I are less active in discussion and there have been multiple classes where our time was ended short because we were not interacting with the material being presented. It’s not that we don’t care, but it’s almost like we’ve lost focus in the midst of all this tragedy. I’m no expert in the response of communities after devastation, and perhaps there is a reason for this imbalance that I’m sure we’re all experiencing at some level. It’s okay to feel off during

We are all in this together, after all. this month and the months to come. Thankfully, there are only a couple weeks left of the semester and I do hope that this upcoming break can be enough time for all of us to recharge. Do what feels right to you, in order to get through to the end of finals week. If you are struggling because of effects from the fire or really anything that’s setting you back, communicate with your

professors. You might find that most will be extremely accommodating in these times, no matter your specific situation. Be a helping hand or a listening ear to your colleagues, co-workers and friends, but also reserve some time to take care of your needs. We are all in this together, after all. Rayanne Painter can be reached at opinioneditor@theorion.com or @rayphenomenon on Twitter

OPINION DRINKING Alcohol policy in dorms won’t stop students Wednesday Dec. 12, 2018

Rayanne Painter Staff Writer

s strict as the alcohol and drug policies are for Chico State’s on-campus housing, you’d think that residents would take them at least a little seriously. But when I lived in the residence halls, some people had vodka labels blatantly taped to the back of their doors and the empty half of a double room converted into a “stoner lounge.” My point here is, college students drink and smoke. No matter what guidelines and rules are in place, people will sneak around them and do what they want. This is especially true when resident advisers and building supervisors will often ignore the laughter and music behind closed doors, as long as festivities are kept to a reasonable level. But given extreme or unlucky circumstances, the bottom line is you will get in trouble for being in the possession of alcohol or drugs.

More than 1,800 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries and 696,000 students are assaulted by other students who have been drinking. The abundance of party culture in the dorms alludes to the fact that most of the residents are first years and most likely 17 or 18 years old. Alcohol being prohibited in the halls may be an indirect

GETTY IMAGES BY FLASHPOP

Three vollege students having a great time, laughing. reason for not many second, third or fourth years wanting to live in student housing. What 21 year old wants to live in a dorm where they can’t even drink legally, plus being under possible legal trouble if caught in the presence of a minor consuming alcohol or drugs? A solution to this would be to allow residents 21 and over to have and drink alcohol in their rooms, without minors present, of course. I would imagine that this freedom might encourage older students to stay in the residence halls, and the number of brand new college students would

be a bit more spread out. This type of policy isn’t exactly common, but it is out there. When I was originally looking for a college to attend, I took a tour around University of Nevada, Reno. In their residence halls, there are certain floors in a few

My point here is, college students drink and smoke. No matter what guidelines and rules are in place, people will sneak around them and do what they want.

buildings that allow students who are over 21 and their of-age guests to possess and drink alcohol with the door shut. There might be concern that a policy like this encourages college-aged drinking, which is a valid reason that the administration has probably pondered. According to National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, more than 1,800 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries and 696,000 students are assaulted by other students who have been drinking. These

statistics pair with the prevalence of Chico State, in particular, being known as a “party school” makes this a touchy topic. But, having more older students among the hundreds of first years in the dorms might help alcohol-related issues more than extra alcohol in the dorms hurts those statistics. I’m not sure if I exactly endorse the idea, but it might be something worth looking into. Rayanne Painter can be reached at opinioneditor@theorion.com or @rayphenomenon on Twitter

OPINION

Wednesday Dec. 12, 2018

O-FACE

Kinky sex can rekindle the spark in the bedroom ticipation is going to make it the better. When in an new situation having time to relax into it is so important. Get to it when you are ready Like getting into a warm bath tub take it a step at time. Make

Rachael Bayuk Staff Writer

ex is as unique as you are, so you do you. Sex is as natural as eating or walking. Yet the shame associated with it can be aquanted to committing a crime. We worry our neighbors will hear. We giggle when it is brought up in public. Our sex education system focusses on shame instead of safety and pleasure. Many of us have gone through the awkward self-guided tour through sex. We figured it out and made it through. But what happens when the spark burns out? Most people turn to adventure in the bedroom. Kinky sex isn’t missionary with soft kisses, but it doesn’t have to be “love” free. There are so many options when it comes to kinky sex. Bondage Discipline Sadism Masochism (BDSM), threesomes and the list goes on. While most of us aren’t trying to dress up as a pony and get spanked with a riding crop. many of us do have some kind of desire for danger. No matter how hidden that is. Finding the type of kinky sex you want to give a try is a really important step. Going into a situation and saying you are open to anything is rarely true. Often times people have a limit but they are afraid to tell it to a partner. Disappointing your partner should never be a concern when you uncomfortable with an act. Threesomes are a great example of something people will say they are OK with until it gets to

DIEGO RAMIREZ—THE ORION

it. Visualizing your partner with someone else can be hurtful, but seeing it in real life can be devistating. Researching and taking the acts serious is the best way to have a good time and an even better story. Starting steps to kinky sex: Be with someone you trust First and foremost is trust. When getting kinky sometimes you can get in compromising situations. You need to be able to depend on that person to untie you when you ask. You and your

partners safety and happiness must be top priority. Know your limits Expressing clearly what you do and don’t want is important. Getting caught up in the moment is hot, but you don’t want to go to far without expressed permission. Discussing you and your partner’s fantasies is helpful and fun. Spend some cash Purchase any possible tools and devices to fulfill those fantasies of yours. Either buy online or

head to a local “supply shop.” Going in person will allow you to look at things in person. Most stores have certain objects out for you to hold and look at. No matter what you are buying texture and feel is so important. Pregame that sh*t Foreplay is important. If your partner always just wants to jump to the end goal change that. Next time tell them to slow down, start the foreplay on them. Then give the hint to start on you. It will be a lot hotter and the an-

sure there is confirmation of every step. Discussing safe words or signals is important because sometimes you won’t be able to fully communicate due to bondage, gagging, etc. Consent is so important, If your partners demeaner changes even if they didn’t ask you to stop. Stop and make sure everything is okay. No one should ever be really hurt or scared. Kinks are fun because they are consentuial and desired not because of the act alone. Now that you have given your first shot at your fantasy, find another one or cuddle. Sex is up to you and what happens should be on your terms. Empowered sex is good sex. Don’t get stuck in the traditional view of sex; you’ll be stuck spinning around in an unfulfilling wash, rinse and repeat cycle. There is nothing wrong with wanting to experiment just as there is not wrong with simply wanting to be made love to after a dinner date. Explore your desires and find what works best for you! Rachael Bayuk can be reached at opinioneditor@theorion.com or @BayukRachael on Twitter.