All my life I’ve been labeled.

“Male.”

“Hispanic.”

“21.”

After those, well, you know the rest.

Or maybe Einstein put it best when he said that “common sense is [simply] the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen.”

Listening to that, I am taken to the moment where truth contradicts itself and leaves me abandoned in limbo; where everything I think I know is suddenly useless as I’ve been reminded once again that I am still ignorant, and where in turn, at the end of the day in essence I am still nothing.

Nothing; like so much of the rest of this mess.

“Heterosexual.”

“First-generation.”

“Proletariat…”

Or what I call ideas whose application I had no say in — attempts at categorization that, even when meant well, are still trying to frame me, trying to simplify me.

But I’ll pass on simplicity and instead I’ll tell a story, an untitled one.

I don’t identify as a Democrat, a Republican, a Marxist, or anything. I’ve heard and learned interesting things from all of them, but that’s it. The same goes for Atheists, Christians, the Queer alliance, the Chicana/o Studies department and everything in between and beyond.

I’m not a part of any of it, but I try my best to listen and if that’s done for me, I’ll do my best to explain.

I often marvel at the fact that I am living in the most globalized time civilization has ever known, in an age where the word can travel the world in a matter of seconds and where uprising in Cairo means ‘’occupation’’ in L.A. Where language has never been more boundless, nor convention challenged, and where as one of the first new citizens of this new century considerate of these things, I might even be in a chapter of revolution.

When I think about that, I am humbled by the day and I do not want to be labeled along with it. I do not want to be placed in what is inevitably a time of displacement, because the world is moving forward, I believe, but it cannot be led by the terminology of yesterday.

As I enter adulthood, however, much like the onslaught of ads and coupons that are piling up on my table no matter how hard I thrust them into the trash, the labels and people who want to label me don’t go away, but only grow in numbers.

This is understandable, as labels help toward definition, but I decline for the most part, even with the comprehension that in acceptance of some of these labels at times there lie scholarships, a friend or two and maybe even an understanding. Correspondingly, sometimes I identify with some of the names people want to give me precisely for these things. It’s a compromise unrestrained by absolution.

Or, as I like to say, it’s a kaleidoscope.

I am a kaleidoscope.

And I think you’re one too.

We are at a point in our lives that is absolutely gifted with a galaxy of thought, where knowledge is showered upon us like a mighty waterfall, every last drop making our minds into more every day.

I say this should challenge identity.

I say let it be complex and let yourself take time in figuring out how it’s meant to be termed, or, if you’re more certain about who you are than that, then at least just listen to those who aren’t.

But if you’re lost like I am and if you’ll pass on being labeled, let yourself be free to choose whichever ones you want whenever you want for whatever reason you find them helpful.

Be untitled and enjoy it.

Name yourself when you feel it.

While it might be true that we can’t escape labels, I think we definitely have a choice over what they don’t say about us; I believe that if we can tell our stories and listen to them as the young people of today and the leaders of tomorrow, we might not just learn something, but we might create even more — a world of new names, written by its new citizens, in the new day, the untitled one.

The choice is yours.

JIMMY RECINOS is considering a name-change; you can send him suggestions at jrecinos@ucdavis.edu. 

UC Davis admitted a record number of international students this fall, up to 680 from last year’s 344. In total, there are about 1,120 international students on campus.
The rise is dramatic. Some students are frustrated because they feel too many international and out-of-state students are being admitted to the university, and since UC Davis is a public university, it should prioritize Californian applicants.

While we understand this argument, we also acknowledge that the university desperately needs money. And if we’re on the subject of program cuts and fee hikes, accepting more international students is more than reasonable.

International students are a financial boon for UC Davis, as they pay $12,711.82 per quarter versus California residents who pay $5,085.82, according to Budget and Institutional Analysis.

And more than that, international students add diversity. We all need to be more culturally aware. We should all think beyond Davis, beyond California and beyond the U.S.

We hope our new international students feel welcome and become part of our campus community. Some students hold the opinion that foreign students bunch up together and rarely socialize with locals. We’d like to see this change, as the “they don’t want to be friends with us” mentality is probably felt on both sides and unnecessarily self-perpetuates year after year.

There are lots of ways to cross this boundary. There’s the PAL Program, through the linguistics department, where American students pair up with international students to chat once a week. Both parties learn more about the English language as well as about other cultures.

There’s also the International House, which hosts weekly meetings, foreign film screenings and other programs. It’s a great asset to the community, but if UC Davis continues to enroll more and more internationals, the university may want to expand its own programs. For example, the I-House at UC Berkeley provides housing to international students and local students in one intercultural space, and other schools have active pairing programs where local students can request foreign roommates at their off-campus residencies.

UC Davis has arguably the best study-abroad programs in the UC system, with other UC students frequently choosing our offerings over their own institutions. Many UC Davis students are culturally open-minded and want to expand their horizons. For those who can’t afford to go abroad, having a greater international presence here on campus is a great asset.

So, international students, welcome! We hope you enjoy our trees, bikes and cows and we hope to meet you soon.

UC Davis has an undergraduate population of about 25,000 and a total population of 33,000, so bike accidents on campus are a statistical certainty. However, there are many measures you can take to reduce your risk of becoming road kill.

As we are only in week three of instruction, it’s important to be considerate of students who have not fully acclimated to the chaos. But freshmen alone cannot be blamed for traffic.

Many bike accidents are caused by the failure to follow “bike etiquette” — a combination of actual rules and psychic understandings between established Davis bikers. Though it is possible to reach this awareness after months of trial and error, we would like to catalyze the process by providing some guidelines that might keep you intact.

Even if you are not a friend of physics, familiarize yourself with constant velocity. It is essential on roundabouts and can prevent collisions wherever bikers and pedestrians interact.

In roundabouts, remember to yield to those already in the roundabout, bike counterclockwise at a steady speed and perhaps circle more than once before exiting safely. Suddenly stopping or speeding up is unwise because bikers in the proximity will be estimating their paths based on your current speed and would need to recalculate, which may result in panic and/or disaster.

Similarly, pedestrians should take straight paths across roads when crossing, and should avoid moving back and forth to adjust for bikers. Bikers travel faster than pedestrians, so a pedestrian who backtracks may occupy the space that a biker intends to occupy.

Seconds before contact, there’s not much a biker can do but brake or blindly turn away, which is still likely to cause an accident. So keep in mind that it is usually easier for bikers to move around pedestrians.

As a biker, it is crucial to convey both left and right turns in advance so that people coming from behind can adjust accordingly. It also helps to signal and check behind you before turning; pretend you are beginning a turn or lane change in a car. Extend the arm that is closest to the direction you are turning. Left turn, left arm. Right turn, right arm. If one of your arms is busy, use the opposite arm with forearm bent vertically upwards or downwards to signify your turn.

The rules may be overwhelming, but it is up to you to understand them to keep yourself, and the people around you, safe.

While some complain that construction on bikeways constricts space for bikers and pedestrians, we believe it will enable safer and more comfortable biking. The renovation of roads near the Sciences Lecture Hall has increased congestion, but is well worth the improvement. Hutchison Drive, especially near the Peter J. Shields Library and Olson Hall, is another rough patch we hope to see smoothed in the future.

More information about proposed bikeway improvements and their priorities can be accessed in Appendix I of the UC Davis Bicycle Plan, a PDF available for download at taps.ucdavis.edu.

If you are still prone to nightmares about collisions on campus, please refer to our previous editorial, “Hassle-free tips for new bikers,” for more advice. The ASUCD Bike Barn also offers a Biking 101 brochure. Further, both new and returning bikers can benefit from the information provided by Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS), whose office behind the West Entry Parking Structure is open 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Happy biking!

I was in Berkeley last weekend and my somewhat douchey friend (a biochemistry major) started talking shit to the people in his study group.

“At least we’re learning something useful. What do English majors do? Write compare-and-contrast essays on Shakespeare? How’s that supposed to help the world?”

The study group guffawed appreciatively, but I kept silent, out of respect for my friend’s manhood. In any case, I had to catch the shuttle back to Davis.

Another time, I was sitting in a barbershop, chatting with an elderly Asian man. The man asked me what I was studying, and I said “English.”

His smile went 180, and he simply said, “That’s weird. You seemed like a smart kid.”

As evinced by those interactions, being an English major is difficult in its own right. I brace myself whenever people ask me what my major is, not because I’m ashamed of my chosen field, but because people make snap judgments and betray condescension strong enough to make my Smug Alert go haywire.

English majors are stereotyped as lazy and intellectually inferior, willing to trade a viable future for a four-year collegiate cruise. English is seen as simple, useless and a complete joke when stacked up against a “real major.”

To an extent, I can empathize with that stereotype. Fewer people pursue a degree in English, and consequently, the field’s not as competitive as it could be. The nature of the English curriculum is also more conducive to strong academic performance, as the grading scale is more subjective. In an English class, you can make multiple equally valid arguments. In science and mathematics, your answer is concretely categorized as right or wrong and the gray area for open interpretation is minimal to nonexistent.

However, the problems with the prevailing stereotype are legion, to say the least. People claim that English has no real-world applications and that it’ll be impossible for English majors to find a job once they finish college.

As an English major, you’re engaged nonstop in critical analysis and making connections. To quote novelist James Wood, literature makes us better noticers of life. It also makes us better writers, thinkers and communicators. Analyzing literature helps us understand the motivations of real-world interactions, as well as the importance of what’s said or not said.

After studying English for two years, I’ve become better at lying and shaping conversations through subtle differences in word choice and nonverbal cues. The ability to manipulate interactions and words is like having a second cock. Anytime you unleash your linguistic load, it’s the best.

You can’t tell me that my field is useless.

And you also can’t tell me that I’m doomed for entrenchment in the unemployment line because of my major. Statistics paint a lackluster picture, but they are misleading and easily rendered obsolete. Statistics attempt to categorize people as individual units, without considering external variables or distinct personality traits.

On your UC application, you had the chance to write a personal statement. It wouldn’t have been fair if admissions boards had decided to evaluate you solely on statistics. Maybe you were watching Titanic with your girlfriend the night before the SAT and she dumped you after you told her that Jack could’ve lived by making a raft of cadavers and stealing their residual warmth.

In a similar vein, it’s not fair to judge an English major on the sole basis of what they study. Yes, there are stupid and lazy people in the major and maybe one day they’ll formally recognize me as their king, but that’s beside the point.

I don’t take a critical stance against science majors by saying their field is predicated on nothing but rote memorization and mindless regurgitation, because thinking critically is also an important aspect of being a science major.

If you’re smart and capable, you’ll succeed regardless of what you study.

But that doesn’t mean you should shy away from judgment. Judgment draws the line between who sucks and who doesn’t, and it is therefore indispensable. But if you judge someone, judge them by who they are as an individual, not just by what they study.

Studying English isn’t lazy and intellectually inferior. Making a blanket judgment against it is.

BEN CHANG will engage you in awkward conversation at bcchang@ucdavis.edu.