Volume 70 Issue 04

The Highlander

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE

For the week of Tuesday, October 26, 2021

VOL. 70, ISSUE 04

est. 1954

NEWS

UCR student workers face pay discrepancies STUDENT-WORKERS ACROSS THE ENTIRE UC SYSTEM STRUGGLE WITH PAY ISSUES DUE TO A SHARED UCPATH SYSTEM. AMARAY ALVAREZ News Editor

With the start of a new fall quarter, this 2021-22 school year has already proven to be difficult for Highlander students and staff.

The transition from remote learning to mostly in-person classes, issues of campus business being understaffed and the looming threat of COVID-19 have made coming back to campus challenging after a stressful two years fueled by the pandemic. Another problem that has recently come to the attention of some student workers is the question of why there have been discrepancies with their pay.

New student workers may have noticed that they have not been receiving their paychecks on time or that the amounts they are receiving have been incorrect.

The UC system currently handles payroll

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RADAR

Netflix’s ‘You’ captivates audiences in its return for its third season with more drama, twists and crime KIMBERLY BEJEC Contributing Writer

After a cliffhanger end to season two of “You,” fans of the show were eager for a new season of the show to be released by Netflix.

Despite production of the show being suspended for two weeks due to COVID-19, the third season of the show was finally released on Netflix on Oct. 15, 2021.

The show follows sociopath and serial killer, Joe Goldberg, played by Penn Badgley, as he develops toxic obsessions for women he becomes infatuated with. He often resorts to manipulation and violence in an effort to avoid any obstacles

or failures in his relationship.

Despite his toxic behavior, the show’s thrilling plot and convincing performance from the cast keeps audiences captivated and itching to bingewatch the entire show.

Throughout the show, Joe frequently narrates his thoughts and ideas in his head to “you.” Although Joe directs his narration towards the woman that he is lusting over, it feels as if he is talking directly to the audience instead. This heightens a connection between the audience and Joe in a way that the audience gets to understand his motives and reasoning.

It allows the audience ► SEE YOU PAGE 10

THE LATEST SEASON OF “YOU” MOVES TO THE SUBURBS AS IT FOLLOWS THE TOXIC, YET ENTERTAININGLY DARK ROMANCE BETWEEN JOE AND LOVE QUINNGOLDBERG. COURTESY OF NETFLIX

OPINIONS

through UCPath, which was implemented between 2017-18 and operates payroll for all of the UCs. Since this new program was implemented, there have been constant complications, but not to the same extent as this year.

As students are returning to campus, many are being hired for on-campus positions they have not previously held due to classes mainly being remote the last couple of years.

This is where problems arise with UCPath.

The influx of student workers is causing a delay in the onboarding process for them to be fully hired and entered into the system.

The process is currently taking weeks to a month for students to receive their first paycheck because the system is so behind and overwhelmed. ► SEE UC PAYROLL PAGE 3

AS FAMILIES ARE UNABLE TO MOURN THOSE THEY HAVE LOST, EXPERTS ARE LOOKING INTO THE SIDE EFFECTS OF BEING UNABLE TO ADDRESS THIS GRIEF FOR SUCH AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.

Prolonged grief amidst COVID-19 is affecting the mental health of millions of families YSABEL NAKASONE Contributing Writer

Estimates indicate that deaths during COVID-19 will leave behind about 16 million grieving family members. This number may be even higher when including those outside of the deceased’s immediate family.

This tragic statistic is made worse, considering the restrictions the coronavirus has put on funerals and other grieving rituals which can help the bereaved find closure. Additionally, in the United States 46% of people believe that the restrictions put in place will not help prevent the spread of COVID-19, and the negative mental health implications of the restrictions are not helping matters. The extended periods of grief that many families are having to undergo are only being made worse by the lack of ability to mourn their lost loved ones.

Researchers have recently become concerned with the possible increase in what is called Prolonged Grief Disorder. PGD involves a severe grief response characterized by intense yearning for a lost one for an amount of time that is deemed abnormal based on sociocultural contexts, oftentimes when there is a sudden or violent death. Studies show that typically less than 10% of bereaved individuals

experience PGD. However, a new study shows that now, more than 30%of bereaved individuals experience PGD or Persistent Complex Bereavement Disorder, and this increase is associated with a loved one dying of COVID-19.

It has been theorized that the surge of PGD symptoms is related to the inability to grieve traditionally as a result of safety restrictions in place that discourage proper funerals.

This wave of PGD needs to be met with a unified response from mental health professionals. It is important to focus not only on the immediate family members of lost ones, but also focusing on close friends and extended family in need of bereavement treatment.

Additionally, since the nature of loss often relates to grief symptoms, more work needs to be done in exploring how the COVID-19 pandemic has altered people’s perception of death and grieving.

Furthermore, the importance of grieving rituals cannot be understated as they can help the bereaved process and accept their loss. One example is the Mexican holiday, Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead. This ritual is important, much like other cultural rituals which help not only to accept loss, but to celebrate those who have passed on. Often, finding meaning in death helps bereaved individuals

manage grief. A year ago, Day of the Dead celebrations were darkened by the spread of COVID-19 as it continued to spread, and Mexican cemeteries were closed as a result. Those who celebrate the holiday struggled as they were unable to engage with the deceased through their traditions. However, some believe that a small or simple altar at home is enough to connect to their lost loved ones. This act aims to remind the bereaved of the lives their loved one’s led rather than focusing only on their death, a concept that may help those experiencing grief. Finding these alternative methods of grieving could be beneficial to those suffering from PGD. It’s not only the bereaved and mental health professionals who need to find solutions, but society as a whole needs to change the perspectives on bereavement. There should be greater social acceptance for long-term grief and more support for those who suffer from it. Support and understanding from one’s peers could make an incredible difference in the bereavement process. This can be and has to be achieved through education, specifically by preparing therapists, school counselors, educators and mental health professionals on how to support the bereaved, as well as changing attitudes about death in a world that is H experiencing the unimaginable.■

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“I’m an electrical engineering major. In highschool I used to be a part of a lot of engineering clubs, like robotics. My dad was an electrical engineer, so it seemed like a good idea to follow in

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his footsteps since he was successful, plus I like the field. I’m a second year though, and I currently work in the Chemical Sciences building in the stock room if you want to stop by. The only thing I don’t like about school right now is how I have to be on campus for 9 hours a day, but its part of being a student and a worker.”

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News

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NEWS

The UC System announces second faculty member to receive Nobel Prize of 2021

UC laureate announcement from earlier this year when biochemist David Julius of UC San Francisco won the Nobel Prize in physiology for his discoveries on the body’s nervous system pain-receptors.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the organization that awards the economics prize, credited Card “for his empirical contributions to labour economics.” He shares the prize with Joshua Angrist of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and

The UC system’s earlier recipient of the Nobel Prize in medicine, David Julius, along with Ardem Patapoutian of the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego, won the prize after a series of studies that identified the protein class TRP ion channels as the “key player” in the human body’s pain reception. For this, he and Patapoutian were awarded “for their discoveries of receptors for temperature and touch” by the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute, which oversees the Nobel Prize in medicine.

According to the Nobel Laureates of the University of California website, his studies involved “chilli peppers, tarantula venom and other natural products” and how they “trigger sensations of heat, cold and pain.”

His ideas brought from the study can further contribute to the topic of pain therapy and the development of non-addictive painkillers.

Run by the Royal Swedish Academy under King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, the Nobel Prizes are considered as one of, if not the most, important pieces of recognition in the Western Hemisphere.

Since 1901, their goal has been to identify those who make groundbreaking revelations and contributions that serve humanity for the greatest good. The six categories of the Nobel Prize are literature, peace, physics, physiology or medicine, chemistry and economics.

The UC system alone has 71 awards in total belonging to 70 faculty members. The first ever recipient was Ernest O. Lawrence, laureate of the 1939 physics prize for his invention of the cyclotron. The most recent laureates before Card and Julius are Jennifer Doudna of UC Berkeley for the prize in chemistry and Andrea Ghez of UC Los Angeles for the physics prize, who were awarded in 2020. Ghez is the fourth woman H in history to be awarded the physics prize. ■

outside obligations.

Second-year pre-business major Hansel Chu has yet to be paid from UCPath and is relying on money he made over the summer to get by.

“I’m glad that I was able to work over the summer and earn a good amount of money before school started. However, I am starting to feel the effects of not getting paid yet for UCPath, as I have to pay for rent, groceries and other expenses on my own. I feel a bit more uptight with my money now and am not able to enjoy spending it on things that I like,” said Chu. UCR wants to retro pay students who have not received paychecks, but is limited on their reach as they depend on the service center and UCPath to make the final corrections. There is no direct

access to UCPath. Before UCPath was implemented in 2017-18, UCR had more control over the accounts, but that is no longer the case.

Chu and other students also find the UCPath system to be complicated to operate. During the onboarding process, students are expected to navigate the system themselves and create an account while setting up their direct deposit.

“The UCPath system is a bit complicated, and I had problems signing and logging in to my account, which doesn’t make it easier to get paid,” said Chu. To make an account, students need to set up five security questions and input other personal information. Not doing this or not creating an account further delays when students will receive their

paychecks.

This problem has also been reported at the other UCs. The same UCPath system operates payroll for all the schools, making it easy to see how the system is currently overwhelmed.

UCPath is located in Riverside and, according to their website, serves “all the university’s more than 200,000 employees from each of the campuses, and medical and research facilities.”

If you are a student worker and have been victimized by pay discrepancies, visit the UCPath website and finish setting up your account or send an email to their support center. Students can also contact Amy Carrizosa, the UCR Financial Operations Manager, for more H assistance. ■

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The UC Office of the President has announced a second 2021 Nobel-Prize laureate from the UC system. David Card, a labor economist at UC Berkeley, was awarded the Nobel Prize in economic sciences for his studies that challenged the conventional ideas of low-wage jobs and how they relate to immigration, education and job availability. This follows another

► FROM UC PAYROLL

Students who started working at the beginning of the school year may have just recently received one paycheck when they should have already received two. In order for students to be paid, their information is input by UCR, sent to a shared service center and then sent to UCPath, who makes the final decisions.

This train of people that the information must be sent through further prolongs the wait for students who are in need of assistance.

“They held a week’s worth of pay for unknown reasons. I have had jobs before and they don’t do that,” said a third-year sociology major and UCR student worker.

“I just found it very unprofessional and not very thoughtful since we have bills to pay. I haven’t been contacted about it at all, but I knew something was off.”

This problem is affecting other new student workers or students who changed positions from the previous school year.

One senator from ASUCR was already employed on campus and switched positions to become a senator this year.

With their information already in the system, the process should not have been delayed, yet it was. This individual was entered into the UCPath system on Sept.

9, and it took about a month for them to be approved. Their pay period should have been on Oct. 13, but they were not paid until Oct. 21, a week later after already missing their first pay period.

The system has not caught up and is neglecting students who, on top of paying bills, are also concerned with school and

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Guido Imbens of Stanford University.

Since the 1990s, Card has been researching the true impacts of immigrant work on native U.S. workers and the interrelatedness of minimum-wage increase and low-wage domestic jobs. His research is significant in that it does not just alter common judgements of immigration and low-wage jobs, but the judgements of other professional economists on the topic.

UC President Michael V. Drake congratulated Card, stating, “For decades, Professor Card’s analyses of complex economic systems have provided critical insights into the minimum wage, education, inequality and more. His research continues to shape important discussions about programs and policies affecting workers and students across this country and reflects UC’s commitment to generating new knowledge that serves the public good.”

Chairman Peter Fredriksson of the Prize Committee commented that Card “helped to answer important questions for society” and that he “challenged conventional wisdom,” which led to “new studies and additional insights.”

When Card first received the message of his win over the phone, he described himself to be in disbelief, thinking that his friends were pulling a joke on him — even though the caller identification was shown to be from Sweden.

He describes his contributions to be “pretty modest” and that his goal was to “oversimplify” the complex fractions of economics, whereas “most old-fashioned economists,” as he calls them, tend to approach it very theoretically.

One example of his research examined the situation of minimum-wage increase in New Jersey, in which he found that the impact of the wage increase did not decrease domestic job availability. Beforehand, it was widely assumed by economists that it did.

LABOR ECONOMIST DAVID CARD WINS THE NOBEL PRIZE IN ECONOMICS, FOLLOWING BIOCHEMIST’S DAVID JULIUS’ WIN FOR THE NOBEL PRIZE IN MEDICINE.

HANNA RUTQVIST Contributing Writer

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021

JOSHUA WANG /THE HIGHLANDER

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NEWS

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ASUCR

The fourth ASUCR meeting saw a review of new legislation and judicial nominations AS WE MOVE FURTHER INTO THE QUARTER, ASUCR CONTINUES TO EXPAND AS THEY REVIEW NEW POSITIONS AND EXTEND THE ABILITY TO HAVE MORE INTERNS AND AUTHORS.

ABHIJIT REGE News Editor

The Associated Students of UCR’s third meeting was called to order on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2021 in the ASUCR Senate Chamber. All senators were present, excluding senators Vu, Aparcio and Kiroloss. The meeting agenda was modified initially to add Finance Hearing Minutes No. 7 to Committee Reports and the Green Campus Action Plan’s Green Grant Allocation to New Business. Motions to open and approve the previous week’s meeting minutes also took place.

A public forum then began with an introduction from Chief Justice of the Judicial Council Mohamad Almouazzen. Almouazzen discussed his and the Judicial Council’s plans for the year ahead, which includes an overhaul and expansion of the Judicial Council’s role as well as a judicial review of ASUCR. Having met with executive and senate leadership, he hoped to instill a principle of separation of power and stated that judicial oversight was far overdue. ASUCR’s constitution, bylaws and leadership will be reviewed as a part of the judicial review process.

Furthermore, Almouazzen announced the appointment of four new judges and his intentions to have all judiciary members paid through a stipend.

According to the chief justice, this is only a small portion of the many changes to come.

Following the forum, Jeanine Nassar, Ethnic and Gender Program Liason, delivered her ex-officio report.

Her report began with a discussion of the LGBT Resource Center, which she described as “developed but still in need of work” and appreciated the variety of amenities the center has, such as a lounge and cybercenter.

However, Nassar noted that there is a stigma attached to visiting the center in which students believe that they have to be a part of the LGBTQ community to visit, which is simply not true. She also voiced her concern of the lack of gender options of UC applications and websites and aimed to increase the number available. Lastly, Jane touched upon the Middle Eastern Student Center and the concerns of the Muslim community of UCR. Finding Halal options for dining can be a challenge, and restaurants such as Chronic Tacos do not serve any Halal meats. Another issue on campus regards the sale of Sabra Hummus in Scotty’s convenience stores. The brand of hummus was called for removal in 2015, yet stores on campus continue to sell the product whose profits go to the Israeli Military, which is currently involved in carrying out the Palestinian genocide.

Committee reports then commenced with a motion passed to open and review Finance Hearing Minutes No. 6 for the finance meeting which took place on Oct. 14, 2021. Notable budgetary changes and additions include allocations of $9,682 of funding to a variety of programs and clubs on campus, such as $3,500 for UCR’s Vietnamese Student Association and

ABHIJIT REGE / THE HIGHLANDER

$1,329 for Riverside Health Connect. A motion to approve the meeting minutes passed with a vote of 14-0-0. Another motion was passed to open and review Finance Hearing Minutes No. 7 for the finance meeting which took place on Oct. 20, 2021. In total, $12,749 in allocations were made to a variety of clubs, programs and services on campus, including $3,500 for UCR’s Muslim Student Association, $1,208 for the Global Medical Brigades and $1,208 for the Aerospace Systems club. A motion to approve the meeting minutes passed with a vote of 14-0-0.

Three pieces of legislation were subsequently reviewed following their approval from the Legislative Review Committee. Senate Resolution SR-F21008 was the first on docket and resolved to endorse the Afghan Scholars at Risk Fundraising Campaign.

Primarily authored by CHASS senator Victoria Nguyen, CNAS senator Rachel Paredes and senate intern Realyn Mejia, the resolution tasks ASUCR with endorsing the fundraising campaign, raising awareness of the cause through social media and other forms of communication and supporting the resettlement and support of any Afghan refugees who may be hosted at UCR. The Senate motion to approve the resolution passed with a vote count of 14-0-0.

Next, Senate Bill SB-F21-008 amends Chapter XLVI of the ASUCR bylaws to increase the number of senate interns a Senator can mentor.

With a written request to the President Pro-Tempore, a senator can request additional interns with valid reasoning.

This amendment removes the original cap of only two interns. The senate approved the bill with a vote count of 14-0-0.

Senate Bill SB-F21-007 called for an amendment to allow for more primary authors on senate bills and resolutions.

CHASS senators Victoria Nguyen and Christopher Kent and CNAS senator Rachel Paredes authored the bill and hoped to eliminate isolation between ASUCR and the rest of the campus by allowing more people to work with ASUCR. While there remains a cap for primary authorship at only two elected officials for Senate Bills and three elected officials for Senate Resolutions, the amendment allows there to be no limit on the number of primary authors who are not ASUCR elected officials.

CHASS Senator and President ProTempore Orlando Cabalo urged senators to vote for the legislation as it allows for more people to be involved beyond just senators. The senate approved the bill with a vote count of 14-0-0.

New business was then addressed to the senate, and the first to be discussed was GCAP’s Green Grant Allocation. The Green Grant Allocation aimed to provide student networking opportunities, and a project is underway to hold the Sustainability Student Networking Event in the fall quarter.

The allocation was approved through a motion with a vote of 14-0-0.

ASUCR President William Wang then took the floor and introduced the three candidates for Judicial Nominations.

Fadi Zaki, a third-year computer science major, applied for the judicial position following his involvement in the Finance and GCAP committees. Law and politics have always been an interest of his after he immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 10. Audrey Tang, a third-year sociology major, hopes to become an associate justice, and her career aspiration is to be an attorney. Through her experience interning through leadership positions in

a variety of organizations and Phi Alpha Delta, a pre-law fraternity on campus, she has gained skills in leadership, critical thinking and decision-making.

Jose Tapia, a third-year political science major, has a history of activism and fighting for justice. Tapia has gained experience in the realm of politics through door-to-door canvassing, organizing rallies, fundraising for refugees and other means of spreading awareness.

Senators then asked the candidates their own questions. CHASS senator and President Pro-Tempore Cabalo inquired about how the nominees will maintain a separation of powers. Tang responded by ensuring that checks and balances will be in place between branches and that much oversight and communication will take place. Zaki hoped to interpret and apply the ASUCR constitution to each case and also supported more open communication to resolve issues. Tapia agreed with his fellow nominees and explained the need for full transparency and an understanding of the constitution.

Further questions were also asked regarding maintaining transparency and a separation of powers. A closed session was then held amongst the senators, allowing for the galley to have a recess of 20 minutes. Once the session was over, the nominees were then tabled by the senate until the following week for more questions and review.

The meeting concluded with multiple senator reports from senators Nguyen, Chavez, Syed and Kent. Final announcements included an upcoming R’Garden project, which requires a referendum for funding, as well as Mental Health Awareness Week, which will take place during week five of the fall quarter. The meeting was adjourned H at 8:08 p.m. ■

Opinions

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OPINIONS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021

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THE HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL

Biden needs to prioritize his campaign promise of paying off student debt BIDEN GATHERED PLENTY OF YOUNG VOTERS WITH HIS PROMISE OF STUDENT DEBT FORGIVENESS. IF HE DOESN’T FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THIS SOON, HIS FUTURE AS PRESIDENT IS AT RISK.

P

oliticians are notorious for making extravagant promises on the campaign trail only for them to fall flat when the presidential position is secured. Joe Biden has unfortunately been showing this to be true for him as well, especially with his promise of student debt forgiveness. Many young people voted for Biden, helping him win the election and not without cause.

Student loans continue to be one of the leading causes of debt in America, and its predatory presence has made it difficult for an entire generation of Americans to afford houses and other amenities that are expected for their age group. But unlike his other campaign promises, this promise is far too important to let fall through.

Student debt forgiveness needs to be addressed as soon as possible by the Biden administration, or it will cost the American public an access to a stable future and it will cost Biden his presidency.

It’s nothing new to say that the American student debt crisis is the product of inflation and the rising cost of living. This isn’t even to mention the fact that most American universities behave as though they are bureaucratic businesses

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rather than places of education for the next generation of public servants. Student loan providers take advantage of the lack of money in most students’ pockets and wrap them up in debts that they often have to pay for the rest of their working lives. While some might say that if you don’t want to pay the loans back, you shouldn’t take them out in the first place, it’s not feasible for low-income students or firstgeneration students to pay college tuition in full. Unfortunately, they have to rely on student loans to get a degree, even if it means being stuck in debt for the next 20 to 45 years.

Student loans loom over the heads of people and their families for years because of this, preventing them from living fulfilling lives. It is for this reason that Biden must act on his promise to forgive student loan debt, otherwise the generations of America will continue to live in the shadow of predatory loan companies that continue to raise interest rates year after year.

Furthermore, Biden’s moderate and milquetoast actions have left most of America disappointed in his first year as president. To at least go through with one major promise like this, even if it means

only canceling about $10,000 per person, would warm him up even slightly to the public once again.

With Donald Trump suggesting he will likely run again in 2024, Biden needs to start putting his money where his mouth is if he wants Democrats to win down the line. To refuse to follow through with this student debt forgiveness will further turn the public away from Biden’s administration and possibly put more people on Trump’s side.

Biden needs to stop trying to play both sides and set down some hard and fast laws that will benefit America as a whole. He should not try to keep pushing for a greater amount of student debt forgiveness and in the meantime follow through with the $10,000 he already promised the American people. Even if it will only make a small dent in the trillion dollars that Americans owe in student debt, it is better to tackle the issue with this small amount and hopefully push for more forgiveness as we move on into the future.

Indeed, his focus shouldn’t only be on this forgiveness where the money comes out of taxpayer dollars. He should focus on taking some of the trillions of dollars that are poured into the military every year and use

that to assist the student debt crisis and help fix the infrastructure of the education system.

If Biden wants to make one defining move as a president, it should be keeping his promise to help absolve some student debt. It’s too large of a problem to tackle all by himself, but even a little bit goes a long way. The topic of student loan forgiveness could possibly become less taboo as a result if he relieves some of the immense debt that millions of Americans are in. There are only positive outcomes to Biden passing some form of student loan forgiveness, and he needs to take a stand for it as president if he wants to relieve America of one of its most H pervasive issues.■

The Highlander editorials reflect the majority view of the Highlander Editorial Board.

They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Associated Students of UCR or the University of California system.

6 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021

OPINIONS

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“Stealthing”: When common sense meets the law

CRITICISM OF “STEALTHING” HAS COME TO THE SPOTLIGHT AFTER THE RECENT PASSING OF A BILL SIGNED BY GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM. WHILE THIS IMMORAL ACT SEEMS SO OBVIOUSLY DEVIOUS, THERE ARE STILL CONVERSATIONS CONCERNING HOW PUNISHABLE IT SHOULD BE.

AYLIN MORENO Contributing Writer

Stealthing is the act of removing a condom during intercourse without the consent or knowledge of your sexual partner. This act is nothing new; however, the phenomenon has launched to public light in view of recent events. California has become the first state, as of Oct. 7, to instate a law against this act, considering it a civil sexual battery offense. Due to the obscure nature of stealthing and the confusion surrounding its repercussions, there has been a severe lack of reporting and conversation. The immoral act has been brought up in criminal context in other states wanting to make it illegal, but the amendment for this has been proposed to no avail. The law often snails behind societal trends, meaning that laws that are necessary for our changing times take a long time to be implemented. While California is the first to make stealthing a prosecutable offence, there is a push to bring the rest of the states up to speed.

Right now, the Istanbul Convention treaty is bringing violence against women, including all non-consensual sexual acts, into the framework of human rights.

The goal of this convention is to bring attention to the inequality in gender violence. While the #MeToo movement has become prevalent over the years, there is still a stigma in reporting sexual assault and pursuing justice. Some of this can be attributed to the grey area of labeling rape and sexual assault. Because of the societal shame women often feel in providing evidence of assaults, there is a lot of second guessing in the legality or moral dubiousness of stealthing. Women who are victims are speaking out and sharing their

stories and unease with the experience of stealthing. One woman shared that she did not realize until after her sexual encounter that her partner had removed the condom. This experience led to unwanted pregnancy and later termination. She felt angry, especially after her partner did not reciprocate and sympathize with the resulting emotional trauma. While not all of these encounters end in pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases, there is still the paramount topic at hand: consent.

The trouble many women have with labeling stealthing as rape or assault is the societally weighted phrase, “others have it worse,” in order to push voices to the side.

There is a fear of muddling the voices of women who have had relatively harder experiences. The same fear is echoed by the stereotypical expectation that women are, in nature, overreactive. While we logically can agree that this stereotype is outdated and ridiculous — the unease is ingrained in the mind during girlhood from the responses of adults to emotion and/or the expectation of maturity from a young age.

The underreporting of stealthing is not just ignorance of the law and rights, but the blinding inability to decide if the action was enough to report. If something happens during a sexual encounter that one partner did not consent to, resulting in a feeling of betrayal or unease, the act is sexual assault or rape. The line is hard to draw when the pressures of stigma and disregarding authorities make an impact on a decision to report. However, our autonomy and our bodies belong to us, and the act of saying “that was not okay” is an important

COURTESY OF PEXELS

distinction to make. Your body is yours, and while that is not a groundbreaking statement, many women still have trouble with defining what sexual assault is on a personal level.

A reason the coverage has felt considerably lacking on the subject of stealthing is its history of prosecution. A survey conducted in a sexual health clinic in Melbourne, Australia reveals 32% of the women experienced stealthing, yet there is only one successful prosecution of stealthing accounted for in Australia’s history. The sponsor of the legislation against stealthing in California, Cristina Garcia, backs up her reasoning with a paper she cited in her bill by Alexandra Brodsky called ‘Rape-Adjacent’: Imagining Legal Responses to Nonconsensual Condom Removal. To many, including Garcia, the offense was common sense. She was quoted by National Public Radio saying, “For a majority of the people, it’s like,

‘Yeah, it makes sense that this is immoral and it should be illegal.’” It is critical we transcribe these trends into writing. As immoral as stealthing is, there will always be those who push boundaries. One net of safety we can assure is the implementation of these transgressions into law.

Every necessary action can be taken, but these crimes can happen to anyone — that is why it is crucial to be aware of the actions that educate the public on consent. UCR has taken steps to assure the student body of resources and precautions. Emails were sent out on Oct. 19 that provide some information on how to react to sexual assault or battery. UCR offers escort services to your car to help alleviate the fear of being approached by unwanted persons. There is also extensive and mandatory Title IX training done by both the students and the staff that can help prevent sexual violence and protect those H who experience it.■

The vetoing of Assembly Bill 1456 is a blow to social mobility for GOV. NEWSOM VETOES CAL GRANT EXPANSION, LEAVING non-traditional Californian students PROSPECTIVE COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS OUT TO DRY. ISAAC CUNALATA Contributing Writer

On Oct. 8th, Gov. Newsom vetoed Assembly Bill 1456 “The Cal Grant Reform Act,” which would have expanded financial aid to another 160,000 community college students. He stated it would result in “significant cost pressures to the state, likely in the hundreds of millions of dollars annually.” Another consideration of his was that it could lead to tuition hikes at the Universities of California and Cal State Universities, which could discourage prospective students. He made this veto decision despite the fact that the bill was passed unanimously in the legislature and had no votes cast against it.

This is not to say that Newsom has been unsupportive of affordable college. On Oct. 6th, Newsom signed a $47 billion package to make the Universities of California and Cal State Universities more affordable, help fund affordable housing for students and add more funding to financial aid programs. The only caveat to this is that the benefactors here would mainly be students who have already been accepted into a UC or CSU. Typically, students who go directly into these universities come from supportive households who have some means of supporting these students.

This financial aid package inadvertently excludes students who may not be as fortunate and are considering attending

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community college first.

Community colleges serve as a stepping off point for individuals who want to make a marked change in their life, regardless of their age or prior academic performance.

Community college students might be parents, work full-time jobs or have a myriad of responsibilities that they attend to while pursuing their education. It’s vital to fund these students whose backgrounds may not be as simple as the high school student who went directly to university.

The Cal Grant bill would have expanded funding eligibility by getting rid of GPA requirements for incoming community college students. This would have been monumental for older students returning to college who may no longer have access to high school transcripts or students who were not able to keep their grades up in high school. Without funding, these prospective students may be discouraged to even attempt pursuing an education that they would have to pay out of pocket for or take on debt to begin.

Accruing debt is frightening for the majority of students, and rightfully so. New opportunities could arrive or family affairs might surface that don’t allow them to complete their education, leaving the debt hanging over their heads.

Student debt isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially if the investment is one that pays big dividends in the long run. A college education could result in higher paying careers with more open doors and opportunities. Still, many community college students use their junior college time to decide what career they want to

pursue or if schooling is something they want to accomplish at all. AB 1456 would have allowed these prospective students to make the choice of returning to school after an extended leave from education without worrying about fees, which may be their only deterrent. Unfortunately, Newsom vetoed the bill, and for the time being, prospective students will have to consider these fees as they make the decision to begin community college.

California benefits from having a more educated populus. Higher education contributes to less unemployment, less crime, less dependence on public assistance programs, higher tax revenues and greater political and civic engagement. Newsom seemed to have understood this, which is why he made the $47 billion investment that he did, but by vetoing AB 1456, he denied financial aid to those who needed it the most. Since many students who choose the community college route come from low-income households, Newsom vetoing this bill upholds an obstacle for those people trying to work their way up into the middle class.

We can only hope that this bill gets passed again to continue giving Californians from all economic backgrounds new educational opportunities to grow and succeed. Higher education is not a simple endeavor, but if someone decides to improve their life through it, they should be supported in these goals. An investment in accessibility to higher education is an investment in the quality of society that can be created in H California.■

Features THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/features

FEATURES

Three Scary Stories

MONDAY, MAY 24, 2021

that are sure to scare your pants off LOOKING FOR A GOOD SCARE? READ ONE OF THESE SPOOKY STORIES! BY: SENNA OMAR, CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Ouija Board Knocks Back Found on Mashable, Reddit user ExrementCranium shares a story of seven friends sitting together in a dark and dingy basement late at night. As the night went on, the friends began to explore the mounds of boxes piled sky high. They found a dusty ouija board crammed between an old Christmas sweater and golf clubs. The friends proposed that they play with the board. “Might as well,” they thought. A girl began to ask questions; thinking it was a joke, she continued to mess with the board. After a couple of minutes, the girl found out she was communicating with the spirit of a 10-year-old child who was buried on the property 100 years ago. Still not convinced, one of the friends proposed they ask the board to prove itself. So the girl asked the spirit to prove itself. The board began to slowly and ever so creepily spell out K - N - O - C - K letter by letter.

Once the board had finished, the room became deadly silent. Suddenly, the friends heard three knocks on the window. There was no one outside. They quickly got away from the board, stuffing it back into the grimy corner they found it in.

No One Steals Twice Found on Reader’s Digest, contributing author Taylor Markarian describes this spooky mystery. Jen was a cashier at a convenience store in the middle of rural Alabama. As she usually did, Jen’s friend, Lucy, walked into the store looking to buy some snacks. Out of curiosity, Lucy asked Jen, “What happens if someone steals something from the store?” Making a sly grin, Jen answered, “No one ever steals twice from this store.” Lucy left the store feeling more confused than ever.

About a week later, Lucy did her usual after-school run to the store, but this time, she saw Jen talking to the police. Eavesdropping on the conversation, Lucy heard Jen say to the cops, “A man walked in here last night and stole a bag of chips.”

The cops then informed Lucy that the man who stole from the store had died in a car accident last night after stealing the chips because of a problem with his brakes. No one ever steals twice.

The Curse of The Eldest Son Found on Reader’s Digest, writer Taylor Markarian tells a tale of Inaya who migrated with his parents from Pakistan when he was 10 years old. Before his parents were married, Inaya’s father was engaged to a woman he was not very fond of, so he broke it off. Following this immense heartbreak, this woman began to practice black magic in hopes of getting revenge on Inaya’s father for breaking her heart. When Inaya was five years old, his father ran into this woman at the market. She spouted outrageous claims about putting a curse on his family and that his eldest son would not make it to adulthood. In fact, Inaya’s brother, the H eldest son, died in a car accident on his 18th birthday, never making it to manhood.■

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FEATURES

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021

COLLEGE CAN GET PRETTY OVERWHELMING, AND IT IS CRUCIAL TO FIND A BALANCE BETWEEN CLASS AND LIFE.

Campus Cope:

THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/features

It’s a balancing act

SENNA OMAR Contributing Writer

College, and really life in general, is a balancing act. At times, it can be challenging to manage your time properly.

Here are a few tips on balancing school with life.

INDENTIFY TIME WASTERS There are only so many hours in a day, and we often see our time wasted by scrolling through the endless abyss that is social media. While it is essential to take breaks, you should try your best to avoid engaging in activities that will waste your time, especially when working on a deadline or when you have set aside a specific time frame specifically for school work.

Make a to-do list Before getting to work, you must first know what you are working on. Making a to-do list is an easy way to keep track of all your tasks. After completing your tasks in one place, you can begin to reorganize, completing work with earlier deadlines first and working your way down the list.

a planner, you are better at managing your time and keeping school from overwhelming your life.

Establish a routine Humans thrive off consistency and success. By establishing a routine that you stick to, you are more likely to get all of your work done, allowing room for fun in your life. Everyone works differently, so curating the perfect routine for you is essential for success.

Do not double-book yourself Double-booking yourself is a really easy way to get overwhelmed by your life.

You are only one person, and you cannot be in two places at the same time. If you have a lab at 8:30 p.m. every Wednesday, do not plan to get dinner with your friends at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Prioritize Sleep and personal hygiene are necessary parts of existing. Do not sacrifice your mental or physical health for the sake of school. You come first, and it’s essential to prioritize your health.

Take Breaks You are not a machine. It is so important to give your mind and body time to rest and recuperate. After spending twelve hours writing a paper, you are allowed to sit around and do nothing. Research has found that by giving your mind time to rest, you better your chances of success, boost your confidence and improve your overall mood. There is only so much information you can take in, and it is H essential to take a minute for yourself.■

Get a planner Your planner is a one-stop shop for your life. From your doctor’s appointment to your club meeting, purchasing a planner will allow you to have all your events in one place and will keep you from overextending yourself. By actively using

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FEATURES

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021

9

Starbucks fall season special:

Apple Crisp Macchiato and Pumpkin Cold Brew STARBUCKS GOES EXPERIMENTAL THIS SEASON WITH A CARAMELIZED APPLE FLAVOR DRINK AND COMES BACK WITH A FAN-FAVORITE.

By: Hanna rutqvist

These days, the coming of fall is synonymous with pumpkin spice season — thanks to the Pumpkin Spice Latte that Starbucks released back in 2003. Since then, the flavor team behind Starbucks has been coming out with many creative drinks, such as the Strawberry Funnel Cake drink served over the summer. Now, their much anticipated fall-themed drinks have arrived, and they are all quite different from the regular pumpkin drinks.

Apple Crisp Macchiato This is an all around original flavor — not only did they approach a fruitydessert special, but they’ve made it in macchiato form. Most other holidayseason drinks have been lattes. In Starbucks terminology, the macchiato approaches layers of espresso, steamed milk and foam, whereas the latte blends them together. That is exactly how they advertised the Apple Crisp Macchiato: “Layered flavors of caramelized apple, bold espresso and brown sugar.” As a barista at the Canyon Crest Towne Center explains, it’s “our Apple Brown Sugar syrup, 2% milk, some espresso and drizzled with spiced apple.”

Right when you open the lid from the macchiato, the scent explodes. I’ve never quite had a Starbucks drink like that. You can definitely pick up notes of apple syrup. The top of it is absolutely an apple sensation. It tastes just like the sweet cream they use on cold brews because of how thick and sweet it is — but it really is just 2% milk foam and syrup. As it is

a layered drink, most of the apple flavor will remain at the top. As you continue to drink from the bottom, you get that familiar espresso-latte base found in every crafted Starbucks drink. Of course, you can stir it if that’s how you like it, though be aware of how addictive that top layer can get.

Whether you pick up on the apple or not depends on your personal palette.

Fourth-year biology major Inshirah Kawser tried it out for herself and said she couldn’t sense caramelized apple from the espresso itself. We might have different experiences with coffee though.

I, a borderline unhealthy consumer of coffee, sensed apples and caramel all the way to the end. It’s in fact one of the sweetest Starbucks drinks I’ve had.

If your taste is more like Inshirah’s, you can ask for a single shot or no espresso at all. The coffee won’t mask the apple so much. If you’re like me, I’d recommend getting it in a tall size since the sweetness can be overbearing.

Pumpkin Spice Cold Brew

This is a comeback since 2019 and is actually one of my favorite Starbucks drinks. It is a flavored drink but is not overly-sweet like the holiday lattes tend to be. I would recommend this to other coffee drinkers with an underdeveloped sweet tooth who want something that isn’t just espresso and milk. It has been well received among Starbucks consumers.

Just like the Apple Crisp Macchiato, the pumpkin flavor doesn’t come from the brew. It’s their custom Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam that they layer on top, along

with the pumpkin spice topping, that brings in the taste. I personally like to stir it a little so it’s gradually blended.

Starbucks is not the only cafe to come out with fall specials. The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf has a whole array of pumpkin drinks: Pumpkin Latte, Pumpkin Cold Brew, Pumpkin Blended Ice and Pumpkin Spiced Chai Latte, which I have tried and would also recommend. And if you find yourself at my all-time favorite coffee chain, Peet’s, H try out their Maple Latte.■

10 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021

Radar

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

RADAR REPLAY

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The first two seasons of AMC’s ‘The Walking Dead’ are a perfect binge-watch for Halloween KYLE PENIX Radar Editor

To fans of the horror genre and Robert Kirkman’s “The Walking Dead” comic series, Halloween was a very special day to look forward to back in 2010, as the highly-anticipated “The Walking Dead” TV show’s pilot episode premiered on the AMC network on Halloween night that year.

The pilot episode introduced arguably the most well-known and popular character of the series’ protagonists, former sheriff deputy Rick Grimes, played by Andrew Lincoln. Showrunner Frank Darabont skillfully starts the series off with clever writing that involves flashbacks and time jumps. The audience briefly gets to catch a glimpse of pre-apocalyptic life with Rick still working as a sheriff deputy in King County, Georgia alongside his former partner Shane Walsh, played by Jon Bernthal. Later in the episode, Rick awakens from a gun-shot induced coma in a local hospital and discovers quickly that something has gone horribly wrong in the world he’s woken up in. After leaving

► FROM YOU

to see things from his point of view as he tries to rationalize his actions for the sake of his relationship.

The end of season two concludes with the revelation that Joe’s latest obsession turned girlfriend, Love Quinn, played by Victoria Pedretti, was pregnant with his child. The audience shockingly discovers that Love has some skeletons in her closet.

She’s killed people in her past and often resorts to violence and manipulation in order to protect those she loves. Similar to Joe, she will do anything to be with her love interest and to protect her family. It comes as a surprise to the audience that there is someone out there who can be as obsessed and violent as Joe can be. Although Love came off as a loving and passionate person, she switches up quickly and reveals her true psychotic nature. As a result of her pregnancy, the couple gets married and moves to the fictional suburban town of Madre Linda set in California, where they plan to raise their unborn baby.

Season three starts off with the birth of Henry, the child of Joe and Love, and the beginning of their new life together in the suburban town of Madre Linda. Their first months of living together with Henry leads to multiple sleepless nights and difficulty integrating into the new town.

Love struggles to adjust to the new town and assimilate with the people who are so

THRILLING STORYTELLING, INTERESTING CHARACTERS AND AWESOME UNDEADACTION WILL HAVE YOU ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SEAT. the hospital, he sets off to find his wife Lori Grimes, played by Sarah Callies, and son Carl Grimes, played by Chandler Riggs. Along the way, Rick encounters fellow survivors Morgan Jones, played by Lennie James and his son Duane, played

by Adrian Turner, who are the first people to inform Rick of the undead apocalypse and the dire circumstances they all must now endure if they want to survive.

Interestingly enough, the word “zombies” is rarely, if not ever, used by anyone in “The Walking Dead” TV show. The undead are referred to as “walkers” by the survivors instead. However, still not knowing the whereabouts of his family, Rick later decides to journey to Atlanta, Georgia after hearing rumors of a refugee camp operated by the United States’ military. Rick eventually parts ways with Morgan and Duane, with the episode wrapped up with maintaining their image among their peers and on social media.

Meanwhile, Joe feels out of place in the town and sets his sights on a new woman, who is their next door neighbor.

In Joe’s head, he condemns Love for trapping him and blames her for his problems. His main focus is his son, who he wants to change for and not resort to any of his past behaviors. Although Joe does not feel a connection with Henry, he wants to protect his son from a past like his, in which he felt abandoned and without love.

The dynamic between Love and Joe is an intriguing relationship for audiences to witness as Love matches Joe, and sometimes exceeds him, in his damaged behavior. While in the previous seasons Joe was the one audiences mainly saw engage in violent behavior, now audiences get to also see Love unhinged as she is often impulsive in her attacks. Despite finding someone so similar to him, Joe resents Love for her psychotic ways and comes off as being hypocritical. Both the parents are miserable with their relationship as it does not meet their expectations of a relationship with “the one,” or in other words, a soul-mate.

The season is addicting for audiences who are eager to see what will happen next in this suburb of Madre Linda. Hiding behind the picture of two new parents trying to adjust to their new life, Joe and Love have a lot hiding behind the facade.

concluding by showing Rick stuck in the worst of situations alone inside of a military tank surrounded by walkers in the devastated streets of Atlanta.

Following the successful pilot, “The Walking Dead” has become one of the most popular and highly-rated TV shows on cable. It was and still is massively successful, having launched several spin-off TV shows, video games and merchandise, with future content already in the works. It achieved all of this despite existing in an overly saturated market of zombie-related entertainment. The year it premiered saw the release of several other popular zombie-themed media including “Dead Rising 2,” “Resident Evil: Afterlife” and “Highschool of the Dead.”

The entertainment industry had been frequently churning out zombie-themed projects for several years, and people were getting burnt out at the time. However, the showrunners, actors, production crew and others involved in the creation of “The Walking Dead” TV show still managed to produce a hit.

The first two seasons are where

the story feels its freshest and when the characters can still make you feel attached to them emotionally, as opposed to later seasons. There are moments that genuinely feel heartbreaking and can make you angry at the fictional world that the story is all happening in. The dark tone, grim atmosphere and the general feel of the comic series are all translated and captured brilliantly on-screen. The music and sound, or lack thereof, in certain scenes also help immerse the audience into the world of the characters.

Additionally, action scenes are well-timed and thrilling in season one, although season two is more dialogue-driven in the first few episodes. There are still plenty of epic moments though that make listening to all of the speaking lines worth it.

“The Walking Dead”’s first two seasons are worth a re-watch for Halloween this year. It’s a drama-horror TV show that still feels fresh and exciting. The storytelling, character drama and action will have you on the edge of your seat in anticipation H about what may happen next. ■

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Despite how well the two parents mirror each other in their actions, they often clash in the choices they make that would reveal their true nature as murderers and put their family at risk. While Joe is calculated in his murders and crimes, Love is impulsive and uninhibited in her murders. As a result, she ends up having to rely on Joe to help clean up after her mess and avoid getting caught.

Pedretti and Badgley’s performance as Love and Joe are so compelling to watch.

Through their convincing acting and dialogue delivery, audiences are found sometimes rooting for the villains and empathizing with them. Their presentation as innocent, friendly parents trying to do

the best for their child has us see things from their point of view. However, their true nature as dangerous, cold-blooded killers has audiences stopping in their tracks and contemplating the morality of H the pair and their malicious intentions. ■

VERDICT:

“You” is a bingeworthy show that is amplified with the twists and new dynamics of the newest season.

The phenomenal acting of the cast and engaging storyline in the thrilling show compels viewers to refuse to look away from the screen.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021

11

Justin Bieber: A Rise From the Ashes SAMUEL LAO Assistant Radar Editor

The name “Justin Bieber” carries weight among different generations, whether young or old. Bieber began his life with humble beginnings, hailing from Stratford, Canada, raised by a single mother. As a child, Bieber was fairly normal, playing games and sports with his friends.

However, his talent for music set him apart from his peers. He played music on the streets of Stratford, sitting on the steps at the local mall and singing to anyone walking by who was willing to listen. Bieber also uploaded videos of him performing covers of famous songs on YouTube, and that’s when he found fame. Music manager Scooter Braun happened to stumble upon Bieber’s videos and proceeded to immediately fly him and his mother out to Atlanta to sign him to a record deal. At the tender age of twelve, Bieber was catapulted into the spotlight, and the craziness of superstardom soon followed his every move.

His first release, “One Time,” was a huge hit, and soon, Justin Bieber became a household name.

Almost immediately after the song was released, Bieber followed up with another mega-hit, “Baby,” featuring Ludacris. As of today, the music video has surpassed 2.5

billion views on YouTube, with “One Time” following with an impressive 700 million views.

In the subsequent years of 2009-2014, Bieber has released five more albums, gone on several world tours and has been interviewed countless times by the media, which all contributed to the beginning of his downfall.

At such a young age, Bieber was placed in front of a neverending spotlight that added an unimaginable amount of pressure on his shoulders, and Bieber, like other successful child stars, began to crack. Constantly on the road and always away from his loved ones, Bieber dealt with anxiety and depression, which he displayed through various outbursts in front of the media. To cope with everything going on in his life, Bieber partied intensely and abused drugs, seemingly without a care in the world. The constant attention from paparazzi and flashes of the camera saw Bieber taking aggressive action with fans, often yelling profane things to them or even assaulting them in some instances.

In 2015, Bieber became completely fed up with the world and decided to cancel his ongoing “Purpose” tour after a grueling 150 shows in 16 months. Bieber claimed that he was burnt out,

saying he needed to take a step back and work on his mental health. Though this seemed like the end of the “Justin Bieber era,” this was actually the beginning as Bieber was able to live life away from everyone’s focus and find himself as a person.

For the next five years, Bieber was essentially a ghost on social media as he stepped out of the spotlight completely, withholding his music and presence in the music community. Throughout this period, Bieber was still able to occasionally satiate his fans by featuring on a few songs, but it was not the same as a full album that all the fans were craving to hear. In 2019, fans’ fears were put to rest as Bieber returned to the world with an Instagram post, stating how the spotlight sometimes changes people.

Fast forward to the current day, Bieber has managed to put his demons to rest and has now released two chart-topping albums. On top of this, Bieber also finds himself attempting to be a role model for the youth by using his religion as a way to help those who also feel lost. Bieber credits his faith as the reason that his life was saved, and he makes it clear by attempting to help out his church in any way possible. Most recently, he performed at “The

STARTING OUT AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE, JUSTIN BIEBER HAS MOSTLY LIVED HIS LIFE IN THE PUBLIC EYE, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE.

Freedom Experience,” an event put on by Pastor Judah Smith, a very close associate of his. He performed music catered toward a religious audience to show the effects of his renewed faith.

Currently on Spotify, Bieber is listed as the most listened to artist at No. 1, a title he has now held for almost over a year. Bieber has now re-established himself as the pop-king of this generation, and

his future looks bright. Just like he always says, anyone feeling lost or out-of-touch should feel hopeful because there is always a better life waiting at the end of the tunnel. Bieber has truly risen from the ashes. Still young at only 27 years old, Bieber has plenty of time to keep breaking records and further solidify himself as a leading musical voice of our H generation. ■

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Hollywood will only keep up its reboot-rewind phase for as long as we buy into it THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY IS NOT OUT OF IDEAS — THEY’RE OUT FOR THE IDEAS THAT WILL BRING THEM THE MOST MONEY.

EVELYN HOMAN Opinions Editor

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As the excitement for Hollywood’s latest reboot movie “Dune” starts to die down, the complaints still remain. People fret that Hollywood is running out of ideas, that there are no more creative minds left and that we’ll be trapped in seven rings of remakes and remasters for the rest of our lives. But to those who have these worries, there is some

good news: Hollywood will never run out of ideas. The problem is that remakes bring a lot of money, and when the goal is to hit the Top Grossing Films of All Time list, filmmakers are obviously going to create the movies that will bring the most money into their pockets. Disney has been capitalizing on millennial nostalgia for the past decade with live-action remakes of every classic film from “Cinderella” to “Mulan,” often with great

controversy. Regardless, these movies still make millions at the box office, which, no matter the retractors, indicates to the movie industry that we want to see more. And that leads to the seemingly never-ending cycle of these reboots.

It is more than valid to feel like there is nothing but spinoffs and reboots going on in our entertainment industry. Popular shows from the 1980s like “Voltron” and “She-Ra” have received modern-day reboots.

Even previously successful shows from the 1990s, like “Friends” and “The Fresh Prince of BelAir,” have received reunion specials or reboots, respectively.

All of these shows have received heightened popularity in recent years because of meme culture and the nostalgia they bring, so of course executives will use that nostalgia to gain a few extra dollars off of adoring fans. Even children’s shows aren’t safe; as the millennial generation have become parents, beloved shows from their childhood such as “Blue’s Clues” and “Dora the Explorer” have been given fresh faces and entire movies. For as long as there are fans of popular

franchises or characters such as Batman, the Joker and SpiderMan, Hollywood will continue to try to catch the attention of audiences with reboots.

Surprisingly, music is also guilty of this redo phase. In this instance of course, it is worth mentioning that remasters are not always nostalgia grabs. Remasters of old beloved albums such as Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” can offer a richer sound to the original music that fans will appreciate. Other bands, such as Armor For Sleep, released a remastered version of their album “What To Do When You Are Dead” with demos and songs that didn’t make it onto their original 2005 album, giving an exciting new listening experience. But we certainly don’t need a remaster of every single Top 100 album from the ‘80s and ‘90s unless they’re offering something new for the audience to enjoy.

Audiences can put the power of entertainment back into their hands very easily, and it’s as simple as putting your money in new, unique films that aren’t the same old story rehashed for a new generation. Stellar movies like “Parasite” and “Knives Out”

crafted original narratives that gripped audiences so strongly that they made it onto the Oscars shortlist in 2020. This proves that there is still plenty of money and fame to be earned by original screenplays that audiences rave for. Your dollar is your vote, and movie companies will invest more money into fresh and new projects if it notices that it isn’t turning a profit on the big fantastical reboots of movies that have been remade seven different times since the 1950s. We don’t need another “Home Alone,” another “A Star Is Born” or another spinoff of a TV show that ran for 15 years. We, as consumers, have the ability to tell Hollywood what we want to see with our money.

Paying to go watch films made by new directors that tell new stories with new eyes will mean seeing more of those types of movies as time goes on. There’s no shame in enjoying a reboot every now and then, but to break the cycle of rehashing, we should refuse to flock to the same story repackaged and vote with our dollars for the creativity that H Hollywood is stifling.■

12

Sports TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021

SPORTS

THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports

UC Riverside Men’s Soccer gear up for the post season with their last few matchups KEVIN CONTRERAS Sports Editor

The Highlander Men’s soccer team suffered slight disappointments this past week, advancing further in the Big West Conference. As the season heads towards the post-season tournament, UCR’s men’s soccer seeks to recreate their 2018 tournament victory. The teams fueled by the season they missed last year due to the pandemic to excel both on and off the field.

“We are always pursuing excellence within our program. We’ve won Big West Championships in the past. We’ve been out serving the community a lot; we’ve earned a cumulative team GPA above 3.3 over the past two years,” said head coach Tim Cupello. “We are looking forward to the opportunity to win on and off the field again this year, and represent our amazing university well.”

UCR’s first match of this past week was against the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Mustangs on Wednesday night, Oct. 20.

The lights shone bright in the Riverside Sports Complex as the Highlanders found an early lead in the 12th minute. Junior midfielder Oscar Penate found

himself with the ball near the opponents net where he passed it to senior midfielder Leopolda Hernadez who converted that into a goal. UCR’s 1-0 lead did not last long as three minutes later,

shots throughout the game, seven of those being on goal. The game ended 1-1 after two 10 minute overtime halves.

The Highlanders’ next matchup was against UC Santa

attacking the net whilst deflecting the opponents counterattacks.

This lasted well into the game, but UCSB managed to break through and find a goal in the 32nd minute of the game. UCR

JOSHUA WANG / THE HIGHLANDER

the Mustangs would find a goal of their own. The Highlanders fought hard to score and get ahead but were unable to. They fought hard, taking a total of 16

Barbara. For this, the team had to go up north to face off against the Gauchos for their last away game of the season. UCR started the game strong, consistently

tried to tie but ended the first half down 1-0.

In the second half, UCR seemed to be an entirely different team and managed to

THE HIGHLANDERS CONTINUE TO PREPARE, EAGER TO REPEAT THEIR POSTSEASON VICTORY FROM THREE YEARS AGO.

find two back to back goals in the 47th and 49th minute of the game. Junior defender Freymar Omarsson managed to get in front of the net with the ball and tap it in, tying the game.

Shortly after, junior midfielder Herminio Padilla found an opening from behind the goal area and managed to launch it into the net, putting UCR up 2-1. The Highlanders fought to stay in the lead, but the Gauchos managed to lead the ball toward the net and tie the game in the 65 minute. Both teams were eager to get the upper hand, but unfortunately, UCSB scored the game winning shot in the 75th minute. The Highlanders lost 3-2 in their final away game of the regular season.

The UCR men’s soccer team will have their final game of the season in the Riverside Sports Complex on Saturday, Oct. 30 against UC San Diego. Head coach Cupello is confident in his team’s ability and his team’s support from the community.

“Our on-campus experience and the energy that the student body brings to our home games is second to none. Our sport has a huge fan base in this community and we can’t wait to represent H them well,” said Cupello.■

Athlete Shoutout

Issa Badawiya

SENIOR FORWARD FOR MEN’S SOCCER, ISSA BADAWIYA, SHARES HIS PERSONAL GOALS AND INSIGHTS FOR THIS YEAR.

KEVIN CONTRERAS Sports Editor

What are your goals and expectations this year?

“After a global pandemic that pretty much shut down everything we are used to, I feel grateful and pumped to be back on campus. My goal this year is to be present in every moment, to make the most of my senior year, and that means adding a second Big West conference Championship and making it to the NCAA championship. Academically I want to do well and end up with a 4.0.,” explained Issa Badawiya.

How do you feel being back on campus?

“Feels too good being back on campus. I’m looking forward to every second I spend with my teammates and every second I spend on the pitch. We have a special group of guys sharing the same goal — make our university proud and bring home silverware,” he shared.

What will you be working on this quarter?

“This quarter, I will be working on being the best version of myself in every way possible. As a Riverside native, I’m grateful for all the opportunities, and I want to pay it forward and make sure I do my part to uplift those around me — especially my teammates and community,” H concluded Badawiya.■

COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS