The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Category: News

  • HSU archery club hits the target

    HSU archery club hits the target

    On Thursday nights, the Student Recreation Center is home to a group of students armed to the teeth. The fluorescent-lit astroturfed club sports field hosts the HSU Archery Club and Team. Archery novices and experts practice their craft side by side. Now that campus life has returned, they welcome new members and prepare for competition in the spring.

    Juliana Suzukawa, a fourth-year student, continues her passion for archery through the team. Suzukawa got into archery when she was 15 and now competes and holds the rank of Team Safety Officer.

    “We go down to Davis and compete with other schools from around the state,” Suzukawa said. “I think that students should join the club and try out for team. archery is really good for helping you focus and for de-stressing.”

    The club is open to students of all skill levels. They offer instruction and equipment to anyone interested.

    Sophia Aulbach got into archery through the HSU club. Aulbach started as a freshman but had to stop when the pandemic rolled around. Now that campus life is returning, Aulbach is excited to get back into it.

    “I like shooting things. Archery is a lot of fun,” Aulbach said. “We have an instructor, and for me, who started as a beginner, it was great to spend time learning for the first few weeks. They have all kinds of extra bows and any equipment if you forget or don’t have your own.”

    Elijah Vestal is a freshmen who got involved with the club as soon as possible.

    “I do love it. If you’re into archery or if you’re not into archery, you should totally come. If you feel like you might want to, you totally should,” Vestal said.

    Anthony Perez is a senior at HSU and president of the club and team. He organizes space for people to come out and shoot or for more serious folks about competing.

    “It’s a chill environment to go up to the line and just have fun with archery,” Perez said. “We get equipment out to newbies and get them coached so they can feel on par with everyone else on the line.”

  • How Relationships Influence Longevity

    At one time or another, we have all wondered what the key to a long and healthy life really is. Typically you would think that eating clean and vigorous exercise is the key to success, but a study conducted in the 2000’s had shocking results. While diet and physical activity are important, the relationships we have in life greatly outweigh the two.

    As part of an expedition with National Geographic, Dan Buettner scouted the globe to find regions where there are the highest densities of elderly people. Five locations scattered around the world exhibited remarkable longevity: Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Icaria, Greece and Loma Linda, California. These places are referred to as blue zones.

    Amanda Hahn, is a psychology professor at HSU who understands the social strain that comes with going to school online. She forms study groups for her students to ensure they have a support group at all times.

    “Social integration has been shown to be the single biggest predictor of longevity,” said Hahn. “Having a core support network is crucial. Also how much you interact with people, whether it’s good or bad.”

    Analysts of the blue zone study found that genes account for only a small portion of our longevity. Lifestyle choices reigned supreme. Other indicators found in the blue zones are eating wisely, moving naturally and often, and having a purpose in life.

    Besides being good for the mind, hearty relationships create a biological force field against disease and decline. Social isolation is the biggest public health risk we face in the twenty-first century.

    In 1938 Harvard began The Grant Study, one of the most well known longitudinal studies ever done. This study followed hundreds of men throughout their lives and collected data about their physical and mental wellbeing. They found strong relationships positively influenced lives more than wealth, fame, or IQ.

    Robert Waldinger, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and current director of the study, found that strong relationships delay mental and physical decline. We often forget that nurturing our relationships in life is a form of self care.

    Many have been quarantining, especially the elderly since they are at a higher risk of catching the virus. Some were able to stay connected through technology during lockdowns. The elderly are not as tech savvy which isolates them even more.

    Isolation is difficult for everyone, but if one doesn’t have a solid social network it can be especially hard. Centenarians (people the age 100 or older) in blue zones are never left alone. Which differs vastly from most of the world where people live far from loved ones.

    Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a researcher and neuroscience professor at BYU found that all social interactions do not need to be positive, anything will do. Grumpy centenarians are alive and well, but they are constantly surrounded by their tight-knit support group. Whether it is their family, friends, priest or the local market owner, these centenarians are well respected and taken care of.

    “When we feel some sort of threat, such as a pathogen, we tend to hunker down into our trusted inner circle,” Hahn said. “We get an us versus them mentality. So I can see why the pandemic has strengthened some relationships.”

    Ultimately, the relationships we have in life can help add years on to our lives. Do you want to start integrating positive social changes into your life? Try to start a conversation with the grocery store clerk, and maybe call your mom more than once a month.

  • Earthquake Preparedness in Humboldt County

    Humboldt County has always experienced large earthquakes, and it is important to be prepared. The international ShakeOut drill is coming up on Oct. 21, 2021 at 10:21am. This is an opportunity to ensure that you are prepared in case an earthquake hits Humboldt.

    Humboldt State University is located near a triple junction point right off the coast. This is where the Pacific, North American, and Juan De Fuca tectonic plates meet to form a very hazardous fault. Humboldt county is the most tectonically active region in the lower 48 states, according to the research done by professors in the geology department at Humboldt State University.

    The Cascadia subduction zone is where the tectonic plates are subducting under the North American plate. Humboldt State University professor, Melanie Michalak, explains that the subduction zone has large magnitude earthquakes every 300 to 500 years. With the last one being in 1700. It is capable of producing earthquakes with a magnitude of 8 or 9.

    Melanie Michalak, a geology professor at Humboldt State University, has taken part in the ShakeOut drill for years and even practices in class with her students. During the drill she lets her inner child come out and pretends she is in a large magnitude earthquake.

    “If you don’t practice, a common impulse is to run,” Michalak said. “That’s natural as humans since we have a flight or fight response. But if you practice these drills enough you will learn to drop to the floor and it will become second nature. The best thing to do is start early with children, it could potentially save their life.”

    The national ShakeOut drill is a reminder of the Drop, Cover, and Hold method, that will only be a quick reaction if you practice. When an earthquake hits, it is best to make yourself as small as possible, and to tuck into a ball and cover your head. If it’s possible to get under something sturdy, do that. But at least make sure that your head is protected.

    Almost everyday little earthquakes occur between our feet, but are imperceptible. But every now and again, a big one hits. This earthquake could knock your TV off its stand if not mounted correctly, or knock a lamp over that was placed on an unstable shelf. The actual earthquake isn’t the only thing to fear, there are probably dozens of earthquake hazards all over your living space, according to the “Living on Shaky Ground” guide created by Humboldt State University, which includes more information on local hazards and preparation.

    A hazard that comes with living on the coast and next to many tectonic plates is tsunami’s. Littered across the county are various tsunami warning signs, these are placed in areas that are susceptible to these large waves. The last time a tsunami hit Northern California was in 2011, following the largest earthquake in Japan. It took nine hours to cross the ocean and ended up destroying some of Crescent City according to the Redwood Coast Tsunami Work Group.

    Living in Humboldt places you in one of the most seismically active areas in California. Daniel O’Shea, an oceanography lecturer at Humboldt State University, warns of the danger that could occur if Humboldt were to be hit by a tsunami.

    “The earthquake is your warning sign,” O’Shea said. “That is nature telling you to get off the beach, get inland, and get uphill. If we have a major subduction zone earthquake, a megathrust event, more than likely roads are going to get wrecked, bridges might collapse, we just don’t know what will happen.”

    Amanda Admire is a geology lecturer and researcher at Humboldt State University. Admire has also participated in the ShakeOut drill for years.

    Admire has their students participate every year as well. It is as simple as retaining the muscle memory to react when an earthquake hits. But Admire also recommends that students have an emergency go-bag ready and an evacuation route prepared and timed.

    “Creating an emergency kit for a disaster is really important, and can be really helpful, especially in California,” Admire said. “We have more disasters than just earthquakes and tsunamis right, we also have wildfire hazards, we have landslide hazards.”

    These emergency kits could consist of items such as shoes and socks, because an earthquake could hit in the middle of the night. Make sure that medications are packed, and also things that children or pets need. Cash is very important, because if the power were to go out, then debit cards and online banking would be rendered obsolete. Your cell phone will be a mere paperweight without a charger, so it is always important to memorize and write down contact information. Canned or packaged food items are easy to store in a go-bag. Bring an item for comfort, whatever that is to you. Lastly, having an evacuation route prepared and timed is important, because it is good to know how long it would take to make it to high ground.

    Register at Shakeout.org to participate in this international earthquake drill on Oct. 21, 2021 at 10:21am.

  • Seasonal depression meal ideas

    Fall is finally upon us and you know what that means. The shelves have been restocked with pumpkin spice everything, but left behind on those shelves is your summertime self esteem because guess what else is here, seasonal depression. Don’t worry, we have a new array of seasonally fitting meals that you can make to get you through the fall time.

    1. Bagel and Cream Cheese – You’re probably a vegan if you attend HSU, but if you are affected by seasonal depression then it probably doesn’t matter that you’ve eaten cream cheese for six days in a row. It doesn’t matter that your stomach feels horrible because you’re going to feel horrible anyways.

    2. Microwavable Lasagna – This probably tastes better in the oven, but I still don’t know whether it’s allowed to leave the film on the box, even though that is what the directions say. I don’t know if I believe them, so just put it in the microwave. You can get any sort of lasagna.

    3. Sleep – Some days you will feel so horrible that you just have to eat sleep for dinner.

    4. Watered Down Iced Coffee – When the person at the coffee shop drive thru window handed you that cup, I bet that seasonal depression went out the window. But then you have to stir it, and it doesn’t look that cute anymore. You can get oat milk as a vegan substitute, but you’re drinking coffee so you’re going to anally evade yourself all day anyways. Don’t forget to add pumpkin spice.

    5. A Double Shot of Tequila – This is always a quick and easy snack for any time of the day. I like to garnish this with pineapple juice. This is served best on an empty stomach.

    6. Freezer Burned Stir Fry – This is one of my personal favorites. With this meal, you actually have to put some effort into cooking, so it always gets me out of my funk for like five minutes and makes me feel productive. Since seasonal depression is just one flavor of my depression, I don’t clear out my freezer all year long. My frozen vegetables always look like cute little snowballs before I toss them in a pan. It’s okay if the best by date has passed because they’re in the freezer.

    7. Tech Deck Wheel – One time I dared my roommate to eat a Tech Deck wheel. They were doing pretty bad.

    8. Cherry Tomatoes – Eating a balanced meal is really important to improve your mental health, so make sure to add some greens to your diet in the form of loose, uncooked vegetables.

  • Savage Henry hosts 10th annual comedy festival

    Savage Henry hosts 10th annual comedy festival

    This past weekend marked the tenth annual Savage Henry Comedy Festival, drawing in over 100 comedians from in and out of the area for a three-day festival with almost 40 shows in ten different venues.

    The Savage Henry comedy club opened its doors for the first show of the festival on Thursday, October 7. The entire venue was filled with a pink spotlight-tinted haze, courtesy of several fog machines provided by the event’s sponsor, Terplandia. The fog itself was infused with Blue Dream terpenes.

    The comedy club was not packed, owing to COVID-19 regulations, but having a physical show at multiple venues was a huge step up from last year, which was held mostly over Zoom. The pandemic definitely took its toll on the comedy scene, but for Chris Durant, owner and founder of the club, the support from the community was indispensable.

    “It really gave us a reason to keep this place open,” Durant said. “Every time we felt like giving up, we’d get some support from the community and be like alright, let’s see what we can do.”

    Unlike many comedy festivals, Savage Henry doesn’t have a submission process, but instead books its talent on an invitation basis.

    “It’s fun, I call it my fantasy football,” Durant said. “These are all friends of mine. I’m meeting some of them for the first time in person, but they’re all friends of mine. Friends of friends of friends kind of thing.”

    The shows themselves were a show of many diverse styles of stand-up, with various comedians taking turns hosting. LA-based comedian and HSU graduate Alec Cole lent his dry, understated style to the second show of the evening, introducing each comedian with a (hopefully) joking list of their crimes against humanity.

    “I know it’s been pretty hard out here, as would be imagined given everything in the past year, but it feels like everyone who’s come out so far is just out for a good time,” Cole said.

    Cole got his start performing comedy locally, and was glad to be back. He had moved to LA to pursue comedy, only to have his plans set back by the global pandemic, a case of COVID-19, and a bout of mercury poisoning.

    “After I had COVID, I tried to take better care of myself so I went pescatarian, but I didn’t do any research, and I just ate too much of the wrong fish,” Cole said. “So yeah, last year was a doozy, but now I’m back out doing stand-up.”

    San Francisco-based comedian Rachel Pinson has been performing comedy for four years, gathering much of her material from her own life.

    “It’s almost like the job of the comedian to take stuff, especially traumatic things or really harsh things, and make them in a way that’s palatable and funny,” Pinson said. “A lot of my comedy is about being a woman and the stuff we face every day, like harassment, and turning around. It’s like growing up and being made fun of, and just being able to make fun of myself before the other people do.”

    Pinson has definitely experienced something of the “boy’s club” mentality in comedy.

    “There’s definitely times when I’ll hear stuff when I get off like, ‘that was a great set, and I’m talking about her jokes, hahaha!’” Pinson said.

    However, she has found that the sexism of the business can be worked to her advantage, being able to be brought on as a “diversity hire.”

    “People are like, ‘we need a female!’ and I’m like ‘you haven’t even seen my set,’” Pinson said.

    HSU graduate and headlining comedian David Eubanks got his start at The Jam in Arcata after seeing an open mic flyer.

    “From the first time I did it, I was just hooked,” Eubanks said.

    Eubanks encouraged any student considering trying stand-up to come to a local open mic night and try something out. The local comedy scene is always looking for more talent, and the festival has been welcoming to newer comics.

    “Humboldt State University, hire me for a private gig,” Eubanks added.

  • Picnic at the Park Gets Political

    Picnic at the Park Gets Political

    On Oct. 8, 2021, the Politics Club held their first in person meeting since the pandemic began. Their new goal is to create a communal setting for students to come and meet one another face to face again and be able to have open discourse about current political issues. It is not a requirement to be a political science major, anyone is welcome.

    Tani Sebro is the advisor for the Politics Club and a professor at HSU. Sebro acknowledged the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Politics Club, in terms of loss of recruitment and engagement. Because who wants to show up to another zoom meeting?

    But this semester is the first opportunity for students to meet in person once again. There were about 20 students and faculty that came to Redwood Park to enjoy some snacks and board games.

    “I think that rebuilding that community that was there before the pandemic is probably the main focus right now,” Sebro said.

    The goal of this meeting was to just meet, first and foremost. Students that have classes with each other online were finally able to meet face to face, but masks are still required obviously.

    Henry Myers is a political science major, who was excited to meet more of his classmates at the park to engage in questions about the political.

    “Joining the politics club was a good way to meet other people interested in being involved in politics, academics, and stuff,” Myers said.

    Rainer Shea is another political science major that came to meet people involved in the activist community around Humboldt.

    “My goal is to build relationships that can get me more connected to this community, like the more politically active parts,” Shea said.

    Anyone can be an activist, it does not just have to be political science majors. There is a whole group of people just interested in conversation about politics beyond what is being discussed in a classroom setting.

    Serena Archila is the president of the Politics Club. Archila took on this leadership role to learn from and work with others and to grow as a student in the political community, not just in the classroom.

    “This is really something that I’m passionate about, and I want to continue that outside of school too and have conversations that are important,” Archila said. “In Politics Club, you see a bunch of people with different backgrounds coming together and talking about what is going on in the world.”

    Humboldt State University is a small campus, so the opportunity for community connection is huge. There is so much that can be done for the students and the local community, as well as the bigger international community of global governance. It all starts with conversation.

    Come join the Politics Club on Fridays at 4pm, locations varying as it has been held on zoom up until this meeting. Follow their instagram for meeting updates @hsupolitics.

    “If you are interested in questions about the political, which is everything, because everything is political, then you should join us!” Sebro said.

  • Goodbye writing proficiency exam

    On the afternoon of Friday, Oct. 8, students that registered for the Graduate Writing Proficiency Exam (GWPE) received a notification that this long standing graduation requirement was removed from Humboldt State.

    Instituted in the 1970s, this 100-minute exam stood in the way of graduating seniors for the better half of the last century. This requirement was a way for California State University campuses to validate the writing aptitude of its students.

    Before the announcement was made, students were obligated to register for the exam after completing 60 units and a general education written communication course. In making this decision, Humboldt State administration has signaled that the academic expectations it has for students have developed past the need for a short exam testing competency.

    More information regarding the fees associated with the GWPE is set to be released next week, along with a formal announcement. Until then, students that were anticipating registering for the test can pocket the $32 registration fee. Those who paid already can expect to receive more information about their fees later this week.

    With midterms quickly approaching and finals on the horizon, another check can be marked off the long to-do list for graduating seniors.

  • Say YES to Volunteering

    Say YES to Volunteering

    YES program is back on campus offering once a week in-person, hour-long volunteer programs. The program, like all others, was stymied when the COVID-19 pandemic began.

    The YES program is a student-led community engagement program focused on youth services in and around the HSU campus. The program has been at HSU since 1968 and initiated over 70 community programs. This semester they are offering nine programs for student internships and leadership opportunities.

    We spoke to Melea Smith, the YES program coordinator, about the Potowot volunteer gardening program as well as the drop-in knitting program. Both programs are part of the Volunteer Opportunity Program (VOP) and offer short-term in-person volunteering to HSU students. Access is limited in both programs but requires no previous experience. The volunteer gardening program requires a sign up for their Thursday hour and a half work. However, the knitting group is first come first serve. Knitting takes place at noon on Wednesdays and volunteers are asked to come a few minutes early to get situated.

    “What I found is that it’s a really sweet way for students who want to connect or volunteer to come together for an hour and do something that’s creative and it’s a big stress reliever,” Smith said.

    The VOP Potowot gardening project is a collaborative effort between the YES program and United Indian Health Services (UIHS). This program has helped students at HSU learn various organic gardening techniques as well as give much needed support to run the UIHS three acre garden. This semester, volunteers have helped harvest squash, pick blackberries for jam, weeded and prepped garden beds and helped maintain artichokes.

    Jude Marshall, the community nutrition manager at UIHS has said that HSU students are welcome to help with volunteer efforts, while gaining practical experience in the garden.

    “When they come in they’re going to get hands-on education on whatever’s needed at the garden,” Marshall said. “Each week it’s something different.”

    Jasmine Rafferty, a transfer student to the social work program, has been attending the gardening program since this semester’s start. Rafferty has found a great community within the gardening volunteer program and the YES House.

    “I’m honored and grateful to be participating in the program because it’s addressing the needs of our community and students alike so it just brings everybody together,” Rafferty said.

    The drop-in knitting program is currently led by student leader Bran Hoyt, an art studio and art education major. Hoyt has been volunteering with YES since spring of 2019 after joining one of YES’s semester-long volunteer programs following their transfer to HSU.

    “YES has kind of really been the heart of my HSU experience,” Hoyt said. “It has connected me with other leaders on campus and helped build my own leadership skills.”

    Student leadership is a feature of the YES House and empowers students to find leadership roles based around their interests or major.

    “Within YES there’s a really beautiful structure of student leadership,” Smith said. “Volunteers fuel the program, program directors help lead those volunteer programs, and then the program consultants help mentor and support student leaders as they learn how to lead their program and other parts of their internship.”

    The drop-in knitting program will meet weekly until November 17 with a volunteer limit of 10 people. The Potowot gardening project will end three weeks earlier on October 28 and is limited to 15 student volunteers each session.

    Amanda Ramirez-Sebree was a part of the YES program during her time at HSU from 2014 to 2018 and even held the position of governing body co-chair within the program. Ramirez-Sebree credits her time with YES as the inspiration to her current career as a school teacher.

    “You get to build relations and get connections with those around you,” Ramirez-Sebree said. “You get to give back to a community that is serving you.”

    YES currently has plans for more in-person volunteer opportunities next semester but is still working on the dates and programs that will be offered.

  • It’s not you, it’s your gut microbiome

    I found out what a gut microbiome is this summer. The information and concept of gut health fell into my lap following a semester full of Crunchwrap Supremes, frozen hashbrowns, espresso shots, and so much toast. My stomach was pleading for help by the end of my freshman year and I don’t doubt I was the only one based on the placement of my bed right against the shared wall to the communal bathroom.

    So what is a gut microbiome? Do you have one? Do I have one? What’s all the fuss about it?

    According to the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, our gut microbiome is made up of small microorganisms called microbiota that are located in our small and large intestines. Our network of microbiota is completely dependent on the microorganisms we were exposed to as infants from our mother’s birth canal and breastmilk, but are altered after childbirth based on our environmental exposures and dietary choices.

    A healthy gut microbiome is exposed to healthy and harmful microbes, but usually is perfectly balanced to break down hard-to-digest compounds like carbs and dairy. If you are taking bacteria-killing medicine like antibiotics or not eating enough probiotic foods to nurture the gut bacteria, they will be unable to work together to synthesize foods into amino acids and vitamins, therefore making you more susceptible to illnesses and weakening the immune system. The gut will also break down potentially toxic food compounds and be able to protect from pathogenic organisms entering the body through spoiled food or water.

    Now that the science talk is out of the way and we can see the connection between your gut bacteria and immune system we can get into the fun stuff. What can you do to heal your microbiome? I was posed with the same question this summer and found the gateway drug that is probiotic foods. Probiotic foods have live bacteria, usually from a fermenting process that can help balance out your healthy gut bacteria. First, it started with a simple purchase of a jar of kimchi, a fermented cabbage, and it has progressed to me slamming down kombuchas with every meal.

    If you wake up with that dreaded tummy grumbling, lack consistent bathroom visits, or just have the urge to get your belly in check, upping your intake of probiotic foods to heal your gut flora may benefit you as it has me. I’m not a scientist but I do know cracking open an ice-cold GT Dave’s Mystic Mango kombucha following a weekend full of greasy pizza slices and brightly coated Red 40 chips gets me feeling right. I still haven’t learned the healthy balance between destroying my insides with gas station candy runs and restoring my gut health like Instagram health influencers, but I think my insane intake of sauerkraut is doing something. No more early morning nausea and dunking my head in a toilet bowl to calm my gut, probiotic foods have been doing it for me.

    So next time you are feeling the wrath of some greasy burger from Saturday night, don’t be afraid to head to the co-op for some kombucha or maybe even a jar of pickles to keep your gut microbiota soothed.

  • Humboldt Fashion for the Fall: Do’s and Do-Not’s

    1. Do shop sustainably. Your high-end-whatever isn’t going to be the flex you think it is here. Wearing second hand clothing, supporting local thrift stores, and checking out free piles is a staple of the community. You can throw a nice fit together for a few bucks, provide a smaller carbon footprint, and avoid fast fashion companies.

    2. Do wear layers! You will quite literally be sweating everywhere you go on campus if you don’t wear layers. By the time you sit down in class after walking up the stairs to Founder’s Hall you’re going to need to take your jacket off, which you also needed, because it is freezing in the mornings here. Can not stress this one enough.

    3. Don’t be barefoot! Alright, this one is just me telling you not to do this because I think it is kind of nasty. Especially if I’m eating and I look over at someone’s feet, like really… I do have to acknowledge the sustainable benefit of this though, and I applaud your efforts.

    4. Don’t be a white person with dreadlocks. I am serious about this one. It is so blatantly racist and appropriating of black culture. It is not a cool hippie look, it is a part of people’s culture and you are walking all over it. Don’t.

    5. Do wear comfy shoes. Alright, keeping this separate from the barefoot chat, you are going to look ridiculous trying to walk around freakin’ hills and stairs university in heels. You don’t have to be a dork and wear running shoes with your jeans, but throw some sneakers on at least. Also have a pair that you don’t mind getting dirty if you’re going to the forest, because it’s about to get super muddy.

    6. Don’t feel like you need to gender conform. Be who you are and let that reflect and be expressed through your style. You can do literally whatever you want! We’re all adults here, nobody can tell you how to dress, except for me of course. Just don’t hurt anybody with tools of racism in your style and I’m sure you will look hot.

  • Creepy Crawlies

    Creepy Crawlies

    In Humboldt, people will usually see spiders and bugs of all kinds, some freakier than others. They do not need to have entomophobia, the phobia of bugs, to be freaked out by creepy crawlies. There are good reasons why people are so scared of bugs.

    Many people are just scared of bugs. However, that fear is not the same as the fear of a mountain lion attacking. If anything, the fear people have for bugs is more related to the feeling of disgust. The brain doesn’t think that a bug is going to overpower and eat them.

    The Department of Biological Science is the place to go when looking for answers regarding this phenomenon. Jose Szewczak, a professor of Zoology at HSU, speculated on the origin of this discomfort.

    “People fear bugs because some can bite and get in places where you don’t find them, and so they can surprise you,” Szewczak said.

    Psychology Professor Paul Rozin of the University of Pennsylvania traced the evolution of revulsion across the animal-human boundary. Those reactions evolved from instinctive reflexes to a more complex, culture-molded emotion. Disgust shifted from a reaction to avoid physical harm to one that wards off harm to the soul. That feeling some people get when they see a giant spider crawling towards them is a rejection response. The rejection response is an instinctive reaction towards things we find downright gross and is shaped by upbringing and genes. The rejection response is on the same level as our fight or flight response, and it’s all meant to protect ourselves. Even bugs like the cute pumpkin spider, famous in Humboldt, are not safe from this fear response.

    In California alone, there are quite a few hazardous bugs, according to the Insect Identification website, a non profit organization that uses the findings of fellow scientists. Take the infamous black widow. While she’s living her best girlboss life, she’s also a danger to human life. Her venom has neurotoxins that can cause muscle cramping, raised blood pressure, and even damage your nervous system. Due to the similarities between a bug that stings or bites and one that does not, it’s hard for the brain to automatically differentiate between the harmless and dangerous bugs. As a result, our brains tell us to stay away from bugs altogether.

    Assistant professor Catalina Cuellar-Gempeler said that there are many different kinds of bugs, even ones you can’t see.

    “My work focuses on microbial organisms – fungi, bacteria, microscopic animals, and plants.” Cuellar-Gempeler said. “I guess you can call them bugs! Other people say bugs referring to insects, or arthropods if you include spiders, mites, roly-polies, even snails and millipedes.”

    “There may be different reasons why people like or dislike these different groups, including disease, poison, or just too many legs or slimy,” said Cuellar-Gempeler. “Oftentimes, it is a cultural response passed on generation after generation. My grandmother had all these magical opinions on how moths would bring bad luck.”

    There are so many different and even personal reasons for this fear of bugs. Whether it’s a fear of spiders or a fear of snails, it’s all valid. When people point out not liking the creepy, slimy look of a bug or a bad experience of waking up to something with too many legs crawling across your face, it’s a universal fear.

    I asked Michael A Camann, a Zoology and Ecology Professor, what his thoughts on bugs were and if he had some reasons to be grossed out by bugs.

    “I’m an entomologist, so I’m not generally grossed out by insects,” Camann said. “There are some I won’t handle alive, but that’s because they’ll bite or sting and I’d rather not be bitten or stung. I don’t have anything good to say about bedbugs. Physiologically, insects have lots in common with other animals, including vertebrates, so they are often model organisms of choice in laboratories. They have complex interactions with their environment so they’re interesting ecological subjects. They perform valuable ecosystem services, like pollination and connecting different trophic levels in food webs.”

  • COVID-19 Vaccine Rate at HSU

    On Aug. 23, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was approved by the FDA. Access to HSU facilities require everyone to be fully vaccinated and submit proof of vaccination or apply for an exemption and submit weekly COVID-19 testing.

    In April 2021, California State Universities mandated that all students, faculty, and staff who access campus facilities must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, contingent upon Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the vaccine.

    Grant Scott-Goforth, the Communications Specialist at HSU, has explained guidelines for campus.

    “All students, staff, and faculty were required to submit their vaccination status attestation by September 10,” Scott-Goforth said. “The means they had to attest they were vaccinated or have an approved exemption. We’re working to ensure that those who have not attested are not accessing campus and are 100% remote. The goal is to have 100% of students, staff, and faculty submit their vaccination status attestation, and to have as close to 100% vaccination as possible.”

    According to Scott-Goforth, as of Friday Sep. 24, 98% of students have submitted and completed their attestation forms. 95% of all students enrolled in face-to-face classes are fully vaccinated.

    The rate of employee vaccination is slightly lower. 92% of employees have submitted and completed their attestation forms. Of all employees, 87% are fully vaccinated.

    Karen Selin, Medical Director at HSU Student Health and Wellbeing Services, shared the vaccine protocols for HSU.

    “All students, staff, and faculty should be vaccinated against COVID-19 with 2 doses of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or a single dose of Johnson and Johnson vaccine,” Selin said.

    Selin said that vaccinations are available to students on campus.

    “They can call Student Health and Wellbeing Services for further instructions at 707-826-3146,” Selin said. “We currently provide Pfizer vaccination at the Student Health Center. There are separate vaccine requirements for other vaccines such as measles, mumps, rubella. That information is available on the student health website.”

    There are options for those who may have medical or religious exemptions. Students can apply for an exemption on the MyHumbodt portal, and faculty and staff are able to do so through their PeopleSoft.

    “Students who qualify for an exemption must submit to weekly COVID-19 testing,” said Scott-Goforth. “Students who are not accessing campus facilities could note as much in their attestation. Free COVID-19 testing is available to students, staff, and faculty at the Great Hall Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm. We are currently contracting with Fulgent to conduct testing.”

    Michael Allen, a contracted tester for Fulgent, explained the process of testing students. The process is fairly simple.

    “[The COVID-19 test] should take anywhere from two to five minutes, just walk in and we will test you,” said Allen.

    If you don’t have a student ID, a driver’s license, passport, or Canvas account with your name on it is acceptable. Results can be expected in 48 hours by text or email.

    According to Selin, Fulgent will bill your health insurance company, but will still test you at no charge if you do not have health insurance. There is testing for symptomatic students located at Student Health and Counseling.

    For more information on the HSU vaccine requirements and exemptions, head to https://campusready.humboldt.edu/testing_vaccine#92

  • Huddie’s Harvest is here

    Huddie’s Harvest is here

    A field of sunflowers gently swaying in the breeze, the excited yells of a family lost in the corn, stacks of vibrant and varied pumpkins. It seems like no matter where you are in the country, pumpkin patches offer a nostalgic and familiar fall feeling, and Huddie’s Harvest is no different.

    Located in the Arcata Bottoms at 3364 Foster Ave, Huddie’s Harvest is a mere ten-minute drive from the Humboldt State campus and even less if you live downtown.

    Jeff Mason waits at the front stand with an infectious grin. He’s the co-owner of Huddie’s Harvest and helped convert it from a dairy farm with his mother in March of 2020. This is their second autumn as Huddie’s Harvest, and Mason says that they have already expanded their harvest considerably.

    “From last year to this year, I doubled the number of pumpkins I planted,” said Mason.

    They also have a three-acre corn maze that Mason says he might have made a little too difficult this year. He sent his twelve-year-old cousin through the maze and said it took her thirty minutes. Surprisingly enough, Mason wasn’t kidding. The maze took me around half an hour as well and I had to enlist the help of a lost couple in order to find my way out.

    When it comes to pumpkin varieties, Mason says they have fifteen different types of pumpkins this year.

    “Big, small, green, white, yellow, everything,” said Mason.

    Prices of the pumpkins range by size instead of weight and generally fall between $3 to $7. However, there is a special deal going on currently where pumpkins can be found for free. Hidden in the patch there are several different pumpkins marked with cookie cutters. These pumpkins are either marked with a heart, star, or apple. Any pumpkin found with these markings is free.

    Pumpkins and corn aren’t the only features at the Harvest this year. Mason has teamed up with the Arcata FFA floral design class.

    “I worked out a deal with Arcata FFA floral design class and they designed some bouquets for me, and I have those for sale as a fundraiser for them,” said Mason.

    Huddie’s Harvest offers a friendly and laid-back atmosphere. While they are lacking food options currently, they still make for a relaxing refuge from the oncoming stress of midterms and our political climate.

    Huddie’s Harvest is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm.

  • Zendegi: The Local Band Dishing out Brutal Psychedelia

    Zendegi: The Local Band Dishing out Brutal Psychedelia

    Siren’s Song Tavern was packed the night of October 1st. Sweaty college students and tipsy locals alike had just finished jamming out to Birdpaw, a local band covering pop-punk classics. Birdpaw opened for Zendegi and the energy of the crowd was already at a boiling point by the time Zendegi began to take the stage.

    Someone from the crowd shouted wildly as Kaveh Khajavi tested out his guitar. What ensued was a night of frantic moshing and drunken mayhem.

    Zendegi is a psychedelic metal band formed by close friends Kaveh Khajavi and Kai DeRego-Frankel. They met through mutual friends as high school sophomores in Sacramento. Khajavi already had experience playing guitar and DeRego-Frankel played the drums so the two were a natural fit. They bonded through their love of the Grateful Dead and soon after meeting, they started their own band.

    “Just from a DM he met me and we jammed in my garage for the first time, it was really something else,” said DeRego-Frankel.

    DeRego-Frankel has been drumming since he was seven years old and said that playing for the band has helped improve his skills considerably. He was inspired by classic drummers like John Bonham, Chad Smith, and Bill Ward.

    Khajavi doesn’t see the band as fitting under any singular genre.

    “There’s a lot of stuff that’s folk-influenced, and there’s a lot of stuff that’s like metal and punk,” said Khajavi.

    He explained how their sound is a balance between soft and heavy with a consistent psychedelic influence.

    Khajavi started playing guitar when he was ten years old. Since then, he’s had diverse training. From learning the basics of music theory and guitar to lessons in blues and folk, Khajavi has created his own sound from a variety of influences.

    “Some of my earliest memories from life are hearing “Black Sabbath” played around the house, they’re actually a great influence on the music we make,” said Khajavi.

    Zendegi has an infectious and chaotic energy that kept the crowd raging late into the night. It was a refreshing and somewhat strange experience after the last year and a half of avoiding crowds.

    There’s nothing quite like the feeling of being in a mosh pit. It’s a violent and simultaneously friendly experience where sure, you might get elbowed in the face and pushed on your ass, but someone will almost always be there to pick you off your feet and push you back into the fray afterward. It’s not the place to be if you’re still worried about catching the worldwide pandemic. However, if you’re looking to dance away all your frustrations, there isn’t a better legal way to do it.

    Zendegi’s discography can be streamed anywhere you listen to music and they will be playing at Siren’s Song Tavern in Eureka on October 15th at 8 pm.

  • Onward and Upward

    Project Rebound was born as a way to help offer new opportunities to the formerly incarcerated. The project gives students tools to succeed outside the prison system, offering help with admission, finding homes and jobs, financial aid assistance, help with legal services and much more. In essence, the project helps students find community on campus and acclimate to life outside the criminal justice system. These efforts help redirect the school to prison pipeline to an education centered mechanism that inspires students to thrive and further their educational pursuits.

    For Tony Wallin, HSU graduate and Project Rebound program coordinator at HSU, the program is more than just an association.

    “Now we have a program, really a family, a support system, a network where all the staff members are formerly incarcerated, as well as students,” Wallin said.

    Project Rebound has been a feature of the CSU system for over 50 years. However, Humboldt State joined the consortium, with major help from students, in 2020. Since its inception at Humboldt State, the program has provided resources for the formerly incarcerated as well as made efforts to educate faculty and other students.

    HSU’s Project Rebound has sponsored events via Zoom and held workshops for full campus education about what it means to be formerly incarcerated, as well as how flawed the prison system really is. Former topics included liberating women in prison, COVID-19 in prisons and most recently, a panel with Dr. Xuan Santos and Martin Leyva entitled, “We have nothing to lose but our chains- the art and culture of being OGs, Opportunity Givers.”

    This semester, the project has expanded its efforts and implemented a workshop with children currently incarcerated at juvenile hall. This program is designed for incarcerated youth to connect with college students that understand what they are going through. The ten week program just entered its third week and things are going well.

    Jeremy Tietz, current HSU student and Outreach Specialist for Project Rebound, participates in the youth program. He said that kids in the program were somewhat hesitant, but as they learned what Project Rebound was about, were thankful for their efforts.

    “They thought we were just going to be another group of of white, square guys coming in and teaching some lame-ass class,” Tietz said. “Almost all of them came up to all of us and thanked us for showing them respect.”

    For students of all ages, these outreach programs can be vital tools for success. This is why Project Rebound at HSU has been so welcomed and important. For many formerly incarcerated people, education is the mechanism and platform for victory.

    In the recent Zoom with Dr. Xuan Santos, Executive Director for Project Rebound San Marcos, Dr. Santos reiterates the message of education. Interspersed with stories of his past and the problems he encountered, the ultimate message was get educated and support people getting educated.

    “The ultimate goal is to destroy those chains,” Santos said. “Nobody deserves to feel like we have hopelessness in this world, we should be a community of hope.”

  • BIPOC voices in Humboldt County

    BIPOC voices in Humboldt County

    A gathering was held in the Plaza to support BIPOC community members and listen to their experiences. Students and community members listened to the challenges that BIPOC folks in Humboldt County face today. Nikki Valencia organizes these forums for people of color to voice their concerns. The main theme was calling out the lukewarm allyship in the Humboldt community. They want to call out an illusion of progressiveness that often fails to enact real action and support for people of color.

    “So many people showed up in support, even in a short time frame,” Valencia said. “I feel proud and appreciative of the strong speakers. People were brave enough to get up there”.

    One student speaker, Jesse Beacham Grijalva Prieto, feels that HSU is not a safe environment and does not meet the inclusivity standards that it preaches. Beacham Grijalva Prieto feels the support they need isn’t there in the resources that HSU provides, and came to the plaza to voice those issues.

    “This is a space for people to listen to BIPOC voices,” Beacham Grijalva Prieto said in a speech directed towards white liberals. “It’s an opportunity for people to get that wake-up call and to be able to see who your community is.”

    Joy Mehn is a junior at HSU who wants to see students turn out to more events like this and came to meet like-minded members of the community. She encourages people to act on their words.

    “We talk about activism online, it’s important to actually go out and do the things we’re talking about,” Mehn said. Too many people get caught up in online “slacktivism” without actually bringing tangible support to their communities.

    This was a space of gathering and voice. Tents offered first aid, cookies, BIPOC art, and community resources. The event took a confrontational turn as some folks insisted on being in the space without masks. Two white men unaffiliated with anyone else there had a confrontation in which a camera was thrown and the police were called, which had nothing to do with the organizers or speakers there. This just goes to show the obstacles that people of color face just trying to be heard in their community.

    “It’s very frustrating to have these white people very clearly inserting themselves,” Beacham Grijalva Prieto said. The two men yelling drew attention away from the real reason people were there, to listen to people of color speak. It represents the challenges BIPOC communities are facing in voicing their experiences- white people trying to fit into a space that is not made for them.

  • Oh the times, they are a-changin’

    Oh the times, they are a-changin’

    Many a blue moon hath passed since the old days of HSU students coexisting with millionaire weed criminals and attending psychedelic-themed harvest parties in the forest on the full moon.

    The Arcata plaza, once a bustling mecca of culture and community, is now a shadowy remnant of its former self. Whether from COVID-19, cannabis legalization, changing of the tides or a hellish concoction of all three, the Humboldt County community has regressed from happy hippie haven to sullen farm town and in not much more time than it just took me to describe.

    I began attending Humboldt State University in the fall of 2015, about a year before marijuana was legalized for recreational use in California. When I arrived in town for the first time, it filled me with the warmest feeling of togetherness and glee, comparable only to falling head over heels in love.

    My first time attending the Arcata Farmers Market, I witnessed children laughing and playing in the sunshine, street performers and fire spinners entertaining the crowds with a huge smile on their face. There were vagabond travelers smoking six-inch-long joints right in the middle of the square. Live music and block parties could be found in every neighborhood on every weekend. Obama was president. Nobody had a care in the world.

    “If I’m ever describing Arcata I say it’s like a golden vein. A little golden vein of music right in the middle of California,” said Nick Flores in a 2015 interview. At the time, Flores was in a popular local band called the Smooth Weirdos with two HSU students. All three have since left the area.

    Fast-forward 2016 California legalized cannabis for recreational use. About two years later the price of a pound of weed plummeted overnight. Generally speaking, a large portion of Humboldt County’s population had their income cut in half. People got desperate. A lot of people got robbed or killed. That did not just apply to farmers either. Trimmers making $200 per pound one day made $100 per pound the next day, which made several of them hang up their scissors.

    Many trimmers and farm hands were from other countries, colloquially referred to as “trimmigrants,” and were deterred from ever returning once the jobs did not pay as well. Suddenly, there were no more foreigners coming into town on the weekends with five grand in cash in their pocket to blow at the local shops, bars and restaurants.

    All the people holding cardboard signs with crude drawings of scissors on them could no longer be seen lining Highway 299 near Willow Creek. Barkeeps and smoke shop owners could be seen for miles around scratching their heads, wondering when, if ever, their customers would return.

    At that point, it was starting to become pretty clear the economy was struggling. Even with legal marijuana companies popping up, the jobs were not nearly as available and the ones that were usually paid no more than a restaurant job. Processing cannabis is, unfortunately, not difficult enough to justify the exorbitant salaries people were getting during the heyday of cannabis illegality.

    Fast-forward to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and now the students were gone too. This is one of the few college towns rural enough that even one semester of remote learning sending students back to their family homes was enough to cause irrevocable damage in a community that is already half-impossible to access, lacking terribly in basic infrastructure and severely inundated with homeless students.

    HSU’s enrollment was in steep decline even before the pandemic, down almost 50% since 2016 according to data recently released by the school. I have to wonder if those numbers will ever reverse even with a polytechnic designation, which the school has predicted will double the student population in seven years. Even if the school’s prediction is correct, there is not enough housing for the students we already have.

    Maybe I was just a bit more of an idealist in 2015. Maybe I’m too old and too grouchy. Maybe Humboldt used to be a mecca for illegal activity and these are all just necessary growing pains on the way to a healthier community. Or maybe the magic is just kind of gone. It seems like people are not quite as happy as they used to be.

    I know COVID-19 made everybody anti-social, but I would challenge everybody to just be a little more kind. Let’s bring back a little bit of that classic, happy-go-lucky hippie vibe that Humboldt was built on. Otherwise, I cannot envision a future that does not end in the locals getting priced out of living here when the area becomes nothing more than a small-town tourist destination filled with vacation homes and cannabis-themed gift shops.

  • 93 Deaths and Counting: Why HSU Shouldn’t Reopen

    93 Deaths and Counting: Why HSU Shouldn’t Reopen

    HSU is not ready for in-person learning. Currently people all across the country are itching to leave COVID-19 behind and the university is no exception to this. Many are holding the sentiment of, “I did my time and got my vaccine, now where is my reward?” That is not the way the world works.

    Humboldt State University, willing a situation to be one way does not change the reality that it is actually another. The reality is that the county in which this university functions has an extremely concerning COVID-19 positivity rate and the death rates are going up as we speak.

    As of writing this piece, according to data released by the Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services, we have a COVID-19 positivity rate that bounces between 10 to over 20% and a death count of 93. Almost half of those deaths came from the last two months.

    Prior to the introduction of the Delta variant in July, COVID-19 only had a local death count of 22 by the end of 2020 and an additional 28 deaths by June of 2021. Aside from this alarming increase in deaths due to the Delta variant, by allowing things to go “back to normal” we continue to open the floodgates of more types of mutations which could hold worse consequences than just an increased susceptibility.

    That begs the question, though. What about this hybrid or HyFlex learning that HSU has been attempting? Is that not the middle ground answer to this problem? No, it is not. Even if only vaccinated students were allowed on campus, with masks on, social distancing to the strictest sense, mutation would and does still occur.

    There is substantial evidence, as expressed by disease specialists such as Dr. Peter Chin-Hong and Dr. Ashish Jha, that more common forms of masks, such as the cloth masks we often see across campus, are not as effective at preventing the spread of Delta as it is with previous variants. This is absolutely not to say cloth masks do nothing at all or that they are equal to not masking up at all, just that the likelihood of passing COVID-19 around while wearing one is still very much there.

    This whole argument, however, relies heavily on the idea that both students and faculty alike will and do follow the university’s pandemic guidelines to the strictest degree. Whether due to purposeful negligence or simple human error, there is no doubt in my mind and many others, that not only will vaccinated people break these rules, but unvaccinated people who come on campus will too.

    Lastly, HyFlex learning is not as efficient or accessible as full in-person learning or full online learning. In many ways, it takes the worst of each form without taking any of the positives. Many students have already begun to struggle academically as professors attempt to learn to use the technology necessary for HyFlex learning on the job, inevitably failing to do so at times.

    This situation has left many fully online students feeling left behind compared to their fully in-person peers. We feel cheated, promised the choice of a full online semester that the university in practice didn’t actually put into consideration in their attempts to push in-person learning back onto the masses.

  • Researchers search for collaboration at STEM-NET Virtual Cafe

    The STEM-NET Virtual Cafe is a monthly event that brings together researchers from different CSU schools and helps them find the collaborations that will help them to progress in their work. This month the speakers included professor of chemical and material engineering Dr. Santosh KC from CSU San Jose, psychology professor Dr. Liz Kyonka from CSU East Bay, and experimental particle physicist from CSU Stanislaus Dr. Wing To.

    The first presenters were Dr. KC and Dr. Kyonka. KC’s research focused on 2D material interactions and how they interact with technology, and how to change the way that they interact with one another. The method used was called Twistronics, and involves altering the angle of materials to change their molecular structure and change their interactions with other materials. Research like this can have huge implications when it comes to technology, and Dr. KC was searching for collaboration with experimental and theoretical groups.

    Dr. Kyonka’s research was focused on the experimental analysis of behavior, specifically in the field of gambling and technology interaction. Her main research utilized pigeons to test their reasoning around different reward systems with different near wins and near losses, similar to a slot machine. Her hopes were to see how the pigeons, and later mice and human psych students, made decisions when it came to gambling behavior.

    This connects to her other research around human behavior with technology, specifically how to break people away from constant attention to technology.

    “The other project i’m focusing on is modifying technology use, the plan was to do a direct observation and play naturalist to build ethograms that study gaming and internet use,” Kyonka said. “With the idea that their answers would provide answers to change their behavior.”

    The research that affects Humboldt the most however is Dr. To’s research into the effects of wildfires and using satellite imagery to predict where they may go. By following the atmospheric effects of wildfires and using satellite imagery to take constant pictures of places susceptible to them, To intends to plot out the locations of things like dry grass and dead foliage. At the present, Dr. To’s research team is plotting out the topography of wildfire zones themselves, but he hopes to work with AI and machine learning researchers to do it automatically.

    Wildfires, of course, have become much more common in recent years, and Humboldt county is no different from the rest of California. According to California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment, wildfires are already increasing in quantity in the north coast region.

    “A changing climate combined with anthropogenic factors have already contributed to more frequent and more severe forest fires in the western US as a whole. Westerling et al predicts that increases in area burned in northern California forests will exceed 100% in both lower and higher emissions scenarios,” To said.

    While they can predict that wildfires will increase, Dr. To says the long term effects of what this means are still unknown.

    “The wildfires burn down forests which are hundreds and some thousands of years old. So if they are left alone, it might return to normal after hundreds of years,” To said. “But due to climate change, these forests will have to evolve differently than before. So we actually don’t know what they will become in the future.”

  • Back to impress: HSU’s printmaking classes are back in person

    Back to impress: HSU’s printmaking classes are back in person

    Humboldt State students are back to filling up the art studios around campus for in-person art classes, an opportunity that hasn’t been possible since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Beginning and advanced printmaking classes have been back in the studio etching, engraving, rolling, and carving their creative designs for their first in-class critiques in over a year.

    Sarah Whorf has been the printmaking professor here at HSU since 2005 and taught printmaking classes online last year in the fall and spring semesters. Whorf mentioned how she struggled to bring her classroom curriculum to the online scene amidst the pandemic, and how many obstacles like delays in mailing supplies to students and being unable to give advice and critiques to the student’s projects until a final photo was submitted really put a strain on her teaching methods.

    “Everything we’re doing [in-person] we couldn’t do online,” said Whorf. “We’re basically back to pretty much doing what I used to always do in terms of my curriculum.”

    Jackson Hake, a second-year HSU student, took Whorf’s online beginning printmaking class in the fall of 2020. Hake explains that printmaking sparked his interest as an art class option but he struggled with setting up his own printmaking studio remotely in his single dorm room.

    “I was doing it [the class] in a dorm room,” said Hake. “Especially with printmaking in particular I feel you really need a specific place to do it.”

    Whorf is very excited to see students’ faces back in the studio weekly for in-person classes and plans to have more interactive critiques and technique-focused lessons for her beginning printmaking class, ART 107.

    “I’m thrilled to be back face to face,” said Whorf. “I’m thrilled to see students in here and interested in learning.”

    Whorf also teaches a weekly advanced printmaking class on campus as well, with open studio time for her more experienced students.

    Logan Schuman, a senior studio art major, took her first printmaking class following her transfer to HSU during the 2019-2020 school year. Schuman has taken printmaking in person as well as online and is excited to be back in person for a more rewarding critique experience with fellow classmates.

    “The critique process was very different and not as rewarding online,” said Schuman. “ In the studio, everyone is looking at each other’s work and sharing their unedited thoughts, and that genuine nature of criticism is somewhat lost over the internet.”

    Schuman hopes to step out of her comfort zone this year in her in-person printmaking classes by trialing different methods of etching and hopes to make good enough prints to sell online or to send to family and friends. Schuman encourages everyone to take a try at a printmaking class as there are so many different methods you’re bound to enjoy one of them.

    “I am absolutely thrilled to be back in the studio,” said Schuman. “I love creating with other people, and learning about their artistic processes and creative thoughts.”

    There is no current news on future art galleries on campus for printmaking students to exhibit their work, but hopefully, the graduates this year have the opportunity to share their work in person.

    “To look up and see a room full of people printing, my eyes were welling up,” said Whorf. “I keep thinking, this is what was missing, this is what we were missing.”

  • Checking in with CHECK IT

    Although they’ve gone virtual, CHECK IT is continuing its work to create a more consent-centered culture and empowering others to step in when they see potential moments of sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.

    CHECK IT will be launching their Love Knows Boundaries campaign in October featuring some workshops and a photo campaign.

    Giselle Salazar, a CHECK IT peer educator, said that the Love Knows Boundaries Campaign will focus on promoting healthy relationships and giving the campus community tools to create those relationships.

    “We also go a little bit into discussing the intersections of unhealthy relationships as well as intimate partner violence and domestic violence,” Salazar said.

    Also during the month of October, appropriately dubbed CHECKITOBER, CHECK IT will be doing some Halloween-themed outreach and merch. They’ll have consent-related Halloween art prompts on their Instagram. Submissions can be shared with them or you can post them to your story and tag CHECK IT.

    According to Salazar, they’re planning to have a Lotería night in November and December will be focused on self-care.

    Like many other organizations and clubs, CHECK IT has moved online due to the pandemic but Sophia Effa, the students for violence prevention coordinator, believes that they’re now better adapted.

    “The virtual world has been an interesting one to navigate, but since we did it all of last year, we have a pretty good handle on it,” Effa said.

    CHECK IT is hoping to move their Friday volunteer meetings and other events to in-person once it’s safe to do so. Jazmin Borrayo, the graphics design coordinator, said that she’s looking forward to upcoming events and projects.

    “I’m hoping that as things transition to become more in-person, we can get more of our stuff out there like stickers, buttons, t-shirts, posters, etc. as we had done before COVID,” Borrayo said.

    If you’d like to get involved with CHECK IT, you can drop into their volunteer hours every Friday on Zoom at 2 pm. Depending on their interests, volunteers can help with a variety of things.

    To stay updated on CHECK IT events and news, you can follow them on Instagram @checkithsu, and you can also contact a CHECK IT peer educator to be added to their email list.

    “CHECK IT has offered me so many opportunities to learn, grow, and get involved, and I couldn’t be more grateful,” Effa said. “I encourage anyone who’s interested to get involved in whatever ways they can, whether that be applying to be a part of the team or volunteering with us.”

  • All aboard the HSU express

    HSU now offers a free shopping shuttle for students. All you need is your student ID number, shopping destination, and a release of liability and you are set to ride. This free service, provided by HSU’s Student Life Center, runs every first and third Saturday from 10am to 5pm with potential to expand based on student feedback. Students are picked up from The J or College Creek Marketplace and can ride to Target, Old Town Eureka, the Bayshore Mall, Winco, or Henderson Center. This service allows students to explore the greater Humboldt area while reducing their carbon footprint.

    Molly Kresl, Student Life Coordinator at the Office of Student Life, has helped spearhead this program and hopes the shuttle service will help students meet their shopping needs.

    “It’s our way of trying to help students explore new areas outside of Arcata proper and see all that Humboldt County has to offer, while also offering more accessible shopping for our students,” Kresl said. “Also sustainably, we’re encouraging our students to not bring cars up here in part because we don’t have a ton of parking but also because there’s other ways to get around.”

    The student shopping service is actually a relaunch from an idea that spawned just before COVID-19 hit the brakes on much of student life in early 2020. The shuttle ran just once before COVID restrictions stifled the program’s efforts. Presently, as pandemic restrictions loosen, the shuttle is running, employs student drivers, and is helping rebuild our student community.

    As mandated by the CSU system, students must have vaccination information or a medical exemption in order to ride. When getting on board, students must sign a release of liability, which includes a wellness check, to make sure they are free of COVID-19 symptoms. The six foot social distancing guideline has been lifted for campus, as long as people are masked. The shuttle provides masks, hand sanitizers and wipes for students that need a ride.

    For Kresl, the shuttle is a way to support and provide resources for students. Students can also request services through the Student Life Center if they see an unmet campus need.

    “The only way we are able to make change is by knowing what change wants to be made.” Kresl said.

    Sophia Bernardino, a senior from SoCal, rode the shuttle and was pleased with the opportunity.

    “I don’t drive and using the shuttle service was very helpful,” Bernardino said. Bernardino went on to say she hopes the shuttle expands its services so other students can utilize the program.

    Chase Markham, residential advisor for Cypress dorms and Student Affairs Vice President also tried the shuttle service on its inaugural run. For Markham, this service is practical and helpful for his success.

    “I don’t have a vehicle so I’m either hoofin’ it or I’m on public transportation, and this shuttle program for students is absolutely fabulous,” Markham said.

    Although there are other affordable transportation opportunities such as the student bus pass, the student shopping shuttle is helpful because it’s only for students.

    “It gives us a great avenue to get out there and get the stuff that we need without having to go through more hassle or risk to COVID exposure,” Markham said.

  • Yippee for the GWPE

    The GWPE has been around since the late 1970s at HSU and all other CSU’s to demonstrate writing proficiency at a higher level. GWPE was put in place as a solution to the lack of adequate writing skills.

    Each campus has to come up with its own requirements to fulfill the GWPE standards. Currently, HSU is using an honor system for students that are taking the GWPE since it is online only. You have one week to complete the 100 minute exam with two mystery questions, one personal and one analytical.

    To become eligible for the GWPE, you need to have completed at least 60 units and the General Education Area A requirements. It is strongly advised that you take the GWPE during your junior year. If the GWPE is not completed by your graduating semester, you cannot receive your degree until the end of the next semester that you pass the GWPE.

    Online you can find sample essays and preparation workshops to help strategize and practice for the GWPE. GWPE coordinators stress to not worry about how much you write, to just focus on how well you can articulate your thoughts on the questions, and to try not to stray too far from the questions.