Kebab has a literal meaning of a dish of pieces of meat, fish or vegetables roasted or grilled on a skewer. They’re easy to make and fun to mix it up with the ingredients. Here’s a delicious and easy vegetarian recipe that you can easily master on your own.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh cubed pineapple

• 2 orange bell peppers, slice and remove stem/seeds

• 1 (14 oz) package of extra firm tofu (can be replaced w/ meat substitute if desired)

• Glass or metal skewers

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon ginger

• 1 tablespoon pineapple juice

• Dash of avocado oil or preferred oil

Instructions:

• Drain and remove tofu from package, wrapping with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Cube tofu into large cubes.

• In a bowl, add the soy sauce, turmeric, garlic, ginger and pineapple juice. Stir to combine. Add tofu cubes and gently roll in the bowl to evenly coat with the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap to let them marinate for around 30 minutes (the longer, the better, but I only marinated for 20 minutes and they came out great).

•Slice the bell peppers into thirds at first, then into medium sized pieces that will fit on your skewers.

• When you are ready to cook, preheat the grill to medium-high heat and oil the grates to prevent sticking (I used an electric grill and it worked well).

• Thread the tofu, pineapple and bell peppers onto the skewers. Grill for 10 minutes total, making sure to rotate every few minutes. Enjoy with hot sauce if desired!

There you have it, a great and fairly simple skewer recipe that was satisfying to make and tasted wonderful after a long day! The flavors of the orange bell pepper and pineapple complimented each other surprisingly well. There are many different combinations of fruits and veggies that would also work with this recipe.

Follow your heart and happy cooking!

Associated Students throws Spirit Week for Humboldt State

As a school that seeks to improve the human condition and the environment, there are many things this university does that proudly sets HSU apart from other universities.

Spirit week, hosted by Associated Students, allowed many students to proudly celebrate being a Lumberjack.

School spirit is important in many different ways for students. Others think it is simply a week of fun and games on campus, while others, like business major Blake Fulgham, think it could have a lasting effect on the school.

“Emphasizing school spirit is important to draw potential future students to come up here, and show why we care about the school,” said Fulgham.

Attending college has a lasting effect on young adults. Most students graduate and transition into the career world, which starts a new chapter in their life. Though the college experience ends, memories seem to stick with graduates for a lifetime.

Spirit Week was a week for some students to reflect on why they enjoy attending this university. Being a place of inclusion, diversity and equality, Humboldt State has made thousands of students over the years feel at home.

“Humboldt State University is not so big in the sense that we can’t build personal connections with our professors,” said Business Administration major Zach McCormick. “Unlike at other big schools like San Jose State that have 30,000 plus students.”

As a smaller university, HSU allows students to feel more present as they participate in events, clubs, and even in class. For this reason, students may get a sense of inclusiveness as their voices will be heard compared to those that might be attending a larger university.

The themed days that Associated Students planned included Pajama Monday, Tie-dye Tuesday, Crazy Sock Wednesday, Meme Day Thursday, and Green and Gold Friday.

Psychology major Devon Taylor appreciates his fellow students showing love for HSU.

“It brings students together,” Taylor said. “Expressing different things as simple as dressing up.”

Celebrating school pride continued over the weekend for the Jacks homecoming game against Simon Fraser. Multiple tailgates were hosted on campus leading up to the last ever Humboldt State Homecoming football game.

The Jacks got their first victory of the season and took down Simon Fraser 23-16. Through bittersweet moments, thousands of fans anticipate supporting their football team until the very end of the season and HSU football career.

Whether it’s a big rowdy pep rally or something as simple as silly socks, HSU students express their love for the university during Spirit Week.

Now he’s the owner of AMPT

Fourteen-year-old Derek Russell and adult Derek Russell have many things in common: both love to skate, talk to people and have fun.

The biggest difference between teenage Russell and adult Russell is that one dreamed of owning AMPT Skate Shop in Arcata, and now one of them does.

This has been a long time coming in Russell’s life. He moved to Arcata from Port Washington, New York in the 1990’s and has lived a block away from APMT Skate Shop since its opening in 2002. Though he has moved away from time to time, Russell seems to always be attached to this store.

“My whole life I dreamed of owning this shop,” said Russell. “Whenever I was thinking of careers, I just said to myself I wish I could buy AMPT.”

Russell’s love of skating started when he was 14. His many skating influences include greats like John Cardiel and Tony Trujillo, but his initial influence is less obvious.

“Initially it was (the Teenage Mutant) Ninja Turtles,” said Russell. “And that’s really why I think skating is cool.”

Russell said he was never good at competitive sports like basketball or football, but skating was always there for him. Like many who delve into competitive individual sports, he liked the challenge being solely on him.

“I liked skating because of how it’s just you against yourself,” Russell said. “And really other than that everyone is just homies.”

Humboldt’s skateboarding community, like many in the U.S, really became solidified after the creation of the counties first public skatepark.

“When the skatepark was built in 1998, that was a big drive and got a lot of people into it,” Russell said.

Russell feels this community is built on the mutual respect for the sport. Russell said that there are many types of skill tiers and groups for skaters but only one thing is important.

“It really stops mattering about how old you are or who you are,” said Russell. “It’s all about your love of the sport, which kind of creates a type of equality for everyone.”

A skatepark is vital to the sport of skating, as well as a skate shop, to the culture of skating. Steve Melillo, a local skater and Russell’s friend, moved up to Arcata 10 years ago and said the shop means a lot to him.

“For me it’s been pretty much everything,” Melillo said. “It’s been the hub of the skate community for Humboldt, and I have met a lot of friends here, some that are my best now.”

Russell and AMPT have a bigger part to play in the community than most think. They support everything from skate competitions to building DIY skateparks in low income communities. But for Russell, skateboarding’s impact is simple.

“The best part of skating is the community,” said Russell. “Getting together and having fun and feeding off of each others good vibes.”

North Coast Children Services hosts 31st annual Pastels on the Plaza

The first Saturday of October 2018 approaches and with it comes the 31st Pastels on the Plaza benefit.

Business owners, sponsors and local artists will team up to turn Arcata sidewalks into pastel canvases on Oct. 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m to raise money for the North Coast Children’s Services.

Since the event’s start in 1987, the benefit is one of the most popular art shows in the area. Businesses and sponsors purchase sidewalk squares and are paired with artists who decorate their purchased square. Pastels are provided and artists are welcome to come up with art catered to a business or sponsor, or whatever they can create.

Finished pastel sidewalk squares decorate the plaza for as for as long as the rain and time allows.

Businesses can purchase sidewalk space for $150 or $250. There is no charge for artists but they do need to be registered for the event and paired with a business or sponsor. Businesses, sponsors and artists can find registration information here.

Proceeds from the event go toward NCCS preschool and family services.

For more information visit the Pastels on the Plaza website.

Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival with ADPIC

Humboldt State University students gathered to celebrate the Mid Autumn Festival, an annual event hosted by the Asian, Desi, and Pacific Islander Collective club On Sept. 24.

ADPIC President and Vice President Nikki Xiong and Tammy Phrakonkham presented the history of Mid Autumn Festival, also referred to as the Moon Festival. During the presentation they discussed the origin of the holiday and why they celebrate.

“My favorite part is celebrating with family and friends, celebrating culture and traditions, and being able to keep this alive– especially in a rural community,” Phrakonkham said.

After the presentation, came live musical performances for the crowd to enjoy. Tables set up in the back were filled with crafts for students to partake in including coloring, origami, and writing Chinese symbols in ink. Booths were set up surrounding the room as different clubs on campus tabled and handed out information about their groups as well as creating a sense of diversity as they taught students about their own culture and religious organizations.

This event was welcome to all Humboldt State University students, even if they had no clue what the holiday was about. For many students, this was their first time learning about Mid Autumn Festival and celebrating the Full Moon. Amanda Madden was one of these students attending for the first time as she worked at the event.

“I really like how everyone from all different places come together to hang out, eat good food, and learn about different cultures,” Madden said.

After the activities, a buffet was held including dumplings, rice, and moon cakes- a traditional Chinese dessert eaten especially at Mid Autumn Festival.

Mooncakes are round and meant to symbolize the full moon. They consist of lotus paste with an egg yolk filling which is meant to visually represent the moon. Mooncakes usually have elaborate designs on the top, or shaped as unique figures such as various animals. Mooncakes can be found in a multitude of flavors such as red bean paste, chocolate, green tea, and many more.

The yearly harvest festival occurs on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar. This special day is commonly celebrated by southern and eastern Asian countries near the Pacific Ocean including China, Vietnam, India and South Korea.

This festival celebrates the harvest season, as well as the first full moon of autumn, which lies in the middle of the lunar calendar.

Just like Thanksgiving, families often join together around a table to celebrate and eat a lot of food. Mid Autumn Festival is the second most common lunar holiday to celebrate succeeding Lunar New Year.

The event held was not meant to only introduce and educate HSU students about Asian cultures, but to also bring a sense of “home” to many of the students who typically celebrate this holiday back at home with their relatives.

HSU student Lauren Dirosa said she enjoyed the event held on campus as she celebrated an important holiday in her culture and to her family.

“It’s one of the many times where we actually get together and hang out,” Dirosa said. “It’s a time where we get to appreciate our culture.”

Exploring the on campus lake behind the brush

In the forest behind Humboldt State University’s Kinesiology and Athletics Building hides a mysterious little lake that even Jason Sowerwine, lead gardener for the Housing areas on campus, didn’t know about.

Fern Lake is tucked away on the edge of campus. Students go there to relax, disk-golfers go there to play and community members go there to mountain-bike. Fallen trees in the lake stick out of the water like spikes. There is also a small pier that leads to a small cement platform.

Isabelle Otillio is an environmental science and management major who goes to the lake to relax. Ostillo said she likes the lake because it is different from what you would typically see across campus.

“My favorite thing is not having one thing to look at but having a whole scene set in front of me and being under the canopy of trees while there’s still an opening,” said Otillio. “It’s just a really unique spot that not a lot of people know about.”

Skyy Freitas is a communications major who also works for grounds keeping. She heard about the lake from some of her friends and has visited several times.

“It’s really nice and peaceful,” said Freitas. “I love it so much! And there’s turtles in it!”

Patrick Mero is the fishery manager at the Humboldt State University Fishery. He has been the manager for little over a year, but he knows about the pond. He said that the pond has been supplying water to the hatchery since the fishery was built.

“It still supplies water to the hatchery,” Mero said . “It’ll probably be used for the hatchery as long as it will be around.”

According to the school archive, Humboldt State University by Katy Tahja, Fern Lake was constructed in 1938.

Originally, it was a small stream that was dammed up to make a fish hatchery. Over time, the dam improved and the pond became a small reservoir. Sometimes science classes would conduct various experiments using the lake. One experiment was about water quality and another was about salamanders.

The Lumberjack Day’s Fest existed in the 1970’s and took place at Fern Lake. It was an annual logging sport event day that included a variety of contests, both physical and mental.

They had contests about estimating tree volume, and birling contests. Birling is running on a floating long for a certain length of time. Unfortunately, because of alcohol related incidents, the festival was canceled.

The disc golf course also has baskets throughout the forest and one basket is right by the lake. Keith Delawder is an experienced diskgolfer that graduated from HSU three years ago. He plays disk golf in the forest often and has been playing in the park for around a decade.

“It’s a really nice feature for the school and park,” Delawder said.

Aside from all the lake’s fun and beauty, it has taken many frisbees over the years.

“I’ve put like over ten frisbees in there like over the last eight to ten years,” Delawder said.

Petty Education was formed only two weeks ago, and now they’re the closing performance for a community forest show smack dab in the middle of the forest.

After the audience found their seats within the brush, the dead quiet forest became filled with sounds of the band’s guitars, drum and vocals.

“Bringing music to the forest lets people appreciate it more,” Zelda Geren said, a member of Petty Education. “It’s open, natural and comforting.”

Petty Education is one of the four bands that performed in Breakfast All Day Collective’s Community Forest Show in Redwood Park on Sept. 23.

They performed in the show along with the singer duo Allison Kinney and Hannah Rosecrans and the bands Cowtown Serenaders and Bandemonium.

The format of the show involves moving through four different locations in the forest where each band would play at. At the end of each performance, the audience gets up and moves to the next stop.

Jackie Stuber, an organizer from the Breakfast All Day Collective, said the show is based on people enjoying music in the outdoor environment.

“It’s the forest,” Stuber said. “It brings people out.”

This is the ninth installment of the community forest show, which started three years ago and Stuber said the turnout has been increasing.

Stuber began the event by setting ground rules for respect towards the forest and other people. An audience of more than 50 people and musicians attended the show.

The first to play on the musical march were Kinney and Rosecrans. They sang three duets for the audience.

Next, the Cowtown Serenaders performed composed songs and musical poetry.

The third to play was Bandemonium, an open ensemble made from artists in the community. They played modern songs including a mashup of two Eminem songs.

Finally, Petty Education closed the show at the end of the walk. They are from the Arcata Arts Institute, Geren said, and wrote three songs to perform for the audience in the mere two weeks after their formation.

“It’s a really magical idea to have music here,” singer Hannah Rosecrans said.

North Country Fair celebrates 44th anniversary

On a sunny Saturday afternoon, Jana Peters and Mike Wielgorcecki, with a drink in hand, enjoy the cool vibes of the North Country Fair, at the Arcata Plaza.

“This is a pretty chill event,” Peters said. “I wished I brought more cash on me.”

“We came from Santa Rosa,” Wielgorecki said. “There’s pretty good vibes here, it makes me want to live here.”

Since 1974, the North Country Fair has been a year-round tradition, Sept. 22 and 23 marked the fair’s 44th anniversary.

Various stands were set up for people to buy locally made items from food to beer, and clothing to ornaments.

Topher Reynolds, owner of Copious Glass, set up a stand at the fair, selling glass marbles.

“This is my fourth year attending the fair,” Reynolds said. “This is one of my favorite times of the year, the people are fantastic and we (Copious Glass) always make high sales here.”

Aside from the food and music at the fair, a parade is also provided for those who attended. This year the fair held its annual All Species Parade on Saturday, and on Sunday a samba parade.

Gregg Moore, band member of an alternative community brass band, Bandemonium, played the sousaphone at the parade.

“Overall, it’s a super positive and playful environment at the fair,” Moore said. “We (Bandemonium) are playing for those animals who are making a comeback from extinction.”

Many children’s eyes widened at the scale of some of the animatronics that were at the fair this year. While those who had a dancing itch got active during the Salsa Parade.

“The scale of the fair is perfect for those who wander to Arcata, it’s very welcoming,” Reynolds said.

A new community sport for all ages, blasters included

For four hours on a Sunday morning, the Arcata Community Center was a war zone.

Sounds of blasters and Nerf darts echoed through Arcata Community Center. Players ran for cover, slid behind tables and had a showdown in the center maze.

Cloth Boxes stacked on tables with cloth lining the tables making them walls to deflect flying darts. Tables flipped onto their sides and ends acted as personal shields as courageous players pushed forward.

Players were divided up into three teams and given a starting point on the outer edge of the gym. The Red, Green and Blue teams looked in awe at the new lineup of blasters provided for each color’s home base.

Bases were stacked two tables high with 10 to 15 different blasters from Nerf pistols to heavy automatic electronic dart spitting machines. Foam darts littered the tables for easy run-back reloads.

Players had to decide lightweight and compact for agility or heavy for more dart power. There were many combinations to choose from making each round strategic.

Participant Tanner Via, a 13-year-old from Laurel Tree Charter School in Arcata, fixed a jammed dart in his blaster back by his base.

“Green team is performing okay, we only have one win so far,” Via said. “This is my first time but the middle maze is where I like to be.”

The madness was tamed with three main match styles.

The classic single elimination: One hit anywhere on their blaster or body and players are out.

Pistol blaster only match: Players run out with low ammo and a smaller blaster trying to use close range and stealth type attacks.

And crowd favorite, King of the Hill. Players had to hold the center maze for a combination of minutes. The referee only counted seconds for a team if one or more members of that team was present in the middle and alive.

Trevor Hammons, a counselor at Zane Middle School, said he brought his kids to meet up with some friends from school and jumped into the action.

“If we’re in town we always go, we look forward to king of the hill,” Hammons said.

Hammons said taking the maze, setting up and blasting everything that moves was the best strategy.

The course didn’t always have an elaborate set up. Co-creators Patrick Sullivan and James Schaeffer started from humble beginnings. They were inspired by a bachelor party trip to Reno where they rented out a house and decided to bring Nerf blasters for all their friends that weekend.

“We had a great time and when we got back we wanted to find a way to keep going,” Schaeffer said. “Started out in parks with friends but the rain came so we reached out to Mike Rice at the ACC and he was open to an event and it blew up from there.”

Sullivan and Schaeffer are still active participants at events, taking turns playing mercenary for a team while the other keeps order and referees games. They are always trying new designs, courses, obstacles, new blasters and looking to video games for extra inspiration.

“We both play strategy games, James knows how to set up interesting map designs, constantly trying to make things better,” Sullivan said. “Looking to the future we’re going to try more outdoor events, maybe even back at a local public park.”

HSU students balance love lives and school, stress communication

Long-distance relationships are a commitment students here at Humboldt State must face when leaving home, and in no way is it an easy thing to do. Having to believe in your individual future while putting time into a relationship can cause a divide in one’s heart.

School and work schedules are a few obstacles senior kinesiology major Emma Gutierrez must face within her relationship of almost six years with former HSU running back Ja’Quan Gardener.

Gardener, who in January left for an opportunity to be with the San Francisco 49ers, had to make a decision with Gutierrez to dictate their current relationship. They both knew that their conflicting schedules would be an issue, and a long-distance relationship can make it a challenge when communicating.

“Communication is something that has to be there for us, being able to hear from that person day to day allows us to know that we’re always on each other’s mind,” Gutierrez said. “With that communication, it makes it so much easier to trust that person.”

The hardest thing for two people who love each other is not being able to talk to that person. Senior cellular and molecular biology major Samantha Lee explained that you can not get mad over something that you can not control.

“Texting long paragraphs and getting mad over something which in the end we cannot control is pointless,” Lee said. “You’re wanting to hear from that person all day and then end up fighting over whatever it might be. It only causes tension. It takes two to tango at the end of the day.”

Lee is currently in a long-distance relationship with her partner Terrence Tam. She explained that finding the time to physically see each other is a challenge. The two of them trade off on a five-hour drive once a month to get that face-to-face connection.

Former HSU student Jeanette Bargas had her own take on long-distance relationships.

“Be prepared for anything, learn how to communicate,” Bargas said. “Knowing each other’s schedule can help on when it’s the best time to see each other.”

Bargas was in a long-distance relationship with someone who lived Puerto Rico and they are unfortunately no longer together. She explained that before the distance it was just Eureka to Orange County and then the distance got further once her significant other left for Puerto Rico.

“I remember just trying to keep my mind occupied and focused off the distance. Working full time at Disneyland helped me at times,” Bargas said. “Other times I would focus on my photography and becoming a better artist but like what happens to so many, the distance was causing to be too much.”

For the students that are in long-distance relationships being occupied by either school or work, interacting with friends, and finding new interests are ways to cope with the thought of missing their significant other. Gutierrez and Gardner both have busy schedules. Gardener continues to focus on his career, and Gutierrez continues her path to graduation while taking care of their German Shepard, Lia.

Lee and Tam keep their focus on their education and don’t let the distance factor become too much of a distraction.

A long-distance relationship is a test of two people’s ability to trust and communicate. Without those two qualities, even in a non-distance relationship, there is no way for that relationship to blossom and grow.

Local trumpeter summons the spirit of Miles Davis

73 years since dropping out of Julliard School of Music and 17 years since his death, Miles Davis comes back to life from the lungs of Arcata local, Nicholas Dominic Talvola.

On Sept. 9 on stage at Arcata Playhouse, local players Tim Randles (keyboard), Ken Lawrence (bass), Tommy Fitzmaurice (drums), Russ Thallheimer (sax), and Brian White (trombone) were lead by Nicholas Dominic Talvola on the trumpet to pay tribute to one of the most influential figures in the history of Jazz and 20th century music.

“Miles Davis is a big inspiration for me,” Talvola said.

Born and raised in Arcata, Talvola has recently returned home from performing internationally with his band The Johnny Freelance Experience. For any resident in Arcata the timing couldn’t be more perfect.

A quarter after 8 p.m. the band is on stage beneath dimly lit blue and red lights. The playhouse is packed and nearly every seat filled. Talvola walks on stage looking like a mix between Bob Dylan, era ’65, and Wayne Coyne, lead singer of The Flaming Lips. Black dress coat over white button up and bow tie, black jeans cuffed at the ankles and shiny black loafers. His hair is a salt and peppered bird nest and a beard to match, and of course he wore signature jazz Ray Ban sunglasses.

“I know you’re wondering about the playlist. There’s nothing classic,” Talvola said to the audience in between songs.

The first half of the first set Talvola is right, there isn’t a single song off “Kind Of Blue”, arguably the most well known album of Miles Davis, but the songs are hand picked from Talvola as being especially inspirational in his musical career. One could argue every Davis song is a classic and the band made it seem so.

“The Theme” is the first song to warm up the audience, the bass takes the first solo and soon quiets down as Talvola hammers the melody faster. Next songs are “If I Were a Bell” , “I Fall In Love Too Easily” and “Well You Needn’t”, not original Davis compositions but all songs played the way he performed them.

By this time the audience is fully submerged in the mood and so is the band, who since the beginning have played on the same wavelength. One can feel the friendship and comfortableness each player has with one another, setting a tone that invokes relaxation with fierceness.

As a surprise the second to last song before intermission is off “Kind Of Blue”, a tactic Talvola uses to keep the audience on their toes and keep the set unpredictable. An energetically charged solo by Thallheimer, the saxophone player, in “Stella By Starlight” is then followed by a fast and ferocious “Mile Stones”,the title track off the album with the same name. That offers Talvola a solo that leaves the audience stunned, his style of trumpet playing takes the listener back to the Beep Bop era of smoke filled speakeasies pouring out musical giants.

After intermission songs are played back to back until the dark and luminescent “Nefferti”, off Talvola’s favorite Davis album, which bares the same name, and his playing shows his gratitude and influence.

“I think I’ve listened to that album every day for 12 years,” Talvola said.

Next the night becomes strange and funky. The sextet becomes a septet and a guitarist is added to the bandstand. Pedals and distortion join the show as well. It’s time for Davis’ experimental sound, unconventional style and rejection of traditional jazz rhythms.

Songs of “Bitches Brew” era, which is Davis’ electronic instrument experimental album in the 70’s, are wildly played and thrown out like gas to fire, all with eloquence and careful measure. Between Thalleimer and Talvola’s solo’s feeding off the guitar reverb and electric keyboard the entire stage is moving.

The song with the title track off “Bitches Brew” starts at 10:48 and doesn’t end until 11:03 p.m. The song was said to be the last but Talvola in the last minute shocks the audience by shouting they may not have classics but they have “So What”, which is the title track of “Kind of Blue” .

The night ends with the classic that everyone knows, “So What”, and every instrument is played magically. The tapping of everyone’s foot is matched and the blowing of brass is completely in sync.

The lights come on and a standing ovation is performed. The diversity of age in the crowd proves the music of Miles Davis is timeless and Talvola and fellow band mates continue that legacy.

Residents and students alike came together on the 4th annual Arcata “Out of the Darkness” community walk on Sept. 9 to raise awareness for mental health and suicide and to reduce stigma in the local community through connection. The event was also to fundraise for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).

Heather Freitas is the lead organizer for the AFSP Out of the Darkness community walk in Arcata. Freitas said the walks are a way for the community to come together and create awareness as well as fight negative stigma against mental health.

“It is not possible without the community,” Freitas said.

The walk starts in Arcata Square where participants checked in, looked at mental illness informative booths and engaged in activities that share a connection with suicide.

Participant Sarah Zerkel writes a personal message for a posting board during the Arcata Out of the Darkeness event on Sept. 9, 2018. The board is made of memorials, pictures and tributes that other participants put up. | Photo by Michael Weber

Before the walk, community members were able to show support and learn about mental illness by wearing self identifying beads, sharing stories, and listening to speakers talk about mental health.

The walk itself was an estimated three miles long and took an hour and a half for all participants to complete the walk.

A major landmark of the walk was passing through a “bridge of support,” where motivational and inspirational posters made by former volunteers were put up for display.

One of the numerous posters filled with messages for participants of the Arcata Out of the Darkness Walk in Arcata, CA on Sept. 9, 2018. | Photo by Michael Weber

Participants of the Out of the Darkness community walk in Arcata, CA cross the St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetary on Sept. 9, 2018. | Photo by Michael Weber

In the end, participants walked through the finish line and were congratulated for completing the walk.

For the closing ceremony, Friedas shared her personal experience to the crowd.

“On this day in 2011,” Friedas said her first loss to suicide was her dad. She said he hid it well, and passed away when there was no one to check up on him.

“We don’t grieve just the loss of a life, we grieve with how our relationships change as well,” Friedas said in her speech.

Sept. 9 is also the start of suicide prevention week. As national suicide rates are rising, according to the CDC, support for mental health will continue in the community of Arcata.

As the second month of the school year is well under way, first year students start to settle in to their new living situations on campus.

Moving out of a family home to a university can be a daunting experience. The idea of leaving the safety and stability that parents have provided their whole life is something a lot of young adults have to deal with.

While nerve-wracking, this experience can also be something extremely exciting. Students get to meet new people and make friends from all around the country and the world.

Michael Dunn, who moved from Oakdale, California, describes it as a very new and interesting experience that he’s not used to.

“I come from a small town, so it’s been real different meeting so many new people at once. It’s been real diverse,” Dunn said.

While the idea of meeting new people from around the world can be a lot of fun, leaving the safety of your family and your home is a very different thing. There’s a lot to enjoy with the freedom, but it’s not always easy abruptly leaving your parents.

Baciro Jalo who moved here from Washington, D.C. enjoys his independence.

“I definitely enjoy my total freedom and being away from home. Nobody is telling me what to do and when to do it. It’s still hard because I also miss them,” Jalo said. “We are young and away from our parents, away from people who control us. Here we have total freedom. This is where we choose the way we want our life to be. This is where you can do bad things, and good things, whatever you choose to do.”

Roy Licona-Tamiriz who moved here from Madera, California, describes it almost as a ritual.

“It’s kind of like a bird leaving it’s birds nest. You have to learn on your own and adjust to it all, to the outside environment.”

As the first weeks can be crucial for these young adults to settle in to their new lifestyle, it’s important to reflect on what can be done to make things even easier for them. While setting up freshmen groups and events is a great start, working to make it easier in other ways might help these new students even more.

When asked about if there are things the University could do to help make the process of moving in and settling into the new life on Campus easier Licona-Tamiriz said, “I would say having more freshmen oriented programs, having the freshmen more involved, introduce them to study groups early on in their first classes and get them to interact with each other.”

At home tattooing is often cheaper and more accessible for artists and customers

Emi bought a tattoo gun a couple of months ago and did her first one on herself.

Since then the Humboldt State alumna and artist has been tattooing friends for a much smaller fee than a professional parlor.

“People have been asking me for tattoos for years,” Emi said. “I didn’t want to give people shitty tattoos.”

While studying art at HSU, Emi lived with another tattoo artist who taught her most of what she knows. Though she has only been tattooing for a short time, you wouldn’t be able to tell from her work.

Though it is easy to get a cheap tattoo gun online, Emi knows that getting a tattoo is a big commitment and doesn’t want to use cheap supplies. Just one basic component of her machine cost her $250. She also takes very careful steps to ensure everything is clean and sanitized to prevent infections.

Tattoos used to be reserved for sideshows, sailors and punks, but now it seems like everybody has one. Modern tattoo shops have been around since the 1960s.

In recent years, it has become much easier for an unlicensed person to buy a tattoo gun. You can buy a kit on Amazon for as low as $20. Because of this, there are many people buying kits and setting up impromptu tattooing stations in their home.

Madison has around 13 tattoos and has no issue with getting them from her friends because she knows that even though they are unlicensed, she is familiar with their work and is confident knowing what they are doing. In fact, she prefers getting them from her friends because it strengthens their friendship.

“Pretty much every single one of them was done by a friend except for the ones done by me,” Madison said.

The biggest concern with tattoos done in the home is safety and precision. Professional tattoo artists need to have a license in California to legally tattoo someone. This is because of the health risks that come with repeatedly puncturing somebody’s skin with a needle.

Some of these risks include infection, allergic reaction to the ink, or the spread of blood borne diseases such as HIV or hepatitis. That is why it is important for everything to be cleaned and sanitized.

Brian Kaneko is the owner of True Nature Tattoo in Arcata and has been a professional tattoo artist for 20 years. All of the tattoos he has he got in a shop, and he has never tattooed anyone outside of one. However, Kaneko does understand the appeal. Tattoos are rooted in counterculture, and getting them done in the home by a friend feeds into that idea.

“In general, young people are less concerned with repercussions” Kaneko said.

Kaneko also compared getting a tattoo in someone’s house to unprotected sex. It’s more fun and often times you’ll be fine, but the possible repercussions if something goes wrong are not worth it.

“You don’t have to be a carpenter to build furniture in your garage,” Kaneko said “but if you don’t know what you’re doing, you can really mess someone up.”

Update 9/13: The last name of Madison has been removed upon request. Contact us for more information.