Volume 70 Issue 26

The Highlander

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE

For the week of Tuesday, May 10, 2022

VOL. 70, ISSUE 26

est. 1954

OPINIONS

Unaffiliated organizations shouldn’t get to run rampant in campus life ORGANIZATIONS THAT UCR HAS TO PUT IN A WARNING EMAIL DON’T DESERVE TO TAKE OVER IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF CAMPUS LIFE.

unaffiliated organizations is more pressing than what a simple email and note on the website can cover. These organizations have proven for one

reason or another that they cannot be part of campus life for safety reasons.

And while a somewhat tardy email after these organizations may have rushed

THE EDITORIAL BOARD

Although student government does prepare some of the arena of American politics, the corruption and in-groups shouldn’t be part of the process.

UCR, like many other colleges, keeps a standard protocol of giving their students a mid-quarter email warning of getting involved in organizations that are not affiliated with campus. However, there is a lot of danger when some organizations still run outside of campus bounds and indeed fearlessly manage to get involved in campus life while outside these important jurisdictions.

The matter of dismissed and

works well as a posterior-protecting measure, it doesn’t protect the people who might join these organizations.

Freshman are unfortunately some of the most vulnerable people who can fall victim to these organizations that promise a community where they know nobody. And yet, falling outside of the school’s jurisdiction, including Title IX among others, these organizations may not keep the interests of these freshman rushees in mind.

This isn’t even to mention the fact that UCR forbids these dismissed and unaffiliated organizations from wearing the letters of these organizations, and yet, many do unabashedly. There is meant to be a punishment for people who join these potentially dangerous organizations, and yet time and time ► SEE EDITORIAL PAGE 6

ILLUSTRATION COURTESY OF RAWPIXEL VIA FREEPIK

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NEWS

TWO SENATE RESOLUTIONS ALSO SAW APPROVAL AS WELL.

The Associated Students of UCR’s 24th meeting sees the Judicial Council delivering their statement regarding the Elections Results ABHIJIT REGE News Editor

The Associated Students of UCR’s 24th meeting was called to order on Wednesday, May 4, 2022 in the ASUCR Senate Chamber. All senators were present, except CNAS Senator Rachel Paredes, CNAS Senator Catelin La, CHASS senator Tammar Akel and CHASS senator Lauren Garcia. Motions were called to add Green Grant 50, ASUCR Statement addressing Roe v Wade opinion and an update from the Judicial Council to the agenda, and a vote passed 14-0-0. Senate Bill SBS22-002 was removed from the agenda

as it required further approval. Motions to approve the agenda were called by CHASS senator Victoria Nguyen, and a vote was passed 14-0-0. Following this, an approval of previous meeting minutes was called by CHASS senator Aalani Richardson, and the vote passed 14-0-0.

Chief Justice Mohamad Almouazzen spoke during the Public Forum to deliver a statement from the judicial council regarding the Supreme Court statement for Roe v Wade. The council overall stands in support of Roe v Wade and stands in opposition of overturning it.

This transitioned into New Business that

saw the delivery of ASUCR’s statement regarding the May 2 Supreme Court provisional Roe v Wade decision. They stated that they stand in support of students affected by this issue and advocated for various resources. ASUCR should adopt a letter to act in solidarity to support atrisk members of our community and mind the recommendations in the letters while working with administration and Academic Senate to come to a middle ground and ways to support students in general in our community. Courses should be structured

Find your weekly horoscope on page 10!

► SEE ASUCR PAGE 6

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OPINIONS 6

FEATURES 10

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Fifth Annual BREATHE Workshop 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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Monday

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NEWS

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RESIDENTS OF RIVERSIDE SHARE UNEASY REACTIONS ON THE COUNCIL’S RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THEY WILL UPTICK PARKING RATES IN JULY, ARGUING ON BEHALF OF SMALL BUSINESSES AND LOCAL EMPLOYEES. COURTESY OF CHASS MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Riverside City council to raise Downtown parking fees, creating concern over businesses and gentrification

HANNA RUTQVIST Contributing Writer

Effective on July 1, 2022, the city council of Riverside will impose increased parking fees in Downtown Riverside, along with the elimination of some free parking areas. Residents were notified that the monthly reserve parking fee for garages will increase from $135 to $400. Previous street parking rates ranging from free to $1 will see a new fee of $1.25 for 30 minutes, and a 4-hour park time limit will be imposed. Free weekend parking will no longer be offered.

The council states the purpose is to transform Riverside’s parking system into a self-sustaining one, as opposed to allocating city funds towards providing parking. They also hope to see a more efficient and less overwhelmed parking environment — one with more available spaces over highdemand hours and reduced greenhouse gas emissions from spot-searching vehicles.

Though the referendum was voted unanimously in agreement by the council, the decision was met with mixed reactions from the Riverside community. Many argue this measure will negatively impact small businesses. One civilian’s Facebook post that garnered nearly 500 likes stated their disappointment in the referendum, saying Downtown Riverside is proving itself to be “not business friendly.”

UCR alumni Adrian Dizon works with Urge Palette Art Supplies in Downtown Riverside and agrees that this measure was not made in consideration for independent businesses.

“Downtown has offered 90-minute free parking for years

in certain lots,” Dizon shared. “If you take that away and introduce price hikes, it becomes expensive to just be around downtown to shop or receive services from our local shops.”

Dizon argues that raising parking fees could deter potential visitors from the growing downtown area, while complicating local employees’ parking accessibility. “I can’t speak to whether or not this price increase will turn people away but it will for sure become an issue for shop and restaurant owners with employees needing to pay exorbitant amounts of money just to park around town.”

This also brings in the question of gentrification. Fritz Aragon, owner of Urge Palette and neighboring Pain Sugar Gallery, shared, “It’s not going to affect people with money.

It’s going to affect blue collar people, and I run an art store.

My customers, artists, don’t have a lot of money. It’s already hard enough to survive in a world where everyone buys everything from Amazon.”

Dizon witnessed for himself the physical change brought about from gentrification. It has increased streetway traffic due to construction and caused an overall boom in tourism from recent economic developments. He describes parking price hikes as “the language of gentrification plain and simple.”

The city council argues, however, that should the parking system continue as it is, Riverside’s public parking fund will have a “net loss of $1,321,000 in fiscal year 2022-2023,” as stated in the referendum. They claim that free in-demand parking at the peak hours of 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. fails to capture

optimal revenue and reduces available spots. They also intend to deter long-term street parking.

On the other hand, the council estimates revenue to increase by $110,000 for 2022-2023 should the parking rate be utilized at 60% higher. The executive director of Downtown Partnership Riverside, Janice Penner, also stated that other merchants support the increase because the fees will go towards improved security for commuting visitors.

In attempts to relieve costs from Riverside’s city funds, however, it seems that it will go into other measures. In plans for garage safety, they will be hiring two new police officers for parking patrol, which will result in $166,000 going to the police department. This referendum also comes after the council made renovations to the parking system over the past year, such as the installment of smart parking meters in February 2021, which offer Apple Pay, Google Pay and payment through the Park Mobile app.

There are downtown employees, like those at Back to the Grind coffee shop, who commute using bikes to avoid the parking and payment process. This only works for people who live in close proximity, however. In a heavily car-commuter based city like Riverside, other options for transportation are not so applicable for most.

“In a search for any type of relief from the government and from the community, this move by the city strikes a blow to small businesses by demanding more money from our H customers, city residents and workers,” Dizon said. ■

UCR sees an uprise in car-related crimes on campus STUDENTS ARE WONDERING HOW UCRPD IS COMBATING THE ISSUE.

AMARAY ALVAREZ Assistant News Editor

UC Riverside’s campus has felt more lively this quarter as students are once again attending classes in-person following the start of the pandemic. This increase of students, however, has also brought an increase of commuters and car crimes. Students who park in lots around the area have noticed a rise in car related crimes and are wondering what UCRPD is doing to help combat the issue.

In April, an email was sent from UCRPD that a car had been stolen from Lot 27 between the dates of April 13 and 15. The email stated that the car was a 1994 2-door blue Honda Accord and had not yet been located.

Along with this car theft, there have been other troubles like cars being hit while parked. John Perna, a third-year environmental science major, states that he returned to his car having been hit when parked in Lot 30 where he assumed it would be safe while he attended class.

“The back bumper had been partly pulled off the back of the car; it was hanging off on one side basically. Plus there was damage to the paint all the way down to the bumper’s plastic. I was able to thankfully pop it back on to drive.”

Perna states that he didn’t feel it necessary to report the crime to UCRPD but that this is the first instance of crime he has noticed. Perna added that he is never on campus during the evening when other crimes tend to occur.

“I just wish people were more respectful of others’ property,” states Perna.

Students have also taken to sites like Reddit to express their concern about these crimes. On the UCR Reddit thread, there have been reports of catalytic converters, tires and registration tags being stolen. One post even states that they found an Apple Air Tag on their car and reported the incident to UCRPD. UCRPD notified them that there has

been an increase in overall crimes and certain older car models are considered more of a target.

Another Reddit post states that their catalytic converter was stolen while they were parked in Lot 30. According to the post, the student reported it to UCRPD, and they responded that they were the fourth person to report a catalytic theft that day. Other replies in the thread have called for better surveillance in the parking lots, especially in Lot 30, which is a lengthy walk from campus and typically full.

The installment of more security cameras gained popularity as one suggestion to help better protect the parking lots.

Two other Reddit posts show pictures of cars with car jacks under them as if someone was attempting to steal their tires but stopped in fear that they may get caught. One of these reports came from Lot 30, again, while the other came from the Big Springs Parking Structure.

The owner of the car parked in Big Springs Parking Structure responded to the post saying that when they returned, it appeared that there was nothing stolen from their car.

Car crimes like these are common in parking lots not affiliated with the campus, like on Watkins Street where students park for free, but it is upsetting to students that this is occurring on campus.

In the case of car related crimes, UCRPD has released a set of safety tips for students. They advise students to “ensure that all doors are locked and fully close all windows, including the sunroof, carry the car registration and insurance card with you, don’t leave personal identification documents in the vehicle and never leave purses, wallets, electronics or other valuables in plain sight.”

Students are encouraged to report suspicious activity to H UCRPD by calling them at (951) 827-5222. ■

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NEWS

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2022

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ASUCR ► FROM ASUCR

to be more accommodating through adjusting S/NC deadlines and removing mandatory attendance. In addition, there will be an increase in contraceptive resources. UCR students, faculty and staff will be affected by protests until it is resolved. A request was made for the senate and ECAB to adopt this letter and send it to the public on behalf of ASUCR. Ethnic and Gender Program Liaison Jeanine Nassar began Ex-Officio Reports. First, she explained how MESC and ASPB are cosponsoring an event with SJP in which they invited a Palestinian activist. More information is on the MESC instagram. She is currently in the process of trying to meet with the WRC and hopes to send a letter. She also discussed a meeting with Sen Richardson and EVP Assaf to change the E&G liaison’s bylaws.

Chief Justice Mohamad Almouazzen spoke on behalf of Judicial Council to deliver their statement in regards to the 2022-2023 ASUCR general student body election, primarily in regards to the disqualification of VP of Finance Candidate Lina Nguy. They first exposed that last week, the Judicial Council held a meeting with the Elections Director Tricia Sarmiento and Executive Director Laurie Sinclair, speaking of violations, processes and disqualification of Lina Nguy. Almouazzen noted that Nguy’s case was not the only one that they reviewed as 27 total violations occurred requiring almost 10 hours of judicial deliberation. The chief justice also addressed how they are constantly accused of bias, corruption, unfairness and breaking precedent through judicial process, stating that they deliberated the facts and scrutinized precedent and bylaws. Whether a violation was made or a sanction was merited, a primary set of parameters were established by Vice Chief Justice Fadi Zaki and followed.

Chief Justice Mohamad Almouazan spoke on behalf of Judicial Council to deliver their statement in regards to the 2022-2023 ASUCR general student body election, primarily in regards to the disqualification of VP of Finance Candidate Lina Nguy. They first exposed that last week, the judicial council held a meeting with the Elections Director Tricia Sarmiento and Executive Director Laurie Sinclair, speaking violations, processes, and disqualification of Lina

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Nguy. Almouazan noted that Nguy’s case was not the only that they reviewed as 27 total violations occurred requiring almost 10 hrs of judicial deliberation.

The Chief Justice also addressed how they are constantly accused of bias, corruption, and unfairness and breaking precedent through judicial process. They deliberated the facts and scrutinized precedent and bylaws. Whether a violation was made or a sanction we merited, a primary set of parameters/ frameworks set by Vice Chief Fadi Zaki and followed.

Almouazzan expressed to the senate that although the Judicial Council is passionately dedicated to its role, the council is still made up of students, with academic and career responsibilities.

They stated that even without holding a trial, they spent hours concluding their deliberations and decisions. According to Almouazzen, the precedent was set by the council to not hold a trial and he explained why a trial was not warranted. However, the Chief Justice did take full responsibility for his poor communication as the council did not notify Lina in a timely manner.

The disqualification of Lina Nguy as discussed in the statement was caused by an instance of 5 separate posts being made, with the evidence up for a minimum of seven hours. Elections endorsements were not allowed this year to prevent

underground slate and political parties and the Chief Justice explained that this merited a violation. With a review of the evidence and election code, they treated each post as a separate strike.

Committee reports then saw a review of Finance Hearing Minutes #2 for the meeting that took place April 22. In this hearing, President Wang requested $7689 to order merchandise to promote athletic games. Motions to approve Finance Hearing Minutes #2 by senator Cristian Torres and passed 10–0-1.

CHASS senator Christopher Kent motioned to open up Green Grant 50.

This included a discussion of an event called Ride Our Side taking place on April 21 that encourages students to ride their bikes. They requested $4000 for this event, and this was approved by the senate, passing 11-0-0.

Senate resolution SR-S22-003 In Support of the Creation of a Transfer & Non-Traditional Center was also on the docket and aims to establish a Transfernon-Traditional center as described by senator David Kiroloss. TNT Director Roxanna Vasquez discussed the creation of the TNT Center resolution. A visual presentation was delivered to go over the details of the project. The UC’s goal is to produce 200 thousand undergraduate and graduate degrees by 2030. They hope to increase transfer graduation rates and close the graduation gap for first

generation students. Motions passed to approve this resolution 12-0-0.

Another resolution, SR-S22-004 UC Divestment from Apartheid, was then read. This piece of legislation called to demand UC Divestment from Israel as they have been committing human rights violations. E&G Liaison Nassar discussed how this resolution serves for students as justice for Palestine. This legislation has been a work in progress worked with students, faculty and administration. It was described as a UC movement happening all across the UC system, exposing how the system takes part in something that is morally wrong such as UCR supporting Israeliowned Sabra and how that money goes to supporting war crimes. Motions passed to approve the resolution 11-0-1.

The meeting concluded with multiple senator reports and announcements from senators. Reports were delivered by senator Richardson, senator Martinez and senator Alba. Senator Paredes announced that posts for a food drive are up, and she texted marketing and promotions director Wallace Fang to promote it.

Senator Victoria Nguyen discussed that she is hosting an event panel with the VP of External Affairs Rasso for the California 100 event. The meeting was H then adjourned at 9:17 p.m. ■

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Opinions

OPINIONS

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THE HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL

Unaffiliated organizations shouldn’t get to run rampant in campus life ORGANIZATIONS THAT UCR HAS TO PUT IN A WARNING EMAIL DON’T DESERVE TO TAKE OVER IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF CAMPUS LIFE.

► FROM EDITORIAL

again, justice is not served. The people who get involved in these organizations, by proxy, become more and more bold.

They may even work their way into other student life centerpieces like student government.

This is not to suggest that if someone is in any organization, they should not be allowed to hold other important positions on campus, like in student government or club presidents. However, they should be in an organization that is affiliated with the campus and lies inside campus jurisdiction. Additionally, all people applying for such positions should make it very clear what organizations — both on and off campus — they spend their time in. The transparency needs to be clear as it is in all other places. Some members might obscure the fact that they partake in these groups — suggesting that if you’re ashamed and willing to hide that you’re part of something, perhaps

you shouldn’t be in that organization in the first place.

There is also the matter of student life as a whole to think about. If one organization that is not affiliated with campus is allowed to roam freely and congregate in important student organizations, the bullying and shunning that can occur can damage student life as a whole. This isn’t even to mention the damage that can occur at the parties of these organizations, where freshmen can get drunk or assaulted outside of where the university could at least attempt to get them some kind of justice. The university should be very concerned about these unaffiliated orgs; they have the potential to give the university a bad reputation that it certainly doesn’t need.

When it comes to these unaffiliated and dismissed orgs, UCR needs to take a look at the bigger picture. This means dealing actual punishment to people who get involved in these organizations by whatever means they

deem fit, making sure applications for student government and other school positions require absolute transparency on where candidates affiliate themselves, and minimize the power that these organizations feel they can hold overall.

A simple email in the middle of the quarter is not going to stop so much potential damage from being done. The UCR administration needs to step up and speak up now, before someone gets H seriously hurt.■

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.

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TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2022

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Biden and the Democratic party can’t take the youth vote for granted this election season THE PROSPECT OF YOUTH VOTER TURNOUT CONTINUES TO RISE, BUT THIS MAY BE BAD NEWS FOR DEMOCRATS SEEKING REELECTION THIS NOVEMBER.

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YSABEL NAKASONE Staff Writer

A poll by Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics indicates that youth voter turnout is going to be similar to the heights it reached in the 2018 midterm elections. In 2020, there was an 11-point increase in youth participation — an increase that was a major player in the presidential election. The youth vote is largely seen as automatically in favor of Democratic interests as millennials and Gen-Z voters typically support more progressive stances and candidates.

However, it’s becoming clear that young Republicans are very interested in participating in the coming elections, threatening the Democratic party’s precarious majority.

There has been a 7% increase in the young Republicans who plan to vote in 2022 since 2018 while there has been a 5% decrease for young Democrats. In the past, the problem hasn’t been trying to convince youth voters of progressive values, it’s been engaging participation at all.

Mobilization of youth voters was considered a lost cause, but they responded when candidates focused on issues important to them like climate change and education. However, Biden’s diminishing approval rating due to a conceived inability to live up to campaign promises may be a factor in this decrease in participation.

There were concerns at the beginning of the

2020 presidential race due to Biden’s inability to connect and engage youth voters. It was his attention to youth-oriented issues and the desire to free America of his predecessor that led to Biden’s electoral success.

As America heads towards the midterm elections, the prospect of lower youth voter turnout is not a pretty one. On top of that, an increasing number of people harbor the belief that members of Congress are not interested in representing ordinary people, but rather elite interests. With a marginal majority in Congress, Democrats can’t afford to lose the support of this key demographic. The White House only has a matter of months to garner excitement for Democratic candidates.

The Biden administration is aware of the implications of decreased Democratic youth voter turnout and should consider engaging more on issues that directly concern the 18 to 29 age demographic. They cannot and do not underestimate the effect the youth voters had on the electoral college. In 2020, there was noticeably high youth voter engagement in 11 key battleground states which was game-changing for Biden who had a 61% rate of support from this group. Checking out of this process has very real costs that the American people can’t afford to pay.

H It’s certainly one that the Democratic party can’t.■

WITH THE POSSIBLE OVERTURNING OF ROE V WADE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO DISCUSS THE NECESSITY OF TERM LIMITS ON THE SUPREME COURT BECAUSE OF THEIR UNDEMOCRATIC WAYS. COURTESY OF USCAPITOL VIA FLICKR

The Supreme Court should have term limits in order to better represent the American beliefs

MATTHEW REALE Contributing Writer

As we get closer to the 50th anniversary of the historic Roe v Wade court case, we get closer to its apparent death. On May 2, a leaked draft majority opinion written

by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito stated that the court intended to overturn Roe v Wade despite the precedent set almost 50 years ago. This threat to human rights gives cause to why Supreme Court justices should have term limits as they are unrepresentative of the American populace.

First of all, the Supreme Court is not elected, but appointed. Despite the power the Supreme Court holds over many aspects of American life, everyday Americans have seldom to do with who is on the Court as Justice candidates are appointed and approved by the president and Senate, respectively. Although the people are currently indirectly involved in the process, the public should be more directly involved through election to ensure that the justices represent the wants of the American people.

Furthermore, the Justices are often chosen because of their age. It is no secret that presidents choose candidates that are more likely to support their views so they can push their agendas. Because of this, candidates that are younger are more

likely to be chosen so that they can exert their influence for much longer stretches of time. According to a report by the Pew Research Center, Justices appointed between the ages of 45 and 54 serve an average of around 19 years, and of just the last four appointed justices, the oldest was only 53 years old.

As these justices continue to serve for such a long period of time, their views become more and more outdated. With each new generation, political leanings have been consistently shifting more liberal.

Because American society’s views are continuously changing, it is important that judges are regularly rotated out to ensure that they represent more modern values, especially considering that older justices may not live to see the consequences of their decisions.

For these reasons, Supreme Court Justices should have term limits of 10 years with three justices being rotated out every few years at a time. With a 10 year term limit, justices are still able to gain valuable experience while on the Court without overstaying their welcome. As their beliefs become more outdated with time, having term limits would ensure that new perspectives are introduced that are more representative of modern society.

Furthermore, 10-year limits would allow a wider variety of political leanings

between the left and right as different presidents would be able to appoint justices that match their beliefs. By having a system similar to the House of Representatives and Senate in which a third of the total branch is up for reelection every few years, each president would only be able to appoint three justices that support their beliefs, keeping the court relatively spread out politically. Although it is to the chagrin of some, this diversity of beliefs within such a powerful branch would better illustrate the diversity within the country. Lastly,

because their time in office is shorter, Justices will be able to affect less and leave fewer lasting consequences.

All in all, the looming dangers of the loss of rights like Roe v Wade illustrate the necessity for change in the Supreme Court.

A rotational system with 10 year terms would keep diversity while diminishing the overall power and impact of the Court. Hopefully, changes like these are introduced soon so that people no longer H have to fear losing their unalienable rights.■

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California is heading right for another COVID outbreak — and it’s the state’s fault

HARRY STOLTZ Staff Writer

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Just four months ago, California weathered the largest wave of coronavirus infections ever, averaging at roughly 110,000 cases per day for a period of time.

We’re clearly still in a pandemic, despite what some officials are declaring. Since March, COVID cases have remained comparably low. Amid this relative calm, the state has removed nearly all protective measures against COVID-19. Indoor mask mandates are gone, testing protocols have

become more lax and the state government is parroting post-pandemic rhetoric.

These moves are woefully misguided, and illustrate California’s failed COVID strategy.

Los Angeles is in many ways a microcosm of the state as a whole.

Originally instating a mask mandate in April 2020, LA County has undergone cycles of phasing out the mandate in times of relatively low case numbers and reinstating the mandate when cases begin to spike. This creates a perpetual and

R’Perspective:

confusing cycle of installing and removing precautions. When precautions are removed, it allows for COVID to spread easily, and when precautions are reinstated, it’s an unexpected inconvenience. In order to meaningfully deal with a pandemic as infectious as COVID, we need to keep constant pressure.

According to the LA Times, California now averages roughly 5,000 new cases of COVID per day. This is a whopping 85% increase since last month. It’s unclear how much of California’s current rise in cases can be attributed to easing restrictions, but these decisions certainly play a role. Combined with a more infectious BA.2.12.1 strain of Omicron, California could face a large COVID outbreak in the near future.

California, and more broadly the United States, needs a coherent plan against the coronavirus. Under Trump, initial containment was slow, and every move felt like a self-aggrandizing power trip on the part of the ex-president. But even under more competent leadership like in California, or federally, the United States still lags behind the rest of the developed world in some key metrics. As we pass 1 million COVID deaths in the United H States, we need to reconsider our strategy.■

AS CALIFORNIA REMOVES VALUABLE COVID PROTECTIONS, CASES RISE WITH THE STATE’S MISGUIDED STRATEGY.

TURNS OUT CONFIDENCE REALLY IS ALL ABOUT FAKING IT UNTIL YOU MAKE IT.

No one is naturally born confident — don’t be afraid to fake the real thing DAVID MORENO Assistant Opinions Editor

You might have heard before that the key to forming successful relationships in college is by being an outgoing person: not being shy when someone sits next to you in lecture and always being the one who asks questions in class. The burden of making lifelong connections suddenly now weighs on your shoulders alone. A major component to becoming this outgoing person is confidence. Without it, it may seem like you will never speak to that one cute person in class, or more importantly never make connections with professors. Confidence is an arbitrary state of mind that it can be hard for many college students to channel that energy. In my experience, confidence is all about faking it until you make it.

Freshly-admitted 18-year-old me struggled with this exact confidence dilemma. Having to integrate myself into a college culture filled with people who looked so well put together was very intimidating. Sitting in the back row of the University Lecture Hall away from all the students with color-coded notes became my new normal.

This, of course, also plays into the first-generation college student plague of imposter syndrome — simply feeling out of place because you weren’t supposed to make it this far. These feelings can have a very negative effect on college students, especially when trying to make friends.

When it feels like everyone around you is constantly putting their best foot forward, it can feel like you’re not doing enough. Tired of feeling like a constant underachiever, I decided to push

myself into becoming a more outgoing student.

I was once in a Career Center workshop that centered around preparing for job interviews.

During the workshop, we were strongly advised to try our best to come off as a confident candidate, as someone who is witty and charismatic while simultaneously being effortless. I can only speak for myself, but being effortlessly perfect isn’t something that comes naturally — unless you have an extreme superiority complex, or maybe you were just born a white man. In which case, every crowded room you enter probably feels like the perfect opportunity to practice your stand-up comedy routine.

Regardless, the pressure to come off as a confident individual is always going to be present in adulthood. The big secret to becoming a more confident person is actually pretty simple — just fake it. College is the perfect time to live by the mantra of “fake it until you make it.” It’s safe to say that the majority of the people around you right now are faking it to some extent. The beautiful thing about false confidence is that no one is going to call you out for it, because they probably can’t tell the difference from the real thing.

Feeling confident in yourself is all about putting yourself in the correct mindset: wearing that outfit that makes you feel good, doing your makeup or having a killer skincare routine. These are all simple ways to amplify your self-confidence, which in turn will ultimately make you a more confident person. So don’t be afraid to fake it and H embrace the ambiguity head on.■ COURTESY OF PEXELS

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Op-Ed

OPINIONS

UC Riverside’s oldest building deserves honor and upkeep

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2022

7

THE CITRUS EXPERIMENT STATION WAS AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF UCR’S PREVIOUS HISTORY; TO LET IT FALL INTO DISREPAIR IS DISAPPOINTING.

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PROFESSOR THOMAS E. COGSWELL is a history professor at UCR. He can be contacted at cogswell@ucr.edu.

“Guadeamus igitur (Let Us Rejoice.)”

So begins the medieval song about undergraduate life, and that song comes naturally to students and alumni when they glimpse their school’s oldest building, which testifies to its antiquity.

At William and Mary, academic life centers on the Wren Building. Likewise, Harvard prizes Massachusetts Hall and Yale Connecticut Hall. Outside the Ivy League, UNC boasts Old East, and UVA the Rotunda. Although founded more recently, California schools followed suit. USC reveres Widney House], and Stanford the Old Quad, just as Berkeley does South Hall, San Diego Scripps Hall and UCLA Royce Hall.

While these structures require special care, most schools feel the expense is justified — all of them except UC Riverside. Here one of the oldest buildings on campus has long been neglected and just been slated for demolition.

In 1965, when Irvine and Santa Cruz opened, Riverside had been operating for over a decade as part of the post-war expansion that also established Davis and Santa Barbara. UCR’s lineage, however, goes back even further.

In 1907, the University of California established the Citrus Experiment Station at Riverside, and in 1914, the state increased its budget. In turn, the University established a new academic unit, the Graduate School of Tropical Agriculture. L. H. Hibbard, a Los Angeles architect who had just designed the stunning Lincoln Heights Library, planned the CES complex.

In 1918, when the first director, H. J. Webber, opened the new Station, he hymned the main research building, now Anderson Hall, which houses the School of Business. But he also described a residence “with sun parlor, patio and sleeping porches,” which “occupies a prominent rocky knoll, commanding a view over a large portion of the farm and the surrounding country.” Webber knew it well because he and subsequent

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Directors lived there. That residence is now known as College Building South.

The Directors who lived there profoundly impacted Riverside and the future university. The fact that the CES was in Riverside owed everything to the local community’s enthusiasm for it. They knew that if the citrus industry thrived, someone had to control the mealybugs, flies, mites, thrips, worms and several forms of scale which thrived on the plants. In short, without the CES, Riverside and its citrus industry would have remained only an elusive dream.

Not only did the university later develop on CES land, but the Station’s early research helps explain UCR’s current fame in Botany, Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Nematology and especially Entomology. Naturally, the university quickly named prominent buildings after the Directors — Webber, Batchelor and Boyce.

While these memories have faded somewhat, some undergraduates still remember. In 2017, a student group urged the administration to

include College Building South in its development plans: “when compared to historic and original buildings on other campuses, many of which have been painstakingly preserved and consistently protected, College Building South sadly pales in comparison because of the neglect it has faced from the campus.”

Yet notwithstanding repeated vows to remedy the situation, nothing has been done, and the structure now faces oblivion.

This cannot be allowed to happen.

Instead, the administration and the local community must act immediately to save the building. Let’s burnish the memory of the Citrus Experiment Station and the campus’ long connection to the UC system — not let it crumble away. Then, the voices of our students and alumni can soar when they come to the line in “Guadeamus:” “Alma Mater floreat!

H (May our Alma Mater flourish!)” ■

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TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2022

Features

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You are the key to your own destiny This week’s predictions tell us to look inward and focus on independence.

By: Ysabel Nakasone, Staff Writer

Aries (March 21 - April 19): The High Priestess There is something you’re missing, Aries, something vital. The High Priestess reminds you to see things at more than face value because nothing is as it seems. There are hidden influences in play and you must use your intuition.

This is an issue where you are on your own and must depend on yourself. Do things your way or the highway.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20): Three of Wands You are being presented with a lot of choices at present and this is just the beginning. You are leaning towards the path of stability and comfort. Playing it safe might help you maintain the things in your life that you enjoy, but it will also leave you in a position of stagnancy. This will eventually lead to dissatisfaction.

Try to think about balancing risk and reward so you won’t regret your choices in the future.

Gemini (May 21 - June 20): The Magician Energy is manifesting in your favor, Gemini. The Magician encourages you to focus on your most important goals and start plugging forward, full steam ahead.

It’s important to remember to pick your battles. Don’t get hung up on the details that won’t matter in the end and consider the larger picture.

Cancer (June 21 - July 22): The Emperor You’ve been acting as the rock for your friends, allowing them to depend on you and not engaging in much self-awareness.

You often take on the problems of others, but it’s becoming too chaotic for you to deal with. Start breaking down the problems and set boundaries. Create a plan and be strategic as you try to shed your burdens.

Leo (July 23 - August 22): King of Cups You’re at a stage of acceptance in your life and are enjoying the fruits of emotional maturity. Your bold personality exudes warmth and creativity, qualities which also brings balance as you face negative energy in your life. You’re in a place to offer sage counsel rooted in compassion and understanding.

Look beyond the side of yourself that

Virgo (August 23 September 22): Queen of Wands you show the world and look to maybe the hidden side of yourself. Maybe you’ve been hiding an important goal or a secret because you’re afraid of rejection. You’re known for your modesty and sometimes your insecurity, but don’t let those traits control you. It’s preventing you from forming meaningful connections.

Libra (September 23 October 22): Queen of Cups Libra, you’ve always been willing to go out of your way to help others. You’ve mastered this but you’ve involved yourself too deeply. People trust you, but the weight of their problems has begun to weigh on you as well. It’s time to take a breath and consider focusing on one of your own goals. Push forward on something that makes you intrinsically happy and look inward.

Scorpio (October 23 November 21): Queen of Pentacles You’ve been fearful of vulnerability lately, but it is exactly that which will help you find calmness. It’s being in touch with your emotional side that can eliminate the dramatics of your situation.

The Queen of Pentacles represents a motherly attitude and may mean you need to take on a nurturing position and base your decisions in compassion.

Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21): Six of Wands You need to find comfort in your own personal definition of success instead of basing your self-worth on the views of short sighted people. You may feel slighted and your pride has taken a hit, but the best move is to turn the other cheek and keep moving forward. The people who want to tear you down won’t change their minds no matter what you do, so you can’t look to anyone else but yourself for validation.

Capricorn (December 22 - January 19): Nine of Swords You feel that stress and hurt is a drain on your life, but you need to beware.

Don’t act on your anxieties because it will only lead to their fulfillment. The Nine of Swords tells you that these thoughts are not based in reality and are only the worstcase scenario. Remain steadfast and listen to others. Ultimately, the future is in your hands alone, but it wouldn’t hurt to lean on

Aquarius (January 20 - February 18): Five of Swords the people you trust.

You might be going through a period of competition and feel threatened by their qualifications. It’s always important to acknowledge the capabilities of your opponents and do not underestimate them, but don’t underestimate yourself either.

Even if you are met with failure, see this as an opportunity to learn and grow because

Aquarius (January 20 - February 18): Five of Swords bitterness can only lead to more failure.

Now, don’t be so terrified, the Devil only means that you’re being held back.

You feel like you’re struggling between short and long term gains, trying to figure out which is most important to you.

Perhaps a negative habit or relationship is clouding your judgment. This card is a gift, warning you to shine a light on what might be tearing you down before the effects are H permanent and visceral. ■

ILLUSTRATIONS COURTESY OF FREEPIK

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2022

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Star-crossed or meant to be?

By: Ysabel Nakasone, Staff Writer

Aries What you need is a complement, someone to be able to pick up on your witty jokes and understand your obscure cultural references, and a Leo will be able to keep with your charisma. They will dazzle alongside you, giving you support and a partner on equal footing. To match your intelligence will be their confidence as you go toe to toe and give each other the challenges you need to grow. You will be there for each other when you fail and

You are the star of your show, Aries. With your dynamic personality, you need someone who doesn’t shy away from your strong traits. A Gemini will dive in with you, but won’t forget to consider the whole of the situation. They’ll be perceptive where you are bold, pulling you back and pushing you forward at just the right times.

Gemini

Taurus Cancer, you are so empathetic and you feel so deeply, carrying the rights and wrongs of others with you everywhere and it’s weighing you down. A Taurus will help ground you and find a way out of this mental prison you’ve built up. They’ll help you find a routine and stability that can’t be controlled by your strong

Your bold nature often serves you well, and being straightforward helps feed your ambition. A Libra will be your mirror, helping you see the parts of yourself that you can be proud of and reminding you of the character development you’ve yet to undergo. Their personality can maintain the extroverted side of you that already exists while highlighting the softer side that no one else gets to see.

Their duality is what you need as you seem to only exist in one mode: go!

Leo

Virgo

You might feel like a contradiction, moving between states of extroversion and introversion. You feel like you help others see their truths through you, but who is there to help you?

Sagittarius will be willing to explore your unknowns and can teach you to be unafraid of the changes that are intertwined with your life.

Scorpio, you’re good at forming surface relationships, but you’ve been struggling to really open up and let go of complete control. Virgo has been looking in all the wrong places for love as well and is feeling pessimistic about their prospects. It’ll be a hard won trust, but absolutely worth it as you slowly break down those barriers and learn to love each other and yourselves.

Sagittarius You worry about your independence and how it might affect your relationships, you need a partner who understands. A partner who wants the same. An Aries, with their own self-reliant qualities, will be able to give you space and have their own dreams. Their passion for love is something you sorely lack as you find it hard to see beyond the practicalities of love, as if there are any. They can teach you about the side of love that is unfamiliar to you.

Libra You keep opening up your heart and somehow, even when your heart is broken, you manage to still have hope. You’re willing to take risks, but you’re not brash either. For you, Aquarius would be willing to compromise. Show them how much the risk is worth it and that relationships can be flawed. Learn the intricacies of each other and accept one another for who you are. You’ll be able to overcome anything with your combined vibrancy.

Aquarius

Capricorn It’s time to balance what you need in a partner with what you want, Pisces. An earth-shattering romance is just that: shattering. You need the passion of love but also something definite and dependable.

A Capricon’s simultaneous sentimentality and stability. They want to build something real, even though it’s going to be hard, and they know that the best way to do that is based on affection and devotion.

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TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR BEST MATCHED ZODIAC SIGNS AS YOU CONSIDER THE RELATIONSHIPS AND THE LIFE YOU WANT TO BUILD Taurus, you may see yourself as the safe choice, not the passionate, romantic one. It’s a Pisces that will make your heart stutter and bring you out of your comfort zone. Where you’re a homebody, they’ll push the boundaries and help you create memories you secretly yearned for.

You may be resistant to this change, but you deserve the romance Pisces will offer you. It’ll be one for the books.

Cancer As an introvert, you struggle with expressing yourself well, and a Cancer’s finely tuned awareness will allow them to see past your selfcritical mindset. It’s hard for you to see past your own faults, and a Cancer will be able to see the truth of your intelligent and perfectionist lifestyle.

They can bring out self-awareness in you as you help them put themselves first.

Scorpio It’s a Scorpio’s direct method that will begin to make cracks in your walls. While you’re not one for overt affection, they will show you the value of actions over words. For them, you can give them deeper connections and help build something really real.

Once you get past all the beginning awkwardness, your romance will be one worth its weight in gold.

Pisces

In the end, remember that the path to love is on you. It’s full of hard work, communication, and building trust. Base connections H might be found here, but in the end, it’s up to you to make these predictions mean something real.■

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TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2022

MOMMA CHEN’S TAIWANESE PANCAKE RECIPE THAT HAS A MOUTHFUL OF FLAVORS THAT WILL GET YOUR MOUTH WATERING.

The crispiest pancakes you will ever try By: Ashley Chen, Features Editor If you’re craving something savory, crispy, flaky and chewy all in one bite, Taiwanese scallion pancakes are the way to go! These pancakes are perfect for those who are always on the go since it can be eaten hot or cold. It’s the perfect way to start your day as a meal for breakfast or to have a late night snack!

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Servings: 8 Start to finish: 1 hour 10 minutes Flour dough recipe: 5 cups of all-purpose flour 1.5 cups of hot water 2 teaspoon of salt In a bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Then, slowly add in the hot water while continuing to mix.

Once the hot water is added and the mixture starts to form a dough-like consistency, knead the dough in the boal for 2-3 minutes (be careful not to over-knead).

Brush the top of the dough with vegetable oil, and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Scallion oil paste recipe: 1 cup of all-purpose flour 1 cup of vegetable oil 12 thinly chopped scallions

Making the pancakes: Take out your dough, and divide it into 8 portions. Add a bit of oil onto your work surface, and place each portion onto the surface. Roll each portion out into thin rectangles. The thickness should be about the size of a coin.

Brush 2-3 tablespoons of the scallion oil paste onto each piece of dough. Then, fold the top of each dough ⅓ down and the bottom ⅓ up. Fold each dough in half, and pull both ends of each dough, stretching them out. Coil each piece of dough from both ends until two spirals meet in the middle. Fold one of the spirals over the other, and gently press down to secure the round shape of each of the dough.

Let the pancakes rest for 15 minutes before cooking them.

Then, flatten the pancakes around 1 cm thick.

Heat up your pan to a medium-high heat, and place the pancakes in the pan. Cover the pan with a lid, and lower the heat.

Cook the pancakes while they are covered for 4 minutes. Then, remove the lid and flip the pancakes. Turn up the heat to highheat, and cook until the pancakes are light crisped and browned to your liking.

H Add the sauce on the side, and enjoy immediately! ■

Combine the flour and thinly chopped scallion into a heat-safe bowl. In a saucepan, heat up the vegetable oil until it’s barely shimmering. Then quickly pour the shimmering oil into the heat-safe bowl and carefully stir until the mixture forms into a paste consistency.

Dipping sauce recipe: 2 teaspoon of soy sauce 2 teaspoon of Gochujang (Korean red chili paste) 1 finely minced garlic ½ thinly chopped scallion Combine all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix together until the Gochujang paste is dissolved.

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6 Ways to spend the perfect day in Riverside FUN ACTIVITIES TO DO OFF CAMPUS IN YOUR FREE TIME. Living on campus, it can be really easy for the lines between school and home to become blurred. It is important to get away from campus from time to time and explore Riverside. Here are a few suggestions for your next offcampus excursion, immersing yourself in the local culture.

By: Senna Omar, Assistant Features Editor

The Game Lab and The Food Lab

Explore Downtown + Mission Inn Museum

Located in the heart of Downtown Riverside in the Fox Entertainment Plaza, the game lab is a great place to spend the day with friends. The game lab offers a traditional arcade experience with the combination of a full-service bar, pinball machines, VR stations, basketball, air hockey and over 80 video arcades. After a full day of gaming, head next door to the food lab to experience a food court-style dining experience.

Looking to have an explore day, head over to the historic streets of Downtown Riverside, and maybe stop by the Mission Inn Museum. Located at the corner of Main Street and Mission Inn Ave, the Mission Inn Museum holds a collection of historically significant pieces to the development of the Mission Inn. Walking tours last around 60 min and can be booked online.

Van Buren Drive-in Theater Mount Rubidoux Trail This 3.2 mile loop is the perfect way to start any day. Mount Rubidoux trail is considered a beginners and easy hiking route that takes on average about 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete. The trail is open year round and is pet, hiker, biker and bird-watcher friendly.

Antique Stores Downtown Riverside is host to many antique shops. Spend the day walking around the city and looking through the plethora of beautiful antique items up for sale.

For anyone with access to a car, the Van Buren Drive-in movie theater is the perfect way to spend any evening. Open every day, ticket prices are $10 per adult and $1 per kid ages 5-9.

World’s Largest Paper Cup Riverside is home to the world’s largest paper cup, an extremely famous roadside attraction. The cup is around 68 ft tall and can be found at 800 Iowa ave.

Make sure to spread your wings and venture outside campus. Riverside is a wonderful city.

H Happy exploring adventure awaits! ■ ILLUSTRATION COURTESTY OF @STORYSET VIA FREEPIK

THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/features

FEATURES

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2022

CAMPUS CAMPUS COPE COPE Goodnight moon, goodbye sleep deprivation ALEXANDRIA LACHMAN Staff Writer

There are several factors that can interfere with a good night’s sleep: from stress, work or family responsibilities.

It’s no wonder why a good quality night’s rest is so elusive. It may be hard to overcome some aspects that interfere with your sleep. However, there are some habits you can adapt into your daily life to give you that good night’s rest. Start with these helpful tips:

Stick to a sleep schedule

Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, and yes, even weekends. Creating a consistent sleep schedule will help you develop a better sleep-cycle. If you are unable to sleep

SKIN CARE SHOULD BE SOMETHING FUN. DON’T LET IT STRESS YOU OUT.

within 20 minutes, leave your bedroom and try reading or listening to soothing music. Go to bed when you start to feel tired. Try sticking to a set sleep schedule that works best for you.

No caffeine before bed

Drinking caffeine can affect your sleep. Caffeine roughly takes hours to wear off and will keep you up way longer than you expect. Try avoiding caffeine beverages late at night and switch to decaffeinated tea that will help with sleep.

Try to avoid day time naps

After a long day, sometimes a nap seems like the answer. However, you’ll find that it will be a lot more difficult

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HERE ARE SOME HELPFUL TIPS TO GET MORE SLEEP.

to have an earlier sleep schedule. Try to avoid daytime naps. If needed, keep naps limited to an hour. Consistency is key, and even though naps can be helpful every now and then, they can also ruin a good sleep schedule.

Reduce blue light exposure in the evening

Blue light coming from electronic devices can strain your eyes and can block your body’s desire to sleep.

Blue light blocks a hormone known as melatonin that makes you sleepy. Two hours before you sleep, try to avoid any electronics and harsh lighting that will H get in the way of a healthy sleep cycle. ■ COURTESY OF PEXELS

Skin care is all about trial and error; here’s what works best for me

DAVID MORENO Assistant Opinions Editor

When looking into the massive world of skin care, it feels a bit intimidating at first. Simply searching for skin care routines on YouTube, you are automatically met with millions of videos to choose from. It seems like everyone has a contradicting opinion on which products work the best. But like most things in life, skin care all comes down to personal preference. After doing hours of research, I want to give the routine that best works for me personally. Of course, all the products I mention will work differently with different skin types. The biggest piece of skin care advice I could give you is first figuring out where your skin lands on the spectrum. A product

that works perfectly with dry to normal skin will not mix well with oily skin, so on and so forth.

In the morning, it’s always important to start your day with a tall glass of water. Hydration is crucial for healthy, glowy skin.

Using a cleanser to wash away any dirt and oil from the night before should be your first step.

I personally use the CeraVe SA cleanser, which has salicylic acid that works to refresh and cleanse skin.

After using a cleanser, I like to go in with different products from The Ordinary, like Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 and Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%. Something that I love about The Ordinary products is how affordable they are, as both of these serums fall under $10 each.

Facial serums are a perfect addition

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to anyone’s skin care routine.

These two, in particular, work to eliminate skin imperfections such as black heads and give the skin an overall smoothness.

These two products can also be used at nighttime. I’m also a big fan of the Granactive Retinoid 5% in Squalane serum from The Ordinary. This serum, unlike the two previously mentioned, should only be used at night, and not every night.

If you have problems with acne scars and skin blemishes, I would suggest trying out chemical peels.

The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution works to minimize these problem areas on the face. Like any product that you are going to apply directly to the face, you should always do a patch test to make sure you won’t have

a bad reaction. With this chemical peel, in particular, it’s important that you don’t leave it on for longer than ten minutes. You should also only be doing them every two weeks. Make sure you don’t apply any other products for at least two hours afterwards.

Lastly, after using any facial products, I like to make sure I’m moisturizing my skin. I’m a big fan of the CeraVe facial moisturizer.

If you are about to head out for the day, don’t forget to apply sunscreen! I’m a big fan of tinted sunscreen as it helps eliminate the white cast left behind by most brands. My last secret tip is putting on some Futerdew by Glossier.

This leaves you looking naturally H fresh and hydrated all day. ■

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2022

Radar

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Cancel culture is doing more harm than good in today’s society THE JOHNNY DEPP DEFAMATION CASE CALLS ATTENTION TO THE DANGERS OF CANCEL CULTURE. SAMUEL LAO Radar Editor

In today’s technologically advanced world, news spreads fast, and for those in the spotlight, every aspect of their lives are subject to public scrutiny. Whether big or small, many celebrities, from A-listers to D-listers, have fallen victim to the recent “cancel culture” movement.

A relatively new popular concept, cancel culture is essentially the practice of shunning someone who has been accused of some type of negative action.

Though there have been some examples where cancel culture was used effectively, there are also many instances where celebrities make everyday mistakes but are subject to so much public scrutiny, that they are burdened with the difficult task of having to always be perfect.

With the rise of social media apps, most recently TikTok, many younger individuals have been finding success by starting their careers as early as middle school.

One of the so-called pioneers of TikTok, Charli D’Amelio, started her social media journey at the age of 15 and only recently became an 18-year-old adult. Through her journey, Charli has definitely faced a lot of backlash, even acknowledging that it gets difficult to constantly see

online hate. She has explained that she has read comments telling her to “kill herself,” among other profane things that should never be said to anyone, let alone a young teen. Many individuals feel comfortable speaking this way due to the anonymity of the internet, and oftentimes, this type of backlash and canceling forces individuals to lose deals and partnerships.

Most recently, the case of Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard has caught national attention as Depp is attempting to clear his name from abuse accusations from Heard. For a recap, the case of Depp began in 2016 when Heard accused him of physically assaulting her and threatening her life. In the turbulent times of Harvey Weinstein and other huge industry moguls taking advantage of women, Depp was immediately ostracized by the public and dropped from many of his major contracts.

Dropping the biggest toll, Disney also parted ways with Depp in an attempt to keep him away from harming their image, while Dior single-handedly backed Depp.

Fast-forwarding to the current on-going case, the major design-wear company has been receiving praise over various social platforms for their undying support to Mr. Depp, but that praise is the very issue with the concept of “cancel culture.” For an

extended period of time, the name “Johnny Depp” left a sour taste in people’s mouths, and many expressed their disgust and their disbelief that he could possibly be the victim. His various pleas for an opportunity to explain himself were met with automatic distrust, and only now, six years later, is he having a fair chance to receive justice.

Once the case got started, Depp felt the other end of things, receiving support both in person and online. Though there has been an overwhelming amount of evidence presented that seems to prove Depp to be the victim of defamation, the case still has not reached an end, in the court at least.

As far as social media goes, many have already decided on the case, with Heard facing an unprecedented amount of slander.

With the ease of posting, fans have an unreasonable amount of power over celebrities, essentially controlling their careers. The idea of cancel culture being a form of punishment for wrongdoings seems innocent enough, yet when people choose to run with anything they hear instead of taking the time to research, cancel culture becomes dangerous. With smartphones and more social media platforms than ever imaginable, lives can be ruined overnight, and fans must now try to understand how much their voices do

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matter. It seems fair that someone should be punished for negative actions, but cancel culture is an excuse to act impulsively.

It is understandable to condemn someone who committed some type of crime or wrongdoing, but cancel culture only waters down these punishments as it is used too often. Just like “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” anytime cancel culture brings about a false “canceling,” it begins to lose its power, becoming a fad and a joke trend. Instead, cancel culture should be canceled, as people should put the same amount of energy into understanding the full story. Society should definitely keep getting involved and using their voices, but they must use them after understanding the whole situation H rather than going off one piece of a story.■

‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ is an okay movie, but not the worst BRENDA JOVEL Assistant Radar Editor

THE MARVEL SUPERHERO RETURNS TO THE BIG SCREEN WITH MIXED REVIEWS AND A UNIQUE BLEND OF ACTION AND HORROR.

Ever since the idea of the Multiverse was released in “SpiderMan: No Way Home,” fans of the MCU were anticipating the return of Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and how he would handle the dangers of the Multiverse.

With a startling beginning, “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” quickly introduces us to America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), a young teenager who is able to travel through different realities with a unique power that Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) desires. Doctor Strange, along with the help of Wong (Benedict Wong) and Christine (Rachel McAdams), attempts to save America from her grasp.

The film plays with the theme of desire, particularly with the characters of Wanda and Doctor Strange. Many MCU fans who have been following its various projects will understand the grief and pain that Wanda has suffered ever since she was first introduced. After enduring the loss of her children and partner, Wanda becomes determined to regain her family, leading her to fully embody the darkness of the Scarlet Witch.

Her obsessive desire to be with her children again is depicted well in terms of developing her anticipated hero to villain transformation.

The film continued the depiction of Wanda’s grief that was first brought to light in her own series, “Wandavision.”

There are moments throughout the film where you are rooting for Wanda to reunite with her children again, but the film quickly reminds you of the harm she has caused. Her character undergoes the complexity of an antihero and can often cloud viewers’ opinions over her motives and actions.

Doctor Strange is forced to finally confront his emotions while also battling against external forces.

It is the first time that we see his character reflect upon his actions and how they have affected his romantic relationship. Doctor Strange’s quickwitted humor also served as a warm welcome for audiences. From being an arrogant doctor to becoming a humble and fatherly figure, his character development has certainly become memorable throughout his time in the MCU which is pushed further in his latest movie.

The film does not disappoint in its intricate set design of various realities that Strange and America travel through in one scene. From turning into colorful paint to traveling through a dimension of an animated world, the scene highlights the genius creation of what the Multiverse looks like.

In a similar fashion, the depiction of Wanda venturing through the different realities where her children exist is shown as little orbs floating around her. The artistic choices made for these scenes are only a portion that showcases both the beauty and danger of the portrayal of the mystic arts.

Unlike past Marvel projects, Doctor Strange’s latest film contains

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aspects of horror within it. With minor jumpscares and Wanda similarly reflecting the odd and bone-cracking movements of Regan MacNeil’s character from “The Exorcist” in one scene, the film does have some potential in being labeled as a scary film. It was an interesting path that Director Sam Raimi took for this project that differs greatly from past Marvel films who are mainly known for their heavy action sequences and gut-wrenching plots. Its genre mixture of humor, horror and action created a unique Marvel film that has never been done before and has led to arguments over whether the film was rated correctly as PG-13. Its somewhat disturbing scenes can leave many scratching their heads and wonder if the film is appropriate for young viewers.

As the MCU becomes increasingly bigger, many familiar faces appear next to Doctor Strange that will surprise yet disappoint fans with their unexpected outcomes. It’s one of the first MCU films that

require audiences to understand various plots and characters from previous Marvel projects, which may cause a bit of confusion for some who have not immersed themselves into the MCU as a whole.

There are a few moments where awkward choices of transitions between scenes are made, and the choice of music for some scenes feels out of place. The film, unfortunately, did not live up to the expected high standards that many fans have been waiting for, especially after having to follow the success of H “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”■

VERDICT: “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” is a convoluted film that continues Marvel’s legacy of portraying intense scenes and mindbending plots. Though some aspects of it failed to live up to its heightened expectation, the film is a unique piece that leads into Phase 4 of the MCU.

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Sports

SPORTS

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2022

15

Men’s baseball loses back to back against Long Beach State

THE HIGHLANDERS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE ON THE DIAMOND AS THEY LOG A 7-35 OVERALL RECORD UNDER THEIR NAME.

PATREACE ESPIRITU Contributing Writer

The UC Riverside men’s baseball team was hosted by Long Beach State to finish up their back-to-back ballgames on the road at Blair Field. It was a triple header against the Dirtbags that began on Friday and concluded on Sunday afternoon, just in time to celebrate Mother’s Day. The two teams last met a little less than a year ago on May 9, 2021 when the Highlanders lost the final ballgame of the series by a point.

Hoping to break their four-game losing streak, the men’s baseball team return to the Dirtbags’ diamond after a devastating 3-4 loss the night before.

The ballgame began with the Highlanders batting at the top of the inning and the Dirtbags at the bottom. Neither

COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS

team scored a run as the inning closed, but the home team managed to score a single run during the bottom of the second inning to put the Dirtbags on the scoreboard.

During the third inning, senior pitcher Jeremiah Priddy returned to the mound as he faced off against the Dirtbag batters.

Unfortunately, Priddy ended up allowing three runs to extend the opponents’ lead to four as the Highlanders struggled to join them on the scoreboard.

Sophomore infielder Anthony Mcfarland stepped up to the diamond at the top of the fifth inning and successfully got the first base hit of the day for the Highlanders. With redshirt junior catcher Danny Carnazzo at bat, Mcfarland advanced to second base on a wild pitch, and Carnazzo ended up on first after a walk with only one out for the visiting team.

Freshman outfielder Andrew Rivas was now up to bat with the bases loaded after redshirt junior catcher Jacob Shanks moved to first base after another walk. With an opportunity for a grand slam, everyone had their eyes on Rivas as he attempted to send his teammates home. With a hit, Rivas sent the ball flying, and Mcfarland scored the first run for the Highlanders as a fielder’s choice occurred, striking out Shanks instead. With runners on the corners, sophomore infielder Anthony Mata was on-deck as the Highlanders endeavored to make the most out of their opportunity to score some runs. Alas, they were struck out as Mata swung, and they closed out the inning with a single run.

At the bottom of the fifth, Priddy was once again on the mound. The senior pitcher, at this point of the game, had a 4.15 ERA and gave the opponents their chance at a grand slam. With bases loaded and with one out, Priddy allowed a hit by the other team and gave them two more runs to put the score at 1-6 in favor of the Dirtbags. After another two-run hit by the home team that put the score 1-8, the Highlanders brought in sophomore pitcher Kyle Anderson as a relief in hopes of closing out the inning without letting up any more runs. Unfortunately, the opposing batter gets a 2-RBI single as the Dirtbags extend their lead to 1-10 while Anderson attempts for the strikeout.

The Highlanders went down on a 1-23 inning for the top of the sixth, with all three batters unsuccessful at reaching a base. The inning closed out with neither

team scoring a run, but the bottom of the seventh showed a stretch in the scoreboard as the Dirtbag batter hit a homerun and as the score became 1-11. Rivas, at the top of the eighth inning, hit a single to the center and advanced to first base with Mata on deck. With two runners on the field, the Highlanders got another chance at scoring with redshirt senior outfielder Dylan Orick batting for the visiting team. However, they were struck out by the Dirtbag pitcher and once again closed out the inning without scoring a run.

The final inning of the game opened with Mcfarland batting for the Highlanders after redshirt senior utility Nathan Webb hit an impressive double to left field.

Shanks followed up with the momentum as he got a single hit to right field, sending Webb home and advancing Carnazzo to second base. Rivas returned to bat and not a moment later, hit a single to left field to send Carnazzo home to cut the Dirtbag lead down to 3-11. With Mata batting once more, two runners remain on the field for another chance at trimming the lead with only one out. Orick kept it going as he also hit a single to center, allowing Shanks to score a run. Redshirt freshman Joey Nicolai was struck out to end the ballgame, and the Highlanders ended the night with a 4-11 loss.

The men’s baseball team will be returning to their home field on May 11, 2022 as they welcome the Washington State Cougars to the Riverside Sports H Complex at 6:00 p.m. ■

Highlander softball manages a last ditch effort to close out the series with a victory KEVIN CONTRERAS Sports Editor

Softball season continues for the Highlanders at UCR as they most recently faced off against UC Santa Barbara in another 3-game series. It was a tough start for UCR on Friday and Saturday mornings as they fell to the Gauchos in the first two games. Luckily, UCR found it within themselves to put something together in the final matchup of the series.

After a dry first inning, the scoreboard opened up at the bottom of the second inning. Sophomore Gigi Araki was up first to bat but was hit by the pitch. The batter after Araki was also hit by a pitch, pushing her to second. The following Highlander struck out, but a mix up on the field allowed Araki to score on error, granting her an unearned run.

UCSB replied with two back-to-back runs in the following inning. Sophomore infielder Chloe Stewart walked to first base for the Gauchos.

Shortly after, she was brought home after a kerfuffle on the field. This put the Gauchos on the board for the first time this game. Senior infielder Marcy Fines came on shortly after batting a double down right field. Shortly after, and with the help of her teammate, she was able to steal home and put them up 2-1. In that same inning, UCR responded with a run immediately after in order to tie the game. Junior infielder Lauryn Garewal singled up the middle. A flyball from junior shortstop Marissa Burk shortly after allowed Garewal to reach home.

The score was 2-2.

At the top of the fourth, the Gauchos put on another run, which they would soon find out would be their last of this game in their weekend long bout against UCR. It was junior outfielder Sam Denehy who batted a single, stole second, and was eventually brought home by her teammate.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Highlanders exploded and managed four more runs in order to cement their victory in the afternoon matchup.

First, Garewal walked to first to put one runner on the bases. Immediately after, senior outfielder Haylee Kela hit an impressive home run to bring herself and her fellow Highlanders home, bumping the score up 4-2. Shortly after in that same inning came another two runs. Again, it was Araki who managed to cross the plate after having walked.

Two batters later, she was brought home with the help of sophomore utility player Ally Troche.

Redshirt sophomore catcher Jantzen Owen also scored after singling towards right field. Soon after, Nadia Witt brought Owen home with a single down through to the left side of the field.

This would be the final run of the game, leaving the game 6-3 to end the series 2-1 in favor of the Gauchos.

The Highlanders managed one victory in the end to allow them to fall gracefully to the Gauchos, the series total being 2-1 in favor of UCSB. This less than favorable encounter leaves UCR in position six in The Big West Conference. Their next encounter is against the CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners this upcoming weekend. The H Roadrunners currently sit last in The Big West. ■

UCR CLOSES THE SERIES 2-1.

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16

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2022

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