The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Category: Opinion

  • If you’re afraid to be alone, I ask you, why?

    If you’re afraid to be alone, I ask you, why?

    By Alba Galvan

    As I go through life, it feels like I’m being shoved into a reality where time moves too fast to be spent waiting on others. I’ve learned to love the little things in life, the comfort of being alone and enjoying the process of learning new things about myself.

    Lately, it feels like there is an unwritten rule that happiness matters most when it’s shared with other people, but that is far from the truth. Having friends and falling in love are beautiful parts of life that we as humans crave to experience, but an equally important part that is not talked about much is being able to enjoy life alone. It’s okay to try new things alone, why hold yourself back waiting for someone?

    I chose to value my time alone in my early 20s, not in a lonely way, rather I choose to find joy in taking myself to Sequoia Park Zoo, walking on the sand at Clam Beach or looking at the stars on a cool, clear night. You should be able to do things alone and find joy in them. I like to remember an old saying,“At the end of the day, you only have yourself.”

    In prioritizing making plans with others, have you ever missed out on an experience because you were waiting on someone else?

    Our early 20s should be used as a time to find out what kind of people we want to be. What we want to learn, do and experience, not to feel the fear of time running out before you even had the chance to do what you wanted to do.

    “I decided instead of running away from the idea of a life alone,” Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City said. “I’d better sit down and take that fear to lunch.”

    Alba is a reporter and opinion editor for the Lumberjack. She enjoys listening to people’s opinions with an open mind. You can reach her at agg83@humboldt.edu.

  • Fund current students first, alumni second

    Fund current students first, alumni second

    By Barley Lewis-McCabe

    Dead-eyed administrators hovered over the open bar, just beer and wine — a big distinction. Drinking until their monologues about student success were as slurred as they were callous. Indentured student workers wandered the Kate Buchanan Room, waiting on their every desire, filling wine glasses nearly to the brim, bringing steaks, salads, cider-brined chicken breasts and of course a dessert. In the wake of the dinner, one thing was clear, it’s just unreasonable to assume the university could continue to fund bus lines or any program we’d offer, we’re in a budget crisis after all. Some sacrifices will have to be made.

    I recently had the honor of being one of a handful of students invited to the distinguished alumni awards dinner on Thursday, Oct. 8. The most impactful administrators in our school and guests of the celebrated alumni gathered together to honor graduates who made an impact on their communities and to preach the accomplishments of our university. The room was decorated with flower pots, each table had a gilded H, golden plates and cardstock brochures depicting the honorees were placed atop long white tablecloths that went down to the floor. It was awfully tone deaf.

    Alumni Relations footed the bill using funds allocated by the Cal Poly Humboldt Foundation. The Foundation receives charitable donations and invests in a series of mutual funds in order to fund a variety of student and campus services. It wasn’t money that was earmarked to go towards a certain program, It was up to Forever Humboldt to decide the most impactful way to spend it. Celebrations for alumni are hollow if current students are unable to have saturating meals or even get to school reliably.

    At a school with obvious financial problems, I have to ask if this is the best use of our endowment. Should this money have been given to Forever Humboldt in the first place, or would it have been better spent keeping struggling departments afloat and uplifting current students? I wonder if people who donated to the foundation under the assumption that their donation would help fund scholarships knew what their money was spent on.

    I’m not against celebrating distinguished alumni — the four honorees more than deserved to be there and be celebrated by their peers. In my mind, the problem is the dissonance between the ornate celebration and the average student experience at CPH.

    I understand the limitations of our university’s budget and I know that there are plenty of good-hearted administrators who want nothing more than for each and every student to be successful, but what good did this dinner do for the students waiting in line for OhSNAP! to open? What good does it do for a student who feels powerless to stop the mold growing in their dorm? What’s the point in these patriotic celebrations of school spirit if so many of our students aren’t having their basic needs met?

    The dinner was a far sight from tacos on the Quad or the stale tofu and tomato sandwiches we’ve become accustomed to from university catering. I dined on a sage butter steak over delicious garlic mashed potatoes, with a pan sauce and brown rice on a bed of eggplant. It was incredible — the best meal I’ve ever had at CPH — but it was poisoned with the knowledge that the average student would never be fed like this on campus until they graduated, if then.

    Barley is the good-timing Editor In Chief of The Lumberjack, as well as a jack of all trades news writer. Contact him for any reason at bl258@humboldt.edu

  • Travel days from hell

    Travel days from hell

    By Jacqueline Zuniga

    I recently went on a trip to North Carolina, and it made me realize how unpleasant it is to fly now. If you’ve ever flown out of the Arcata-Eureka Airport, you know there are limited options. This time I was stuck with United Airlines. Tickets and baggage were expensive, so if I wanted anything other than a middle seat, I had to pay an additional 60 bucks. No, thank you.

    I flew from Arcata to San Francisco, and that’s where it started to go downhill, I spent $50 on four snacks. I sat near my gate laughing out loud at Reels, not knowing it would be the last time I laughed for a while.

    When it was time to board, the lady I was sitting next to decided it was Piss Off Jacky Day. It took her forever to empty her backpack and finally sit down. Over the next four hours, she woke me and the guy next to me five times so she could get up to use the restroom. I was so bothered ‘cause how many times does someone need to use the restroom on a four-hour flight? There we were, standing in the middle of the aisle waiting for our seat buddy to get back from the restroom. Oh, and she had her brightness all the way up on her iPad, and kept coughing in our shared space.

    After that magnificent experience, I made it to my second connection in Chicago at 5 a.m. I thought I would treat myself to a coffee after that flight. Worst coffee ever. I was so upset because I spent a whole lotta money I shouldn’t have. The next flight was super chill, no one sat next to me and I finally got to rest. Once I touched down in North Carolina, I still had an hour and a half commute to my aunt’s house.

    After hearing all the family gossip, my commute back to Arcata started. Woke up at 4 a.m. and headed to the airport, where the nightmare started again. When boarding, the flight attendant had sat someone in my seat and told me I was in the wrong seat. Where was I supposed to sit — the cockpit? It was shortly resolved. The man who sat next to me used his huge leather jacket as a blanket, which spilled into my seat and took over my armrest. I felt like a sardine in a can.

    On my last flight, the United app said I had 54 minutes to get to my gate. Chill. Unfortunately, that was actually how long it was going to take me to arrive at my gate — I had 14 minutes until boarding. I needed to get from A23 to B58; the Denver Airport is so big for no reason. I had to phone a friend, my sister, for help navigating this maze. After hopping on a train and walking for what felt like forever, I finally got there.

    The whole flight was noisy — no shade to them — but the people in front of me were yelling and laughing. Why are we being so loud on a flight? Have we forgotten airplane etiquette? Two hours of chatter and laughter at an absurd noise level was not fun. Their joy of making absurd plans at such a loud level made me miserable.

    May we not forget, not everyone wants to hear your loud conversations. If you need to get up 15 times during a flight, buy an aisle seat. What was supposed to be a relaxing journey through the clouds became a flight straight from hell.

    Jacqueline is the super duper cool sports editor,social media manger for LJ and news manager for KRFH.

  • Flying is not fun

    Flying is not fun

    By Jacqueline Zuniga

    I left the Arcata-Eureka Airport, in Mckinleyville, at 6:30 p.m. — it was the easiest flight I had. Arriving at the San Francisco International Airport, I spent nearly $50 on food because I was not going to starve. That was the first sign of how poorly my trip was going to go. I sat near my gate laughing out loud at reels, not knowing it would be the last time I laughed until I reached my family days later.

    Getting on my flight, the lady next to me decided it was annual Piss Off Jackyday. She took forever removing everything from her bag when boarding and woke me up five times going to use the restroom during our four-hour flight. 

    My connecting flight had a two-hour layover in Chicago O’Hare. It was 5 a.m. and the airport was packed, so I documented my experience on my close friend’s story about how many people there were during that time. As a college student, I care what I spend money on, so when I treated myself to a coffee that damn near drained my bank account I wasn’t expecting it to make my already awful morning worse with the worst coffee ever. On the bright side, it’s like United Airlines knew my experience with them was going bad – no one was assigned to sit next to me. I was able to finally read and relax. After more than 12 hours of traveling, I finally landed on the other side of the country, where an hour-and-a-half commute waited for me. After all that, I arrived at my aunt’s house at 1 p.m., saw my mom and ate real food.

    After a chill family reunion, I woke up at 4 a.m. to relive the nightmare one last time. After briefly believing my flight was double booked, the flight attendants solved my issue. Sadly. The problem didn’t end there. I got seated next to a man who used his huge leather jacket as a blanket, which spilled into my seat taking over my armrest. I felt like a sardine in a can, making me uncomfortable the whole flight. 

    On my last United Airlines flight the app confused me, saying I had 54 minutes to get to my gate. Unfortunately, that was actually the time it was going to take me to arrive at my gate — my next flight was boarding in 14 minutes. I had to get from A23 to B58, so I took the airport train and walked what felt like miles to board my flight. 

    Everyone on that flight decided to talk to the person next to them. No shade to them, but the people in front of me were yelling and laughing, which pissed me off. Why are we being so loud on a flight? Have we forgotten airplane etiquette? Two hours of chatter and laughter at an absurd noise level was not fun. Their joy of making absurd plans at such a loud level made me miserable. 

    May we not forget: not everyone wants to hear your loud conversations. If you need to get up 15 times during a flight, buy an aisle seat. And United, as a broke college student, I don’t want to pay an extra $60 not to sit in the middle. What was supposed to be a relaxing journey through the clouds became a red-eye flight straight from hell. 

    Jacqueline is the super duper cool sports editor,social media manger for LJ and news manager for KRFH.

  • It’s Time to Turn Off the Big Light

    It’s Time to Turn Off the Big Light

    By Tara Linderborg-Cordry

    Classrooms, the doctor’s office, even the campus library, all have one thing in common: blinding, fluorescent overhead lighting. These lights — often referred to as the big light — are a common intergenerational conflict. At least some of us have memories of being disappointed as kids when the lights came back on after quiet time. The question is, what makes these lights such an assault on the eyes?

    Light directly affects our internal clock. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that light is the strongest environmental signal for our circadian rhythm. Artificial lights can disrupt this cycle, causing fatigue and lack of sleep. For many, bright lighting can also cause physical discomfort and headaches. More lighting doesn’t necessarily mean better lighting; multiple studies have found that fluorescent lighting can lead to eye strain, decreased attention and in some cases even lower test scores.

    These huge overhead lights are used as if everybody has the same needs, but we all have different sensitivities. Smaller and softer individual lights let people control their personal workspace, making people feel more comfortable and productive. Preventing sensory overload also helps to make spaces more accessible for those with light sensitivities. 

    Big lights also make a space feel too harsh; softer lighting is more inviting when entering a new space. Places of business often use fluorescent light to increase visibility, but businesses with ambient light feel welcoming, people want to shop where they feel welcomed.

    Natural light should be used more often; opening windows and doors can help to air out a room, but can also reduce the need for overhead lighting. This, of course, reduces unnecessary electricity use. With gas and electricity prices climbing higher, limiting your use of lights could dramatically reduce your monthly electricity costs. Rooms can be well lit without blasting white light into every corner. 

    Schools are a great example of this; students will spend hours under fluorescent lighting, with no way to control their environment. Imagine how much more comfortable your classrooms would be with flexible lighting.

    As a culture, we rely too much on overhead lighting, even though we have much more sustainable and comfortable lighting options. It’s time to switch to better, more efficient lighting. 

    Tara Linderborg-Cordry is a Journalism student and reporter with the Lumberjack. She is a Humboldt local and is pursuing a career in Public relations. When she’s not writing, she’s usually at the beach with her dog, Murphy.

  • Primetime kept me in my seat

    Primetime kept me in my seat

    Barley Lewis-McCabe

    It’s 2006, Tamagotchis dangle comfortably from rearview mirrors. Natasha Beddingford’s latest single, “Unwritten” is taking the world by storm, the “great war on terror” is at its height and millions of Americans tune in every Wednesday at 9 p.m. to try to unravel the mysteries of the island in Lost. There’s something new on TV; Dateline – one of the most reputable TV news shows of the era is bringing you a gritty look into the burgeoning menace of online pedophiles, hosted by Emmy Award-winning journalist Chris Hansen. This is To Catch a Predator (TCAP). 

    Primetime – directed by Lance Oppenheim is phenomenal and at times hard to watch for all the right reasons. It’s a claustrophobic and personal look into the burden of being America’s premier pedophile hunter, while also doubling as an introduction to the bastardization of news media in an oversaturated entertainment field. 

    In the film’s first act, NBC executive Jeff Zucker – himself – lays it out straight for Hansen – Robert Pattinson – Americans are tired of fiction, they want real action that plays on their deepest fears. Audiences don’t want a fantastical version of their world; they want the harsh reality they hope they’ll never experience. There’s only one journalist who can find a story and abandon any ethical principle to hook people in, Chris Hansen.

    Everyone in Hansen’s sphere confronts the dark side of their virtuous fight and grapples with the underbelly of what they’re doing — soon everyone is pushed as far as they can go, as the film explodes into a conclusion that leaves you hanging. While it is a fictionalized story of the classic American television program, Primetime creates its own world — very similar to ours — with all of the same events and same people, they just act a bit differently than they really did. Pattinson delivers a volcanic performance as a righteous and furious Hansen fighting a seemingly supernatural, Lynchian evil that corrupts men and must be beaten out, publicly. He’s balanced out by Andie Bender – Merritt Weaver – his mild-mannered producer who’s more focused on keeping their show afloat than catching a white-whale of a predator. While this is applicable to any cast member, Weaver’s performance especially was grounded, passionate and didn’t just jump off the screen, but sat in the seat next to me and ate my popcorn.

    Dan Plumb – Skyler Gisondo – is a struggling musical theater actor who gets his big break as pedophile bait on TCAP, alongside experienced decoy Del Harvey – Phoebe Bridgers – in her debut film role. Primetime doesn’t ignore the emotional, physical and theatrical work that went into a show like TCAP. 

    The minimal score and heavy emphasis on natural sound kept me on the edge of my seat for nearly two hours straight. The camerawork was unique and engaging; the CRT tint and 4:3 aspect ratio led to a film that felt both dated and timeless. Oppenheim’s love for analog horror was clear by the third act and executed perfectly. 

    Primetime is a movie that could not have come at a better time. In my humble journalistic opinion, this is the movie of the year and Hansen could really benefit from a media ethics class.

    Barley is the good-timing Editor In Chief of The Lumberjack, as well as a jack of all trades news writer. Contact him for any reason at bl258@humboldt.edu

  • The elevators of doom 

    The elevators of doom 

    By Alba Galvan

    If this campus had any more hills or staircases, they would need to hand out climbing gear with our student IDs. Walking around campus – even when you know the best routes to your classes – still feels like pure cardio punishment. So when my phone notifies me I’ve hit 5,000 steps before lunchtime, I just want an elevator to carry me up a few floors to my next class. Instead, what should feel like a break from walking, always feels like a game of “Is this elevator about to give up on me?” 

    Realistically, I want to believe the school keeps the elevators up to date so we won’t get stuck between floors for a few hours like that student at the Hinarr Hu Moulik dorms last spring semester. The elevators in these new dorms scare me more than any other elevator on campus. After passing the first and second floors, one of the elevators starts making a screeching noise so bad it sounds like my car’s brake pads when they’re down to the bare rotor. The other elevator is always out of order, creating traffic in the early hours as students try to make it down to the first floor for their 9 a.m. classes. 

    Over at the Jolly Giant Commons, going from the first floor to the fourth is fine. My issue is the elevator that takes you from the fourth to the fifth floor. I take the elevator to avoid sweating and breathing heavily after what feels like 50 flights of stairs. The elevator moves at a painfully slow pace; by the time I get to the top, the students who chose the stairs have already left the area. Then there’s Founders Hall; did you know there was an elevator there? But what’s the point after already hiking up four flights of stairs? It feels like more than half the buildings on campus have hidden routes and elevators; take Gist Hall, for example. I had to look at a map to realize there was one, and trust me, it was very well hidden. 

    The only elevator on campus that actually works perfectly is at the Business and Social Sciences (BSS) building; it’s smooth, fast and doesn’t make scary screeching noises that make me wonder if I’m going to sue the school for getting stuck in the elevator. But honestly, that’s the bare minimum after having to make your way up a hill that feels like treadmill incline level 12 just to reach the doors. 

    After hearing people say “you’ll get used to it” for years, I can confirm I have not gotten used to it, navigating this campus to avoid climbing stairs should not be this difficult. BSS has proven that a normal, non-terrifying elevator is possible, so why does every other elevator on campus feel so terrifying? And why must a majority of the elevators on campus be hard to find? 

    Alba is a reporter and opinion editor for the Lumberjack. She enjoys listening to people’s opinions with an open mind. You can reach her at agg83@humboldt.edu.

  • Lumbersnack: The Seattle Dog

    Lumbersnack: The Seattle Dog

    by Winter Music 

    Late at night, on the streets of many cities in the Pacific Northwest, instead of finding pizza joints or taco trucks, you’ll see pop-up vendors selling a different kind of late-night bite. A hot dog or sausage with cream cheese on the bun, smothered in onions. While they haven’t reached this far south yet, I plan to change that by sharing the secrets of Washington hot dog vendors with the good students of Cal Poly Humboldt.

    Introducing the Seattle dog! Ranked by The New York Times Wirecutter as the best regional hot dog in America, this is a simple recipe. Whether you’re still getting used to the rain or you were born into it, a hit of Pacific Northwest nostalgia might just be the changeup in diet you need.

    Ingredients:

    1 hot dog or sausage 

    1 hot dog bun (preferably sourdough)

    1/4 onion

    1-2 tbsp cooking oil or butter

    2 tbsp cream cheese

    3-5 jalapeño slices

    Step 1:

    Thinly slice your onion and cook in a pan on low heat in oil for 10 minutes or until translucent and browned.

    Step 2:

    Cut the hot dog butterfly-style, and cook separately until heated through and browned.

    Step 3:

    Spread cream cheese on each side of the bun.

    Step 4:

    Assemble with onions inside the cut of the hot dog, and add jalapeño slices on top. Don’t worry, they can’t hurt you as much as the Mariners have this year. 

    Step 5:

    Remember, these are hot dogs, not religious ceremonies, so make it your own and enjoy!

    Winter Music is a junior English major and copy editor for the Lumberjack. You can reach her at wlm38@humboldt.edu.

  • What does a naked actress have to do with sports?

    What does a naked actress have to do with sports?

    By Jacqueline Zuniga

    If you’re on social media, you’ve probably seen a lot of controversy surrounding Sydney Sweeney. Once again, it’s an ad. This time it’s not about what jeans she’s wearing but what she’s not wearing. With football season nearing, the ad features a nude Sweeney using sports equipment to cover herself and pretending to play for the purpose of promoting the sports betting app Novig.

    What does nudity have to do with sports? Novig used Sweeney’s sex appeal to grab the audience’s attention, but at what cost? Whatever the reason is, it was exploitative and a slap in the face for women athletes and women at large. 

    “The highlight of my dislike was not towards Sydney Sweeney, but actually, the company and the companies that make this ad, or that made this ad, and the editors — the amount of people that had to approve this for this to be posted on such a wide scale,” said Vice President of the rugby club Rio Ross-Hirsh, a junior journalism major. 

    According to the Northeastern Global News, Sweeney gained an equity stake and a role as a strategic partner for Novig. Women athletes work hard every day to prove themselves in ways male athletes don’t, and to advertise betting on sports in such a promiscuous way is stupid and disrespectful.

    “It takes about double — if not triple — the amount of time and effort for a female to get that attention and recognition for their hard work and the amount of effort that is being put in because it’s not seen as the same,” said safety officer of the rugby club Acacia Crouch, a senior zoology major.

    If they wanted to gain attention from the mainstream media, they could have gotten an athlete or someone who isn’t controversial to promote their app. Like, go ahead and hit up LeBron James; he’d probably do it. I found it unnecessary to display a nude woman covering herself in basketballs to promote a sports betting app. 

    Throughout social media, I have seen people responding to the ad with montages of women athletes and their hard work. There is so much blood, sweat and tears being shed behind the scenes.

    “This is completely an overly optimistic silver lining, that most of the content I have seen on my Instagram and other social media has been super empowering and majorly pushing back against the narrative that Sydney Sweeney has created,” said triathlon athlete Averill Payne, an environmental science major and junior.

    Women for centuries have been trying to get taken seriously and not be sexualised, but this feels like a big setback. Sports are supposed to be a space for empowerment and hard work — not nudity. 

    “Kind of bringing that idea, that women are kind of only worth their body, and I think that [they’re] in a place that they could have put a female athlete or highlight a female sport, and especially the growth of women’s sports,” said Ross-Hirsh. 

    Women will continue to prevail and show off all of their hard work. After many years of hard work, they have a lot of support from people all around the world. A lot of little girls might aspire to be like them, just like I did growing up watching Alex Morgan and Amy Wambach play soccer. 

    Jacqueline is the super duper cool sports editor, social media manager for LJ and news manager for KRFH. 

  • Why Do I Do This to Myself?

    Why Do I Do This to Myself?

    By Keziah Rutschow

    Here’s the thing: beyond paying rent and tuition, the stress we put ourselves under to juggle every opportunity in our lives isn’t necessary. Every addition added to your schedule is a choice.

    Personally, I could’ve gone down easier routes to help pay for things. Yet I keep choosing the more interesting, time-consuming options because, if you are anything like me, you may have a terrible case of FOMO (which I likely inherited from my mom).

    I struggle to understand why I put so much on my plate. I bet a lot of you ask yourself the same question while walking to a lab, heading to a second job, or starting your day at the crack of dawn. You are not alone. But if you feel pressured to add one more thing to your plate, let me tell you what I learned after two years of recurring pressure as a student: it’s not social media telling me to do this or a classmate mentioning their cool summer internship; it’s me.

    I came into college as a student-athlete expecting to be busy, but not nearly as busy as I am now. Living on 5 a.m. practices and seven hours of sleep, on a good day. I learned to work smarter, not harder. I became best friends with good ol’ time management. Yet no amount of scheduled Google Calendar hangouts and practice times makes these things any less tiring.

    At the end of my first year, I added a paid job on top of athletics and a full course load. I had an amazing opportunity that I felt like I couldn’t give up. By sophomore year, I chose a minor after my advisors steered me away from double majoring. Then I took a second position with way more hours. Student-athlete, hopefully double major in progress, fifteen paid hours weekly, and a social life with many people I love. Even listing it out exhausts me. 

    Saying yes to every opportunity thrown at you is difficult to manage. You must ask yourself if the exhaustion, resume, money, etc. is worth it. If you say yes, it is worth it; all I ask is that you treat rest not as something you have to earn, but as something necessary.

    Stressful periods are normal and okay, but what matters is framing self-care as something that isn’t optional, it can’t just be a one-time spa day. It’s reflecting on what genuinely recharges you and then carving out intentional time the same way you’d carve out time for class or a shift. For me, it looks like leaving an unreasonable amount of time to get ready in the morning, or a nap at 5 p.m. even when there are class readings left undone. Even asking a professor for an extension because you need the day for something other than school, unapologetically.

    If you couldn’t finish class readings and you’re stuck eating PB&J’s because meal prep doesn’t exist. That’s not failure; sometimes that’s how the cookie crumbles, as my boss says. 

    Keziah is the science editor with an interest in crime & justice and politics

  • Lumbersnack: Pizza lover 

    Lumbersnack: Pizza lover 

    By Alba Galvan

    As a pizza lover and busy student, I frequently need a pick-me-up, but I don’t like the pizza the school offers us; it always looks like it’s been sitting out far too long for comfort. After looking up ways to make easy on-the-go pizza snacks, I stumbled upon rice cake pizza. 

    I enjoy eating rice cakes, and the different flavors allow me to make different types of snacks, but making a pizza as a snack had never occurred to me until I laid my hands on the beautiful creation of Tomato and Basil rice cakes.

    Ingredients: 

    2 Rice cakes — I recommend the Lightly Salted or Tomato and Basil 

    2 tablespoons marinara sauce 

    1/4 cup shredded cheese — I use mozzarella, but feel free to use your favorite 

    6-8 pepperoni slices (optional) 

    Step #1: 

    Preheat your oven or air fryer to 375 and place 2 rice cakes on a baking sheet. 

    Step #2: 

    On one side of the rice cakes, cover each with a layer of marinara sauce. 

    Step #3: 

    Distribute the 1/4 cup of shredded cheese between both rice cakes over the sauce. 

    Step #4: 

    Place toppings over the cheese — this is optional. I like adding pepperoni, or you can add slices of ham and pineapple for Hawaiian rice cake pizza too. This recipe allows you to really make it your own, so add your favorite toppings! 

    Step #5:

    Cook rice cakes in an air fryer or oven for 5-7 minutes. 

    Step #6:

    Enjoy! 

    Alba Galvan is a junior journalism major and opinion editor for the Lumberjack. She enjoys listening to people’s opinions with an open mind. You can reach her at agg83@humboldt.edu. 

  • Ukraine is Better Off Without America 

    Ukraine is Better Off Without America 

    By Tatiana H Moore

    The United States of America is no longer a valuable ally, and we need to stop pretending that it is. Not that I needed to go to Ukraine to find myself with this opinion, but I did. I just got back from a three month stint in Ukraine where after visiting family, I volunteered and also worked at a summer camp for children of affected families. My relationship with Ukraine is more than just ancestral. I speak the language, I advocate, I get involved, and I even work for a Ukrainian American Non Government Organization (NGO).

     I never thought I would advocate for the US to leave Ukraine alone. For years, the U.S has touted itself as Ukraine’s greatest ally in the fight against Russia, but I disagree. The meetings with Putin, diminishing Financial aid packages, and hemming and hawing on air defense have only served to center the U.S in a conflict that Ukraine should be central to. American officials continue to position Washington as a necessary middleman between Kyiv and Moscow, while Ukraine is left having to respond to proposals that directly affect its territory and sovereignty. A country that believes the best solution for Ukraine is to cede territory and withdraw its EU application is no ally of Ukraine. 

    The U.S. needs to understand that Ukraine is not a chessboard for American foreign policy. The U.S. has every right to decide how it spends American money and what role it wants to play internationally, but what it does not have is the moral authority to decide what Ukrainians should sacrifice for peace. In my humble opinion, Ukraine is better off without the U.S. 

    There is an uncomfortable history with America’s relationship to Ukraine that I rarely hear discussed. In 1994, Ukraine agreed to surrender its nuclear arsenal, an arsenal that made it the third-largest nuclear power in the world at the time. In return, Ukraine joined the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and received security assurances from the United States, explicitly affirming respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and existing borders. This deal was made by the United States and helped create the conditions Ukraine finds itself in today. The U.S. has a responsibility to remember this history and more importantly, to uphold the promises made, but that hope has long been lost ever since the U.S. sat by and watched the annexation of Crimea in 2014. 

    The U.S has played a major role in supporting Ukraine, particularly through military and financial assistance, and while I do believe this support has been important, the time has come for America to bow out. Europe’s role has grown substantially as U.S support has declined. Europe has provided military aid, financial support, humanitarian aid, refugee support and training of Ukrainian soldiers. If Europe, a continent directly threatened by Russian aggression, can increasingly shoulder the responsibility of supporting Ukraine. Why does Washington still need to position itself as the indispensable leader of Ukraine’s future? 

    Tatiana H Moore is a senior journalism major and a reporter/writer with LJ thm18@humboldt.edu

  • Getting Scammed Sucks

    Getting Scammed Sucks

    The state of housing scams in Humboldt County

    By Winter Music

    After two years living on the beautiful Humboldt campus sharing a dorm room with strangers and experiencing back pain from the mattresses, I chose to start looking for off-campus housing. Who would think a cozy town like Arcata would be plagued by scammers? But then again, what else can you expect from random websites like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. Getting bait and switched from a listing on the Humboldt.edu rental listings resources was a different level of upsetting.

    I spent about a month believing that I would soon get my own apartment. Panicked by the thought of losing a good housing opportunity, I forgot to be cautious. I sent the down payment and we scheduled a time to meet when I realized that someone was living in, what I thought was, my apartment. I had a sinking feeling I had taken risks I didn’t need to by sending deposit money before meeting the “landlord” in person. I didn’t make sure that the way I sent money could be cancelled, and I didn’t walk away when I first had doubts. When I went to the house, the “landlord” had dropped off the face of the planet. Suddenly, all the worries and concerns I had started to make more sense. I freaked out when I realized how bad the mistake I had just made was, but the damage had been done. I learned the hard way that small towns like Arcata can scam you just like everywhere else.

    While that website I got scammed on has been removed and replaced by a list of reputable rental companies, it’s important to know that scammers can find their way into places you might not expect. So when you take the leap, and move from campus into your own place, be sure to never send over any money until you’ve been to the location in person, met the landlord and signed documents.

    Winter Music, Copy Editor, wlm38@humboldt.edu

  • Charli xcx Music, Fashion, Film Review

    Charli xcx Music, Fashion, Film Review

    By Will Bishop

    Following the release of 2024’s titanic brat, Charli xcx found herself very suddenly atop a high precipice. Simultaneously a newly minted megastar and a critical darling — that rarefied breed of artist who can reach the highest echelons of cultural influence while losing none of their artistic vitality.

    Music, Fashion, Film is a highly intimate, deeply personal album with no interest in following up brat as a sequel, but every interest in exploring its impact, particularly the world of limitless opportunities and boundless dreamseeking it opened up for Charli and her tightly wound social scene. Many pop stars maintain a strident commitment to the idea that they really are just like you. They’re still the same person you fell in love with all those years ago, so don’t stop buying all those deluxe editions, because we are in this together. Charli has no interest in selling that image to you. But she isn’t braggadocious either, rather, the album is a delicate treatise on lifelong obsessions, lifelong anxieties, and the enduring endlessness of art. 

    With the club aesthetics and sounds of brat decisively stripped away, the album is sonically dissimilar to anything Charli has ever done. At a glance, Charli and longtime producer A. G. Cook turned in their turntables for guitars, but their trademark digital stylings still feel ever present and clearly recognizable.

    Introductory track “Rock Music” starts things off with a very classically NYC feeling, ironic anthem, its twitchy, insistent little toy synth, and Charli’s paradoxically earnest sarcasm are reminiscent of an LCD Soundsystem track in the best ways possible. Allergic to metaphor, it’s largely an album in which Charli speaks directly about whatever’s on her mind, whether a sonic love letter to her producer in the form of “Magic Metal Montana,” or her desires to enter the film industry and her relationship with fame on “Camera”.

    One exception to this is “Persona,” a track in which Charli utilizes a clever multipronged approach, playing on the modern fascination with easter egg hunting in pop music and Ingmar Bergman’s 1966 masterpiece Persona to create a bizarre surrealist take on the pop diss track. In a highlight moment at the beginning of “I’m Afraid” — likely the grimmest and most soul-baring track on the album, Charli gently sings “Happiness came in a box.” The true genius of the lyric, and the nature of the song itself, is revealed only when you remember one key word, fashion.

    As the album draws to a close, with David Cronenberg softly and creepily hypnotizing you into accepting your own mortality and the mortality of your favorite celebrities, Charli’s current era of pure insatiability begins to make perfect sense. It is, in its own way, a tacit admission that this thing, whether it’s life or just a moment in life. Will fade. Will pass. Will cease to be. So do what you can, while you can. Whether it’s music, fashion, film or all three all at once, every single day for the rest of your life.

    Will Bishop is a Cal Poly Humboldt journalism major. He is prone to writing essays about things that bother him and fictional works about things that also bother him, but in different ways. 

  • Do You Believe in My New Band Believe?

    Do You Believe in My New Band Believe?

    By Will Bishop

    The foundations of My New Band Believe and their titular debut album came to Cameron Picton in a fever dream while under the throes of food poisoning, far away from home in a Chinese hotel room while on tour with his previous band, black midi. The name, and a handful of other phrases, became stuck in his mind, eventually coalescing into the project some years later. The music and songwriting very much reflect this, rife with surrealist imagery and lavish sonic cacophony, filled with euphoric highs and long dark tunnels.

    Love Story, the first track released off the album, initially reads as a gentle musing on domestic life refracted through little moments. “You sing along to your favourite songs. But you don’t know the words. So you make up your own.” Then a harsh aura builds in the string section, giving way to frightful and nightmarish imagery. “A mеtal spike from the sky. Precisе and poisoned. Somehow avoided me.”


    Hopeful and optimistic phrases are spoken like a mantra, beguiling you into peering deeper beyond the shimmering surface. The ostinato — a musical pattern that is consistently  repeated at the same pitch throughout a composition — of Target Practice telling you over and over again “Don’t cry, you deserve this,” has a soothing, almost therapeutic quality — until you start to wonder what exactly it’s telling you that you deserve. The verses reveal a world of pain. The narrator tells you that you deserve what you have given, promising you desecration beyond death.

    The towering Heart of Darkness pushes the album’s shapeshifting approach to its furthest extreme. Playful flamenco guitars fill your ears with bright color as the unease of its lyricism mounts. “Open up, I have come too far to run. My, my, my, what have you done?” Picton breathes, pulling back dark clouds with a moment of musical bliss only to reveal night has fallen beyond the veil as you circle a black drain in the sky that spits you back out, eventually lowering you down on the feather of an angel’s wilting wing.

    For all its musical virtuosity, My New Band Believe is often reserved, as if hiding in the thorny bramble of its instrumentation. If you follow the vine of a blackberry bush down its ever winding path, counting every overlap, every splintering, every leaf, then it is a complex thing indeed. But, it is internally inaccessible, only offering its outward appearance and the fruits held on its distant edges. It does not offer its innermost complexities, rather, it leverages them into an impenetrable fortress. A yaegaki, fences within fences. But, the album is at its best when it’s letting you in. At times, it can look so impossible. Thorn bushes made of nylon string. Like a non-euclidean horse with legs melting long and tangling together. Then, suddenly, its aestivating worm appendages unswirl, its sinewy muscles tighten back to life, exploding into a triumphant gallop. In those moments, you will believe Cameron Picton can fly. “Speak of the dragon and the dragon shall appear at last.”

    Will Bishop is a Cal Poly Humboldt journalism major. He is prone to writing essays about things that bother him, and fictional works about things that also bother him but in different ways. A highly bothered individual, and a lover of cinema, music, and large trees/rocks. He can often be found in the woods, dancing to bring down the sky.

  • Mummy is Mortifying, Michael is Mesmerizing

    Mummy is Mortifying, Michael is Mesmerizing

    By Kaylon Coleman

    “In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment,” renowned London based food critic – Anton Ego said in Ratatouille. “We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face is that, in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so.”

    Both Lee Cronin’s The Mummy (LCTM) and Michael premiered this month with scathing reviews from critics ranging from The New York Times to The Associated Press. At time of writing, LCTM scores a 47% on the Tomatometer and Michael scores a 39%. To that I say: screw what the critics think. I know how that may sound coming from the mouth of a critic, but I’m not from the New York Times — I’m just a humble man sharing my thoughts on a public forum. I implore you to use your own judgment before jumping to conclusions. With that being said, both LCTM and Michael surprised, delighted and exceeded my expectations.

    I believe if you hated Michael, you also hate whimsy and joy. There’s plenty of  things wrong with the biopic, I’ll admit it. It’s relatively bland as far as biopics go, there’s no mention of Janet Jackson, it glosses over a lot of topics and the pacing is a bit fast. All valid criticisms, all valid contention points. Is it the best biopic out there? No. But the heart behind the project is what drew me in. 

     Jaafar Jackson does an exemplary job of bringing his uncle to life in the film. Aside from O’Shea Jackson Jr. playing young Ice Cube in the N.W.A. biopic, I can’t think of another instance where a celebrity’s relative has gotten to depict them onscreen – or at least, I haven’t seen any. Jackson brings such a passion to the role that I don’t think anyone else could achieve if they weren’t so directly related. Along with the production from the Jackson brothers, it felt as though this movie served more as a love letter to Michael Jackson wrapped in a bow of nostalgia than a traditional biopic — and I’m all for it. 

    I tried to contain myself during the movie, but Broadway Cinema unfortunately faced the brunt of my excitement. When Who’s Lovin’ You came on I nearly turned the theater into a personal karaoke session. The movie had me invested the whole way through. I’m hopeful for part two, especially since they added the “His Story Continues” line at the end of the film after positive screen testing. The movie did feel as if it ended abruptly though; even with a potential part two, I don’t think 30 more minutes of movie could’ve hurt.

    Colman Domingo also killed his performance as Joseph Jackson. He has officially entered the niche of black actors who portrayed their villain roles so well people still hate them in real life, like Richard T. Jones in Why Did I Get Married or Blair Underwood in Madea’s Family Reunion. Nia Long played her role well, per usual, but I wish they gave her more to do as Michael’s mom. I feel as though Michael and Joseph were the only characters to have any real depth explored within the film. I give Michael four out of five stars.

    Now, let’s talk about the mummy. I’ll be the first to admit I was hating on LCTM before it came out, but it was actually pretty good. I haven’t watched any previous Mummy movies — except for some clips from the Tom Cruise one — so it’s safe to say I walked in with some preconceived notions. I was so ready to tear this film to pieces, but what originated as cynicism quickly turned to intrigue. 

    The film follows a family reeling from the disappearance of their daughter in Cairo. Years later, she is found and returned to them, but as a mere shell of who she used to be. Almost immediately, I was locked in to the film. Shoutout journalist representations in movies — yes, I’m biased. 

    LCTM does something that most modern horror movies have failed to do for me: it made me feel something other than boredom.  *Cough, cough* Black Phone 2 *cough, cough* Undertone. I was squirming, I was jaw-dropped, I was shocked. This is definitely one of the most gruesome movies I’ve ever seen. I can’t say I was necessarily scared, but this is how you terrify. I think what reels me into horror films is how authentic the characters can be given the circumstances they’re facing.

    What I enjoy about this film is how realistic the family dynamic is. Each actor brings something different to the role, but in a way that presents itself as a family reeling from the disappearance and reappearance of their child before the supernatural elements come into full effect. The visuals were also appealing and added to my overall enjoyment. I did start to tune out near the end, as it started to feel a bit gimmicky, but overall, I give the movie a four and a half out of five.

    So, if you’re debating where to spend your money on a $5-movie-Tuesday, go to Michael if you want a fun time that’ll leave you mesmerized and go to LCTM if you want a frightening time that’ll leave you mortified.

    Kaylon Coleman is a senior journalism major with a concentration in news and a minor in communications. He is the Life & Arts editor for LJ, Marketing and Communications lead for the Umoja Center and a part-time radio DJ and merch manager for KRFH. He can be reached at kc403@humboldt.edu 

  • Wren’s Whimsical Window: The Artist’s Plight

    Wren’s Whimsical Window: The Artist’s Plight

    By Wren Salazar

    Somewhere in a field of tall golden grass, a pendulum swings, one made from brass. Above the brass swaying, a platform does emerge. It hangs the pendulum, while an overseer looks, and sits on the verge. The Artist is here, master of the swing. Always here, time after time, painting the world is the purpose of their being.

    The pendulum sways from side to side, making great leaps as history abides. The rise and fall of nations great. Empires flow like the tide, always succumbing to fate. The Artist watches, timeless in their gaze. They watch everything, while time goes by in phases. Sat in the reflection of brass so clear, faces of people cry, tear after tear. For only on one side does this pendulum show the cruelest of fates, a world full of woe.

    The Artist’s plight, you see, is one in us all, held so dear. It only looks down when misery is near. So, the Artist sees not the joy and the smiles of countless faces, but only hate and empty, desolate places. The world the Artist has painted is not all bad. There’s joy anywhere you look, even in just a small fad. So, do what you like and paint your world. Don’t only look down when misery is near.

    Experience what you can, and leave what you must. There’s more in this world than what’s been left to rust.

    Wren is an artist and story writer looking to add some whimsy and curiosity to those around her. A lover of all things, Wren seeks to help others around her with advice or humor. She can be reached at ws81@humboldt.edu.

  • The Power of Passion

    The Power of Passion

    By: Kaylon Coleman

    If there’s one thing that incites happiness within me and inspires me to be a better person, it’s witnessing passion flowing through someone else. Passion is beautiful; it’s so raw and true, you can’t fake it — you know it when you see it. It shows up in a myriad of ways: the homie that’s so geeked about their favorite show that they’ll talk your ear off about it any chance they get, or the friend that loves their craft so much that you can see them light up when asked about it.

    I’m talking about that spark — that’s what I love; someone caring so deeply and so enthusiastically about something in a society that constantly pushes nonchalant and apathetic attitudes. Which is why I say, please persist. Do what you love — do what you’re passionate about. This world is so unrelenting; it’s unforgiving and it feeds off of tarnishing your love for something. As we grow older, the weight of life’s responsibilities become more and more prevalent. With that, we may not have as much time to rock climb or make beats or knit, especially if there’s no money being made in the process. But, doing what you love is what fuels your soul.

    They say if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life, but I think there’s more to that. I love journalism. It’s a passion of mine that I’ve decided to pursue it as my career. But, there’s definitely work involved. I have to deal with a lot of doubt, especially self-doubt. I have to deal with the naysayers who say journalism is a dying industry. I’ve faced constant heartbreaking rejections, and I haven’t even graduated yet. But, I’m confident in my decision because I believe passion equals purpose.

    My whole life, I’ve been told to do what makes me happy, not what makes me money — and I hold that message dear. Living in a capitalistic society, I get it; people want security, they want a wage that’s livable. It might spawn from my optimistic nature, but I believe the money will come. Maybe not right away, but I’d rather scrape by doing what I love than be trapped doing what I don’t. That is why I implore you to keep your passions alive. Even if your passion isn’t what you want to do career wise, it’ll be the thing that keeps you going and keeps you grounded. Never forget: you were born to win!

    Kaylon Coleman is a senior journalism major with a concentration in news and a minor in communications. He is the Life & Arts editor for LJ, Marketing and Communications lead for the Umoja Center and a part-time radio DJ and merch manager for KRFH. If you have a topic you want him to discuss, email him at kc403@humboldt.edu.

  • Albas’ Aguachiles 

    Albas’ Aguachiles 

    By Alba Galvan 

    I was craving aguachiles, a beloved Mexican seafood dish. But, after looking all over Humboldt, I gave up. Then, I got the grand idea to just make it myself — so, I dragged my roommate, who hates seafood, to the grocery store to look for the ingredients. 

    This dish is easy to make, with only eight ingredients that can be found in any grocery store. Once I started learning how to cook, I added this to my food rotation. 

    Ingredients: 

    Raw shrimp 2lb (32 oz) — I recommend getting a bag of pre-peeled, deveined, tail-off shrimp 

    2 cups fresh Lime juice, equivalent to 20-25 limes 

    2 onions 

    2 cucumbers 

    5 jalapeno — add more if you like spice or switch it out to serranos, it’s the same taste just spicier  

    1 tbsp salt 

    1 tbsp pepper (optional) 

    1 1/2 tbsp Maggi Jugo Seasoning Sauce 

    1 bag tortilla chips to eat with   

    Step 1: 

    Wash shrimp under water to clean the shrimp. If they’re unprepared shrimp, remember to peel, devein and take the tail off your shrimp before placing them in a large bowl.

    Step 2: 

    Pour 1 cup of lime juice over the raw shrimp, the acid in the juice will cook the shrimp. Save 1 cup of lime juice for later, then refrigerate it while prepping other ingredients. The shrimp will be cured after 15 to 20 minutes. 

    Step 3:

    Julienne 2 onions, then peel and cut 2 cucumbers into thin rounds. 

    Step 4:

    Blend half the onion and cucumber with the jalapenos, the other cup of lime juice, salt, pepper and Maggi Jugoa until it’s evenly blended. 

    Step 5:

    Pour the liquid from the blender into the bowl of shrimp and marinate in the fridge for 20 minutes. 

    Enjoy with a side of tortilla chips!

    Alba is a journalism major and reporter for The LumberJack and El Lenador. She’s very passionate about sharing and listening to different opinions and loves self-expression. Contact her at: agg83@humboldt.edu

  • The Drama is akin to laughing at a funeral 

    The Drama is akin to laughing at a funeral 

    By Julia Kelm

    The Drama follows a happily engaged couple, Emma and Charlie — played by Zendaya and Robert Pattinson — as they prepare for their upcoming wedding. However, their relationship is put to the test when an unexpected detail of Emma’s past is revealed during a conversation between friends. The question, “What is the worst thing you’ve ever done?” sends their relationship and wedding week completely off-track.

    The Drama is the latest addition to the repertoire of the emerging Norwegian director, Krisoffer Borgli. You may be familiar with his last A24 collaboration, Dream Scenario (2023), which starred Nicolas Cage. For me, however, The Drama was my first introduction to his work.

    I highly recommend going into this film blind, as the twist Emma reveals hits best when unexpected. I luckily — somehow — avoided spoilers before seeing this film Easter Sunday at the Minor Theatre in Arcata. 

    It takes a while for this film to get the ball rolling. However, once it does, it just leaves you in the wake of this massive twist. It places you in an achingly awkward and anxious state that is shared by both Emma and Charlie’s post twist. This feeling is heightened by Borgli’s surrealist auteurship, which is just a fancy way of saying a filmmaker’s style. Scenes where Emma’s ear bleeds while at dinner with Charlie, or when Charlie reflects on memories with Emma, seeing as her high school self; both act as excellent scenes in making the viewer feel the anxious stress and distrust Charlie feels for Emma.

    The aforementioned detail that Emma reveals is a hot piece of gossip and an even hotter topic within American society. The subject is handled in a mildly humorous way, which has already created mixed responses within online debates, with many who call the approach distasteful. I, for one, enjoyed the approach, finding it bold and unafraid to make audiences uncomfortable and encourage self-reflection.

    Zendaya and Pattinson were perfectly cast in their respective roles. Zendaya plays this seemingly idealized woman in the beginning — spunky and charismatic — who then becomes reserved, overtly anxious and paranoid. Pattinson plays an endearing, dorky British guy that turns into a man completely absorbed by delusion. Their performances are truly what made this film come alive for me.

    Another character worth mentioning is Rachel — Alana Haim — who is Emma’s bridesmaid and friend — honestly though, if that’s the kind of friend you like to keep, you should do some second guessing. Rachel is the embodiment of an entitled mean girl who can’t forgive Emma for the dark secret she reveals during the climatic conversation. Rachel is a primary factor in worsening things for Emma and Charlie, even though the secret Rachel reveals is debatably worse, or at least similar to Emma’s. To me, this represents the double standards we hold ourselves compared to others. 

    It’s often simpler to forgive ourselves because we can more easily rationalize our own actions and thoughts. I think the film acts as a reminder to pull the plank out of our eye, before criticizing the sawdust in our friends — or however the metaphor goes.

    Overall, I thought this was a solid film and I look forward to watching more Borgli in the future. 7/10 Julia’s.

    Julia is a journalism major and the co-Editor in Chief of the paper. She loves film and is a regular on Letterboxd. She also enjoys going on walks in the forest and taking pictures to relax. If you have a movie you’d like her to review, please email her at jk328@humboldt.edu.

  • The Beauty of Hope

    The Beauty of Hope

    By Kaylon Coleman

    For as long as I can remember, I’ve always looked at life through the lens of a glass half full. A guiding mantra I’ve carried with me since inception is that everything will work out. I love being an optimist. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that optimists are few and far between in a world full of pessimists and pragmatists — which unfortunately, is extremely valid given the current state of our world. 

    Why should I expect a better and brighter future when everything that I see online and in my day to day and online such a lifestyle? I’ll tell you, I didn’t become an optimist purely because of my cheerful disposition on life, but because I recognize the beauty of hope.

    Just like other metaphysical concepts throughout life, such as love or faith, hope is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, hope provides you with aspiration. It fills you with a fire and desire for a better future like Drake; but on the other hand, it can lead to insurmountable disappointment and heartbreak, like Drake.

     When you allow yourself to be vulnerable and to feel something so personal like your raw unadulterated feelings, you open the door to letting those same feelings tear you up. If you’ve watched the newer Spider-man movies you may have heard MJ say, “If you expect disappointment, then you can never really get disappointed.” While she has a point, I just can’t co-sign this way of thinking.

    Living your life on a half measure is no way to live. In a relationship, you can’t half-love to walk out half-hurt. It’s not fair to either side. You must burn brightly the whole way through. If things don’t work out, c’est la vie. At least you can say you went full throttle the whole way and never sold yourself short of your emotions — which is the exact sentiment you should hold when it comes to optimism.

    Everyone wants to live a better life, everyone prays for better days. So, why not embrace it all gas no brakes, regardless of how it may turn out? Yes, not everything is gonna work out, but when does it ever? It’s like Princess Leia says in The Last Jedi, “Hope is like the sun. If you only believe in it when you see it, you’ll never make it through the night.”

    And, for those who may be struggling to find their optimism — I get it. Even I don’t wake up bright and cheery everyday; it’s impossible. There will be just as many bad days as good ones. I’d love to have the answers, but I don’t. Although, I can tell you about some of the things that have gotten me through tough times: Friendship. Community. Music. Food. Movies. Video games. The Sun. The outside. Aimless drives. Weed. 

    Find your support system. It’s easy to scroll and to rot and to wallow in your misery, thinking “this is the worst,” but know that this too shall pass. Frank Ocean said it best, “Every night fucks every day up. Every day patches the night up.”

    Hope is beautiful. It’s inspiring. It spawns resilience in all those who embrace it. As someone on the verge of graduating, with no prospects but plenty of  dreams, I can’t help but be excited for the future laid out for me, because I know everything will work out — I have to believe that. Not only does it make life worth living, but it adds a kick of spice to everything. Am I gonna make it big one day? Damn right. Do I know how I’m gonna get there? Absolutely not. But that’s where the fun comes in. Life is Roblox; I have no idea what’s in store for me and neither does anyone else. So, why let negative attitudes steer your direction? In a world of pessimists and pragmatists, be an optimist. I promise you, it’s much more fun that way.

    Kaylon Coleman is a senior journalism major with a concentration in news and a minor in communications. He is the Life & Arts editor for LJ, Marketing and Communications lead for the Umoja Center and a part-time radio DJ and merch manager for KRFH. If you have a topic you want him to discuss, email him at kc403@humboldt.edu.

  • Wren’s Whimsical Window: Pest Control

    By Wren Salazar

    I received the strangest call earlier today from an unknown number. I was told to peer out my window tonight and if I did, I’d see something unlike what I have ever seen before. Afterwards, there was some stifled giggling and they hung up. What a strange proposal. Obviously, I’m not quick to trust the random caller. As I decided I would look to see what’s going on, my phone buzzed once more. Unknown number again, but I picked up.

    “A little birdie told me you might need some pest control,” a different voice said. “I will take care of them for you. Surely, it will be a spectacle.”

    Pest control? For what? Could it be unlike what I’ve seen before? Sensing my hesitation, the voice continued.

    “The fae will arrive for you tonight,” he said. “Best to be safe, don’t look outside, no matter what you’ve heard or seen.”

    Then, he hung up. This has to be a coordinated prank. Fae don’t exist. Why would it be bad to look outside tonight? I doubt anything will happen, but I’m closing my blinds anyway.

    I lounged in my room, as it got closer to evening — a creeping anxiety grew stronger with each passing minute. I heard a knock at my door, but a spark from behind my blinds caught my attention. Then, another spark, blink after blink, numbers rapidly increasing. Flittering and flickering light poured through the blinds in bursts of orange, purple and blue, floating as though they were refracted through water. I felt as though I’d been placed inside a kaleidoscope. I had to look. Banging on my door and muffled yelling made me hesitate, but I had to look. It’s beautiful. No matter the cost.

    Wren is an artist and story writer looking to add some whimsy and curiosity to those around her. A lover of all things, Wren seeks to help others around her with advice or humor. She can be reached at ws81@humboldt.edu.

  • Sell your iPhone

    Sell your iPhone

    By Bodhi Haugen

    For the past several years, innovation has been the last thing I’ve seen when I look at Apple and its products. The new features are becoming predictable: another camera, a different color phone, or maybe a better battery life that inevitably depletes within a year. 

    I owned an iPhone around six years ago, and it did its job just fine. It took photos, sent messages and the battery life was okay for a couple years. Fast forward and things don’t seem much different; the shape and design have been practically the same since the iPhone X, which came out in 2017. The software update that changed the app icons was the biggest milestone to note since Face ID. All my close friends and family still have iPhones, so maybe I was missing something. Could it be that the newest phone is now orange instead of silver? 

    Any new iPhone that comes to the market is either just shy of — or miles above — the $1000 mark. If there’s only one or two little changes every time, why spend so much money to make an upgrade? It’s an easy way for big companies to keep reselling you the same thing while trying to convince you it’s somehow different. 

    The truth is, you’re probably due to get off your high horse and consider other options. The new flashy iPhone isn’t doing anything for you or others around you. The novelty of an iPhone being trendy died a long time ago; nobody cares that the back of your phone now has an aluminum frame instead of titanium. 

    iPhone users shouldn’t be afraid to experiment with other brands. I used to hear my dad complain all the time about his shitty iPhone. I would ask why he didn’t switch brands and he always said he didn’t know how to work anything else. I used to think this was because he was just old, but I’m seeing this same behavior with friends and college students alike. 

    If you’re dissatisfied with Apple’s innovations, look into what other brands may offer. Companies like Samsung, Motorola and Razer have been creative, with design innovations that users can see. You can fold a Samsung Z Flip7 in half, and it has a touchscreen on the back of the phone for the same price as an iPhone. Even my flip phone, made by a tractor company, can literally have DUO Mobile installed. 

    It’s time for Apple to step down as the king of phones — and it’s time for you to wake up. Plenty of other phones are on the market, but consumers are looking the other way. If we want to see innovation in products, we need to show companies we actually care by supporting brands that are doing it.

    Selling your iPhone won’t only save you some money, but it might send a message.

    Bodhi Haugen is a journalism major and writer for the Lumberjack at Cal Poly Humboldt. Bodhi is on KRFH and enjoys reading, writing, photography, and art. You can reach him at bgh27@humboldt.edu.