Amid recent world events, we urge the UC Davis community to balance action with empathy

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD

Content warning: This article contains discussions of violence and hateful speech, including islamophobia and anti-semitism.

The Israel-Palestine conflict has been ongoing for decades, with some arguing that its roots stem from far earlier. Violence in the area has affected civilians for as long as the conflict has been occurring. Recently, an attack on Israel by Hamas, a political and military organization governing the Palestinian territories in the Gaza Strip, prompted a worldwide reaction and an upwelling of resistance on both sides of the conflict.

Tensions overseas have increased polarization in the United States as well, and in some cases have led to a rise in both Islamophobia and anti-semitism. This has resulted in an unsafe environment for many across the U.S. Last week, a six-year-old Palestinian-American boy was fatally stabbed in Chicago, with the assailant also seriously wounding his mother. Authorities determined that the attack was a direct result of the mother and son being Muslim. The FBI and police departments across the country are also boosting security as a precautionary measure amidst concern over increased threats of violence against Jewish and Muslim people.

This uneasy atmosphere has localized onto our campus. UC Davis has a recorded string of recent anti-semitic hate crimes and in a since-deleted post on X, a UC Davis faculty member encouraged violence against “zionist journalists,” stating that “they have houses [with] addresses, kids in school” and “they can fear their bosses, but they should fear us more.” At a recent ASUCD Senate meeting, there were reports of heightened tension, with community members choosing to go off the record during the public comment portion of the meeting. According to External Affairs Vice President Celene Aridin, the administration also called for “higher security measures” because of Students for Justice in Palestine’s attendance at the meeting.

It is completely understandable that students feel passionately about this topic. The events of the past few weeks, as well as the long and complex history between Israel and Palestine, have been triggering and horrifying for those who have ties to the region, and even for those who don’t. The Editorial Board acknowledges how deeply these events affect members of our community and beyond. 

That being said, it is absolutely critical that those who wish to protest, mourn or otherwise express their opinions about recent events be able to do so in a safe manner. As students, we are in the unique position of having access to a wide range of sources on historical context, as well as the personal experiences of a diverse campus. In order to foster a safe space for all who are processing the deep-rooted events of the past few weeks, it is imperative that we extend humanity to each other and support our community through mourning — no matter our views. 

At this stage in history, the world is deeply and intimately intertwined. It is not an option to turn a blind eye to crises simply because they are not taking place on our doorstep. The U.S. government has a long history of providing funding for Israel’s defense programs. According to the U.S. Department of State, Israel has received $3.4 billion in funding for missile defense from the U.S. since 2009. Even those of us physically removed from the conflict are involved via our governing bodies, whether we agree with it or not. 

The Editorial Board encourages everyone to actively listen to those who feel most directly affected by this violence. Practice critical media consumption and don’t be afraid to change your opinion or adopt a more nuanced approach as more information develops.

The Editorial Board believes that violence against civilians is never something to be celebrated. No matter the ends, there must always be the utmost degree of respect and care given to innocent casualties who, like many of us, are likely to have complicated, nuanced thoughts and feelings. We encourage students feeling affected by developments from this issue to seek support via on-campus resources or community support systems.

Written by: The Editorial Board    

A guide to finding a sustainable costume on a budget

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD

It’s that time of year again, and dressing up for Halloween has never been more difficult. Back in the day, you’d simply inform your parents that your only desire was to dress up as a ladybug for the third year in a row. Magically, your costume would appear on Oct. 31st, and after a night of trick-or-treating, you would be in bed by 9 p.m, only to repeat this cycle for all of your childhood years.

As a college student, Halloween has evolved into a four-day bender, where every night requires a costume more creative than the last. Nowadays, the question, “What are you going to be for Halloween?” cannot be asked without expecting a detailed monologue response, outlining the several different group, couple and individual costumes that have been in the works since at least August.

But what if it’s a week before Halloween and you have nothing but a few ideas requiring loads of spending or online shopping? Even worse, the expensive accessories and niche costume pieces will likely end up in a heap in your closet at the end of Halloweekend, acting only to take up precious space in your miniscule college closet. At this point, being a ladybug for the fourth time might not seem so bad.

Halloween can get expensive, and for some, it doesn’t seem worth the time or money. But there are ways to make your costume of the night inexpensively and without investing in pieces that are never going to be worn again. Some of the best costumes are born out of desperation.

Here are some of our tips for constructing a Halloween costume on the fly, on a budget and sustainably:

Raid your (or your friend’s) closet

We may not be taught to peruse our closets with the eye of a costume designer, however, many overlook the endless possibilities that lay in our very bedroom. All it takes is a little searching online for an iconic outfit from your favorite movie or TV show, and finding the adjacent clothing pieces in your own wardrobe. When in doubt, sending a mass text to your friends asking if they have the missing items that you need is always a viable option.

For example, Jennifer Coolidge’s character Tanya McQuoid from “The White Lotus” has several recognizable outfits in the show. To match her energy in a costume, all you need is a long and flowy dress, a scarf to wrap around your head and a pair of big sunglasses. Have an apron and a white t-shirt? Congratulations, you will easily pass as Carmy Berzatto from “The Bear.” If you or any of your friends have an old school uniform laying around, this can be repurposed for the titular role of “Lady Bird,” if accompanied by a bright pink piece of plastic wrapped around your arm to signify her cast.

If you are trying to take a bolder approach, open yourself up to the idea of digging through that donation bag in the back of your closet. All the clothes that you don’t wear because you have ruled out that they are simply not fitted for any occasion. This could be that old sleep shirt you have and those pants or shorts you thrifted that ended up being too big. Voila, you have an Adam Sandler dupe. If this doesn’t satisfy your needs, go bolder. Find that pair of sunglasses that you never wear and use a white marker to make the acclaimed Souija Boy sunglasses. Don’t feel pressured to be sexy for Halloween. This is the opportunity to cosplay anyone without getting judged for the character you choose to play. Go bold.

Thrift for the win

Let’s say that you want to be Sue Sylvester from “Glee” or Ted Lasso from “Ted Lasso,” but no one you know has a tracksuit. Take a quick trip to any of the local thrift stores in Davis, such as Bohème, Goodwill, the Yolo County SPCA or the Aggie Reuse Store on campus, and you are bound to find the costume pieces that you couldn’t find in your closet. Thrift stores are also a great place to hit if you have absolutely no costume ideas at all. During Halloween season, most thrift stores have an entire costume section where you can buy used costumes inexpensively and sustainably.

Colors go a long way 

Dressing up as something with a signature color is an easy way to achieve a recognizable costume. Don’t know where to start? The first step can be looking for a color that is abundant in your closet and going from there.

If you have a lot of purple, for instance, dressing up as McDonald’s Grimace is topical and effortless. Similarly, a Blue Man Group (or Tobias Funke) costume only requires blue face paint and an all-black outfit. Orange? Pumpkin. Pink? Dolores Umbridge. Any color? Power Ranger, characters from “Inside Out” or M&Ms. Once you start thinking like this, options are limitless.

Group costumes

Group costumes are the best way to make it look like there was a lot of effort put into your outfits (even if there wasn’t). While these costumes might take a little more effort to coordinate, the payoff is worth it. They make for a memorable photo op, and it can be fun to let your costume remain a mystery until you are standing alongside a group of friends. With this, there are many group costumes that are simple enough to find from the closet of you or your friends.

TV show and movie casts make for creative group costumes. For a group that loves pink, dressing up as all of the different barbies from the movie, “Barbie,” is simple, coordinated and vibrant. For a throwback moment, assign each of your friends a character from “Gossip Girl” and pick out everyday clothing that matches the preppy outfits from the show. For an animated movie moment, figure out which chipmunk from “Alvin and the Chipmunks” most embodies the aura of each of your friends, and dress accordingly.

Dressing up in a group also makes the more simple costumes fun. Choosing a farm animal to embody for the night will look like less of a last-minute costume if all of your friends are doing it too. The first step is to get your friends on board, and the next is to put your closets together in hopes of finding something that works for everyone.

Don’t be afraid to go niche

It’s okay if absolutely no one knows what you are for Halloween. Sometimes, it’s more fun that way. Dressing up as the infamous “couch guy” from TikTok requires solely a red t-shirt and gray sweatpants, and while you may have a lot of explaining to do, this deep cut will make for a crowd pleaser. If you want to go down the nostalgic route, dress up as The Amoeba Sisters with a friend—all you have to do is wear pink and purple. Once again, this may not be recognizable on the spot, but will likely ensure that your costume does not match anyone else’s on Halloween night.

It’s okay to be a ladybug again 

Finally, it’s important to remember that reusing costumes is not a bad thing. If anything, it’s the most cost-effective and sustainable option out there. Halloween happens only once a year, and the chance that everyone remembers what you were two years ago is slim. If it was a hit before, it’s surely going to be a hit now.

Written by: The Editorial Board