The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Category: Ask Evergreen

  • Ask Evergreen

    Ask Evergreen

    I feel I’ve lost a year of my life to COVID. But I know others have it worse. Am I still allowed to complain?

    Dear reader, I know your pain. I know I’m lucky to have survived this pandemic unscathed (so far), so a part of me feels guilty for hating my circumstances. Why do I have the right to feel so horrible when others feel worse? If you have these nagging feelings of guilt as well, remember that all wounds, no matter how severe, deserve treatment. If there are enough bandages, a cut deserves treatment even if someone else lost their arm.

    You have the right to demand change. The forces that made your life terrible for a year are the same forces that made someone else’s life even worse. So long as you complain in the right direction, your voice can amplify the voices of people who lost even more than you.

    But even beyond that, don’t discount your own experiences. If only the person with the worst situation is allowed to complain, only one person with outlandishly cruel circumstances can speak. Your pain represents a pain that affects almost everyone. You’re one member a group of people that needs to advocate for themselves, not just an individual with a grievance.

    Pain isn’t a quantifiable substance. We can’t just weigh it on a scale. You deserve to not be in pain. Not only should you acknowledge it, you should complain about it.

    Instead of dividing ourselves into stratifications based on our level of pain, we should be acknowledging our shared experiences. We should turn our collective experiences against the institutions that caused this pandemic to be as terrible as it was. Instead of arguing about who felt the worst, we need to make sure no one has to argue about who had the worst pandemic pain again.

    Complain about economic systems. Complain about healthcare. Complain about housing. Complain about inequality. You deserve to express your pain. You lost a year that you’ll never get back. Be angry. You’ll find others who feel the same.

  • Quarantine Quandary

    Quarantine Quandary

    This is no one’s ideal situation. Whether you’re already infected or think you might be, the 14-day quarantine is an anxiety-inducing time. You can take steps to stay safe by following CDC guidelines. Stay away from people, even others living inside your own home. Monitor your own health, making sure to call the hospitals if you have trouble breathing or a fever above 100.4° F. Be sure to get plenty of fluids and rest.

    The most important thing to do in this situation is take care of your health. While avoiding contact and checking for symptoms should be at the top of your to-do list, you have to make sure not to neglect your mental health. Spend time with your friends! There’s plenty of ways to enjoy their company from afar. Texting, calling, Zoom and FaceTime aren’t the only options. Multiplayer video games are always a good choice, as is putting on a video to share on sites such as Watch2gether, Teleparty, or Squad. And of course, there’s always the classic bonding activity of getting on a Discord call and discussing your childhood traumas. Yes, you’re isolated, but you don’t have to be lonely. Your support system is more important now than ever.

    You can also use this time to get started on your list of television shows you meant to get into but didn’t. While all your comfort sitcoms are available on streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu, there’s some seriously underrated originals out there if you’re willing to explore. Netflix’s Everything Sucks! is a coming of age dramedy that deserves a place alongside Freaks and Geeks and Firefly in the ranks of great shows gone too soon. HBO Max’s Infinity Train is a surrealist cartoon that feels kind of like going to therapy, assuming your therapist’s building is full of monsters, robots, and talking dogs. Sure, there’s a lot of trash among streaming services, but when there’s a hidden gem it’s worth it.

    I know we’re all sick of that one friend who picked up piano or wrote a novel or something over quarantine, but the truth is it’s a great time to work on your hobby or pick up a new one. Odds are you have at least one thing you meant to learn but didn’t. This is your chance to put all those unused paints or unjuggled juggling pins you have collecting dust to work. The bright side of being alone is that no one can see your failed efforts and embarrassing moments. Whatever mispronunciations you made in your Spanish lessons are between you and the Duolingo owl.

    Total isolation sucks. It’s stressful, it’s understimulating, you’re alone with your own thoughts – yikes. If you need help, don’t be afraid to reach out to a friend or student resources such as CAPS. You may be literally by yourself, but figuratively speaking you aren’t alone.

  • Ask Evergreen’s Valentine’s Gift Guide

    Ask Evergreen’s Valentine’s Gift Guide

    This is a classic predicament. You want to acknowledge the holiday, but you don’t want to come on too strong. For example, ideas of fine jewelry, dinner from a Michelin-star restaurant, or a commissioned Renaissance-style oil painting of the two of you should be thrown right out. Instead, focus on the thought behind your gift. This first Valentine’s Day gives you an excellent opportunity to prove that you’ve been paying attention to their interests.

    The simplest thing to do is to ask yourself, what do they like? Buying a book, game, or album they’ve mentioned having their eye on is an easy way to prove your interest in theirs. You can even start reading/playing/listening along with them to better understand their passion. If your significant other is the more practical type, think about something they’d use, such as a cozy scarf for someone who’s always cold or a cast-iron pan for someone who loves to cook. However, you’ll want to avoid strictly utilitarian presents for Valentine’s Day. While it’s thoughtful to pick up a box of tea that helps with your partner’s stomach aches, you should avoid making that their big gift.

    For those who aren’t sure where to begin, standards like a stuffed animal, flowers, or candy are a good starting place. Instead of a stuffed bear holding a heart-shaped box of chocolates you can grab at CVS, why not pick something more personal? You can pick up a Pokémon plush for the Nintendo fan in your life, or a violet in a cute planter for someone with a green thumb. Even the classic box of chocolates can be upgraded by finding their favorite brand or getting a sampler box of candies from around the world.

    The primary gift-giving tip, of course, is to simply listen to and communicate with the person you’re buying something for. When they tell you what they like, pay attention and store that information away for later. You don’t have to break the bank to find something they’ll love, what matters most is showing your partner that you value what matters to them.