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¡Luces, Cámara, Acción! La Sociedad de Cine de Davis permite que los amantes del cine y los cineastas se expresen

Translation

The California Aggie

April 30, 2023

¡Luces, Cámara, Acción! La Sociedad de Cine de Davis permite que los amantes del cine y los cineastas se expresen

Los estudiantes de UC Davis se inspiraron en varias fuentes para hacer películas y contar historias de diferentes géneros

Escrito por Faith Demeulenaere — features@theaggie.org

Traducido por ERICK BARBOSA y PEDRO GARCÍA

Read this article in English.

La Sociedad de Cine de Davis (DFS) es una organización dirigida por estudiantes que ha causado sensación en el campus y más allá. La presidente del club, Sophie Martinez, estudiante de quinto año en la especialidad de Diseño, dijo que los estudiantes encuentran amigos y salidas creativas a través de DFS.

“Todos están buscando maneras de ayudarse mutuamente en sus proyectos personales y son cineastas extremadamente apasionados”, dijo Martinez. “Creo que DFS tiene que ver con aprender nuevas habilidades cinematográficas y desarrollar grandes historias juntos”.

Según Martinez, este club, que se enfoca en reunir a estudiantes que comparten la pasión por el cine, se ha convertido en un centro para la expresión creativa y la colaboración. A lo largo de los años, la Sociedad de Cine de Davis ha reunido multitud de cineastas y amantes del cine.

“Escribo guiones que siempre reflejan cosas que me suceden, pero que se traducen en personajes mucho más interesantes”, dijo Martinez. “Siempre me inspiran mis amigos y mi familia, quienes tienen un gran impacto en mi vida y, por lo tanto, en mis historias. No me gusta limitar mis escritos a un género específico, pero siempre les agrego comedia”.

Todos los aficionados del cine se inspiran en algunas de sus películas favoritas. Martinez prefiere Memento, Lady Bird, El viaje de Chihiro y Mulán.

“Mis películas favoritas siempre están cambiando, pero estas cuatro son realmente las que me enamoraron del cine”, dijo Martinez. “Mulán y El viaje de Chihiro están bellamente animadas y son muy nostálgicas, ya que crecí viéndolas todos los veranos con mi familia. […] Lady Bird es una película que resonó conmigo porque la vi en un momento en el que yo era muy similar a la protagonista, y Memento fue la primera película que me mostró que las historias pueden ser extrañas, desafiantes y aún así fascinantes”.

Alec Gossage, un estudiante de tercer año con doble especialidad en Cine y Medios Digitales y Comunicación y vicepresidente de la Sociedad de Cine de Davis, dijo que la mayoría de películas que lo inspiraron son alegres.

“Amo las películas divertidas”, dice Gossage. Zoolander, Cars 2 y Shrek 2 definitivamente son algunas de mis favoritas.

Gossage produce principalmente documentales, pero de acuerdo al Discord de la Sociedad de Cine de Davis, hay una multitud de oportunidades en el campus para que los cineastas expresen su creatividad, incluidas las transmisiones deportivas para el Departamento de Atletismo de UC Davis, la dirección creativa para proyectos de posgrado en Arte Dramático y la grabación de anuncios para negocios locales.

Algunos estudiantes optan por desarrollar sus propios cortometrajes independientemente, como Brian Kim, un estudiante de cuarto año con doble especialidad en Cine y Medios Digitales y Comunicación. Kim dijo que ha dirigido algunas películas de suspenso y afirmó que aunque son difíciles de producir, el producto final siempre vale la pena.

Sumeer Malik, un estudiante de cuarto año con doble especialidad en Psicología y Cine y Medios Digitales, dijo que su amor por las películas se extiende más allá de simplemente ser parte del club. Cita películas como Jaws, GoodFellas, Memories of Murder y Seven Samurai como algunas de sus favoritas de todos los tiempos, cada una de las cuales ha dejado un impacto significativo en él como cineasta.

“Creo que estas películas ejemplifican lo que el cine es capaz de provocar”, dice Malik. “Estas películas me han inspirado con su realización cinematográfica y le han dado forma a mi voz como narrador”.

Malik dijo que una de las cosas favoritas que observa en las películas es su poder de unir a la gente.

“Las películas unen a la gente”, dice Malik. “Es solo en esas dos horas en un cuarto oscuro en donde olvidamos nuestra raza y etnia, y estamos en una experiencia comunitaria compartida –eso me da esperanza”.

La Sociedad de Cine de Davis exhibirá su trabajo en su festival anual de cine el 2 de junio en el Museo Manetti Shrem.

Escrito por: Faith DeMeulenaere — features@theaggie.org

Traducido por: Erick Barbosa y Pedro García

Human Relations Commission hosts César Chávez Festival in Central Park

City News

The California Aggie

April 30, 2023

Human Relations Commission hosts César Chávez Festival in Central Park

The annual celebration highlighted workers’ voices

By ALMA CULVERWELL — city@theaggie.org

Lea este artículo en español.

On Saturday, April 22, the Davis Human Relations Commission held its annual César Chávez Festival in Central Park. This year, the festival focused on worker voices and labor campaigns and highlighted “Worker Unity Through All Professions.” The event included several speakers and performers like United Farm Workers and Peets United and the Bulosan Center.

The Davis Human Relations Commission first held this event in 2001 and has held it every year since with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They have showcased many performers and organizations throughout the years, including Mariachi Puente, the Davis Phoenix Coalition and Empower Yolo. Davis Mayor Will Arnold explained the reason for the celebration in a press release.

“The civil rights work of César Chávez and others still continues to this day,” Arnold said. “Social justice and community organizing are critical in promoting equity and diversity in our community. I hope everyone will join us to acknowledge and celebrate the important efforts of all those who work tirelessly toward equal rights and opportunities.”

Carrie Dyer, community relations program manager for the city of Davis, discussed the event.

“Recognizing the agricultural roots that Davis has and the important voice the César Chávez carried in speaking for those who may not be able to, the Human Relations Commission felt it was important to recognize the efforts of César Chávez and all those who worked alongside him,” Dyer said. “Those efforts continue today and the commission strives to acknowledge those who […] work towards equal rights and opportunities.”

Dyer reflected on the Davis Human Relations Council’s Mission and the impact it strives to have on the Davis community.

“The function of the Human Relations Commission is to promote mutual respect, understanding and acceptance among all people,” Dyer said. “Community events such as the César Chávez Celebration and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration amplify the commission’s efforts to build a community where diverse people are valued by all.”

Antonio De Loera-Brust, media coordinator for United Farm Workers talked about the significance of the festival.

“César Chávez’s mission of unionizing agricultural workers is as relevant today as it was 60 years ago,” De Loera-Brust said. “As we saw during the pandemic, farm workers in California are the essential human link in our food supply chain, there would be no food on our tables without them. That’s just one of the reasons why farm workers deserve to live dignified lives, with good wages, safe working conditions, and union representation. The UFW’s fight is not just something to read about in history books. It’s an active fight, happening across California right now. I urge my fellow Davisites to get involved as best they can.”

Written by: Alma Culverwell — city@theaggie.org

Davis presenta el Festival anual César Chávez en Central Park

Translation

The California Aggie

April 30, 2023

Davis presenta el Festival anual César Chávez en Central Park

La Comisión de Relaciones Humanas de Davis organizó la celebración anual de César Chávez en Central Park destacando las voces de los trabajadores

Por ALMA CULVERWELL — city@theaggie.org

Traducido por ERENDIRA ARELLANO COMINO y YOMIRA GUTIÉRREZ

Read this article in English.

El sábado 22 de abril, la Comisión de Relaciones Humanas de Davis organizó el Festival anual César Chávez en Central Park. Este año el festival se enfocó en las voces de los trabajadores y las campañas laborales, y proclamó “La unión de los trabajadores en todas las profesiones”. Se presentaron múltiples oradores y artistas, incluidos United Farm Workers, Bulosan Center y Peets United.

La Comisión de Relaciones Humanas de Davis organizó este evento por primera vez en 2001 y lo ha organizado cada año con la excepción de 2020 por la pandemia de COVID-19. Se han presentado diversos artistas y organizaciones a lo largo de los años, incluidos Mariachi Puente, Davis Phoenix Coalition y Empower Yolo.

El alcalde de Davis, Will Arnold, explicó las sensaciones alrededor de la celebración en un comunicado de prensa. “El trabajo que hicieron César Chávez y otros para los Derechos Civiles continúa actualmente”, dice Arnold. “La justicia social y la organización comunitaria son fundamentales para promover la equidad y diversidad en nuestra comunidad. Espero que todos nos unamos para reconocer y celebrar los esfuerzos importantes de todos los que trabajan incansablemente en pos de la igualdad de derechos y oportunidades”.

Carrie Dyer, gerente del programa de Relaciones Comunitarias de la ciudad de Davis, habló sobre su perspectiva del evento y cómo se relaciona específicamente con Davis.

“Reconociendo las raíces agrícolas de Davis y la importancia de la voz de César Chávez al hablar por aquellos que no pueden hacerlo, la Comisión de Relaciones Humanas sintió que era importante reconocer los esfuerzos de César Chávez y todos aquellos que trabajaron junto a él,” dijo Dyer. “Esos esfuerzos continúan hoy en día, y la Comisión se esfuerza por reconocer a aquellos que trabajaron junto a él y aquellos que trabajan por la igualdad de derechos y oportunidades.”

Dyer reflexionó sobre la misión de la Comisión de Relaciones Humanas de Davis y el impacto que esperan tener en la comunidad de Davis.

“La función de la Comisión de Relaciones Humanas es promover el respeto mutuo, la comprensión y la aceptación entre todas las personas,” dijo Dyer. “Eventos comunitarios como la celebración de César Chávez y la celebración del Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. amplifican los esfuerzos de la Comisión para construir una comunidad donde las diversas personas sean valoradas por todos.”

Escrito por: Alma Culverwell — city@theaggie.org

Traducido por: Erendira Arellano Comino y Yomira Gutiérrez

Homicide victim at Sycamore Park identified as UC Davis student Karim Abou Najm

The California Aggie

April 30, 2023

Homicide victim at Sycamore Park identified as UC Davis student Karim Abou Najm

The stabbing was the second in less than four days in Davis

By CHRIS PONCE — city@theaggie.org

The victim of the homicide at Sycamore Park has been identified by authorities as UC Davis student, Karim Abou Najm according to the Davis Enterprise.

The second homicide was reported last night by the Davis Police Department. According to a statement, on Saturday, April 29, at approximately 9:14 p.m., a resident reported hearing a disturbance at Sycamore Park on Sycamore Lane near Colby Drive. The resident went to investigate the disturbance and found an adult male with multiple stab wounds.

Police and the Davis Fire Department reported to the scene and upon arrival, they declared the victim deceased. The news of the homicide comes less than four days after the stabbing of community member David Henry Breaux, who was known as the “Compassion Guy.” Investigators have yet to determine if the crimes are linked.

Authorities have released a description of a suspect in the Sycamore Park stabbing.

“The Davis Police Department, with the support of other Yolo County law enforcement agencies, searched the area for the suspect who is described as a light-skinned male, possibly Hispanic, 5’-7” to 5’-8” tall, 19-23 years of age, with long curly loose hair,” Davis Police’s statement said. “He was last seen wearing a white hat, a light-colored T-shirt, and a button-up shirt over it, and riding a men’s bike with straight handlebars. The suspect has not been located.”

While a person of interest was placed into custody for unrelated charges, there are no “solid leads” regarding a suspect for the Central Park homicide according to an interview by The Davis Enterprise with Davis Police Chief Darren Pytel.

According to the interview, Davis police will investigate the cases as if they are “linked.” Pytel also described the homicides as being done in a “brutal manner.”

Police have warned the community to be vigilant and take precautions at this time. The Davis Police Department has asked that anyone who was at Sycamore Park from 8:30.-9:30 p.m. last night, has surveillance cameras facing Sycamore Lane or has seen anyone matching the suspect description or acting suspicious contact them immediately.

The Davis Police Department can be reached at 530-747-5400 or policeweb@cityofdavis.org. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous can call at 530-747-5460.

This story is developing, check back for updates. Last updated: 3:47 p.m.

Written By: Chris Ponce — city@theaggie.org

Muslim students speak about observing Ramadan during Picnic Day

Features

April 30, 2023

Muslim students speak about observing Ramadan during Picnic Day

Students from UC Davis’s Muslim community share their experiences balancing their faith and participating in campus events

By MIA BALTIERRA — features@theaggie.org

Muslim students at UC Davis practice Ramadan as a time of reflection and strength supported by community, yet some find it difficult to navigate their observance of faith with academic life and events like Picnic Day.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, a period of fasting and charity in which Muslims across the globe participate. It is revered as one of the holiest months of the year, and practicing Ramadan is considered fulfillment of one of the Five Pillars of Islam.

A main component of observing Ramadan, fasting, includes refraining from all food and drink from sunrise to sunset. The meal before sunrise is called Suhoor and the meal after sunset is called Iftar.

“Lots of people may think, ‘Oh you’re starving yourself for 30 days; I don’t know how you can do that,’ but it’s way more than that,” said Ariana Tahmas, a fourth-year international relations and communication double major. “It is a way of [practicing] self-discipline while also connecting to your faith and proving to yourself if you are able to abstain from eating and drinking, […] that you are able to control yourself from other pleasures in this world. […] We call [it] dunyā, so it is a way of protecting our dīn, our morals and faith.”

At the end of the month, Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr where they break fast for a final time and come together to celebrate their strength and accomplishments of the past month.

Aleeza Khan, a third-year economics and Middle East/South Asia studies double major, shared her experience observing Ramadan at Davis.

“It’s different; at home, it’s a lot more community-based,” Khan said. “I do both [Suhoor and Iftar] with my family. We often go to other houses to eat Iftar together and we pray at the Mosque a lot. In Davis, I don’t have Muslim roommates. My non-Muslim roommates are really cool, sometimes they fast with me, but overall it’s a little more isolating; I do a lot more stuff on my own.”

The exact dates on which Ramadan falls change every year, as it follows the lunar calendar.

“The traditional method is to see the moon sighting to start Ramadan and look at the moon again to determine the end of Ramadan,” Khan said.

This year Ramadan began on March 22 and ended on April 21. While the dates of Ramadan change, for the past several years, it has landed during a period when many major campus events occur, like Picnic Day.

Picnic Day is anticipated by many, as a time to roam campus with friends in the sunny April weather, buy food from food trucks and visit exhibits. Partying is another common component associated with the UC Davis event.

Many Muslims feel their observance of Ramadan prevents them from participating in these activities.

“I wanted to have fun with my friends and experience Picnic Day, but fasting and not even being able to drink anything was really difficult because you are walking around all day and it’s a lot of exertion, so you just get tired really easily,” Khan said. “All my friends got to get lunch from the food trucks and try out the nitrogen ice cream, and you go along and have a good time, but you miss out on some things because of [Ramadan].”

Some students believe that the school should move the date of Picnic Day altogether, as the dates of Ramadan are known beforehand every year. For instance, this year’s Picnic Day was celebrated on April 15, only a mere six days before the end of Ramadan.

“If they moved it two weeks later,” Khan said, “we would have been able to do everything everyone else was doing.”

Still, not all Muslim students feel their Picnic Day experience was hindered by their observance of Ramadan, such as Jannat Ashfaq, a third-year microbiology major.

“I had all these friends around me who were accommodating and we did all these other things together, and when they did want to drink, I had alternate activities because of my amazing clubs here,” Ashfaq said. “The Pakistani Student Association and the Muslim Student Association [MSA] had a lot of activities to be involved in. We had an Iftar in the evening. Everyone got food, we got dessert after [and] it was fun.”

Tahmas said her Picnic Day experience was also spent with Muslim community members off-campus.

“This year we had a student-led group called Project Rahman from the Muslim community,” Tahmas said. “One of the leaders put together an event at Colleges at La Rue where we bagged a bunch of meals for the homeless. We went to an area in Sacramento with a large homeless population. We handed out around 200 [meals].”

Tahmas emphasized the important role the community has played in her positive experiences practicing Ramadan, even during events like Picnic Day.

“On campus, I’ve developed such a beautiful community, especially at the Islamic center, with the MSA on campus and even just with my ethnic background,” Tahmas said. “It’s cool to come in congregation and be able to practice faith with one another and know that you are not alone on campus, so I think that’s really amazing.”

While Muslim students shared varying Picnic Day experiences, many still hope the school will take religious holidays into further consideration when planning campus events.

According to Ashfaq, accommodations for Muslim students are open during campus events, such as the reflection room, a multi-faith room for students to practice their faith in, located in the Cross Cultural Center on campus.

“It is kind of in a corner, so I think it would have been nice if they advertised it or made a sign saying you can go here,” Ashfaq said. “I know they post a lot about Picnic Day, if in one of those posts they could maybe post about accommodations like the reflection room, it would be nice. We have a pronounced Muslim community here, and if they could advertise it on a day like this, it would probably mean the world to a lot of Muslims.”

Written by: Mia Baltierra — features@theaggie.org

What You Need to Know About the 2023 NFL Draft

Sports

The California Aggie

April 30, 2023

What You Need to Know About the 2023 NFL Draft

The NFL draft is where dreams come true for college prospects

By PATRICK FIGUEROA — sports@theaggie.org

After months of anticipation, the 2023 NFL Draft begins on April 27. The annual event is often filled with uncertainty, and this year is no different. It is an opportunity for teams to either turn their franchises around, continue their successes or set themselves back for several years. Many believe that the 2023 draft class lacks true blue-chip prospects, but it does have incredible depth, which means there will certainly be difference-makers drafted in the later rounds.

An emerging QB1, uncertainty elsewhere

University of Alabama quarterback (QB) Bryce Young has emerged as the favorite for the first overall pick by the Carolina Panthers. After visiting the Panthers and the Houston Texans, who have the second overall pick, Young canceled his pre-draft visits with other teams. Vegas Insider has Young as the clear favorite to be selected first overall, but if he is not, the Texans are likely to pick him second overall.

For the other top quarterbacks in this class — Ohio State University QB CJ Stroud, the University of Florida QB Anthony Richardson and the University of Kentucky QB Will Levis — there is no certainty as to where they will land. If Young is gone, the Texans may pick a premium defensive player rather than a QB with their second overall pick. With an abundance of draft capital, including the 12th overall pick, the Texans could then trade back into the top 10 to get a QB a few picks later.

Currently, Richardson is the favorite to be drafted third overall, but the Arizona Cardinals possess that pick. They agreed to a large contract extension for current QB Kyler Murray last year, so another team would have to make a trade to acquire Richardson. One team rumored to have an interest is the Tennessee Titans, who currently possess the 11th overall pick.

The Indianapolis Colts have the fourth overall pick, and there have been rumors that they favor Levis. Still, this could be complicated if Stroud is available as well. Regardless, the Colts are expected to take a QB with their first pick in order to solve the QB carousel that has plagued their team for years — in the past five years, the Colts have had a different QB to start each season.

Premium defensive talent

At the top of this draft class, there are also some incredible defensive players: the University of Alabama EDGE Will Anderson Jr., the University of Georgia IDL Jalen Carter, Texas Tech University EDGE Tyree Wilson, University of Illinois DB Devon Witherspoon and University of Oregon DB Christian Gonzalez. Among these defenders, the expectation is that Anderson will be chosen first. He is predicted to be drafted as early as the second overall pick and no later than the fifth overall pick, which belongs to the Seattle Seahawks.

Carter is one of the most uncertain players in this entire class. While he may be the most talented in the draft class and is expected to be among the first 10 picks, there have been several teams to remove him from their draft boards because of off-the-field concerns.

Wilson is a very talented and lengthy edge rusher; NFL Network Draft analyst Lance Zierlein slated him as the second overall pick in a recent mock draft. Witherspoon is the favorite to be the first defensive back (DB) picked this year, as rumors suggest that the Lions will pick him sixth overall. Meanwhile, fellow DB Christian Gonzalez is another talented player and will likely be among the first 10 picks.

Who has the most at stake in this year’s draft?

The Panthers, Texans and Colts are picking early and need to acquire players that they can build their rosters around — especially since they are all expected to draft QBs. The Chicago Bears and the Detroit Lions also need to capitalize on the draft to progress in their rebuilds.

The Bears received a lot of draft capital after trading the first overall pick to the Panthers. In return, they get the Panthers’ 2023 first- and second-round pick, 2024 first-round pick and 2025 second-round pick. Despite adding some talent during free agency, the Bears’ roster is still lackluster. They need to fill holes in several positions in their offensive and defensive lines if they want to improve from last season, in which they had the worst record in the NFL.

The Lions narrowly missed the playoffs last season and have improved during the last two seasons under Head Coach Dan Campbell and General Manager Brad Holmes. They are well positioned in the 2023 draft, having two first-round picks and two second-round picks this year. With those picks, they will likely be looking to address potential areas of weakness, such as the defensive and offensive lines, and could also select a QB if they want to upgrade from current QB Jared Goff.

A note on Aaron Rodgers

Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers continues to dominate the headlines this off-season. In early March, it seemed like his time in Green Bay was over. On the Pat McAfee Show, he announced that he intended to play for the New York Jets in the upcoming season, which meant that the Packers would have to trade him during the offseason as his contract was yet to expire.

Now over a month later, Rodgers has yet to be traded. According to ESPN reporter Adam Schefter, day two of the NFL Draft is the “soft deadline” for a trade like this to happen. The Jets have two second-round picks, the 42nd and 43rd overall picks, which will most likely be involved in the trade so that the Packers can build around young QB Jordan Love. If a trade does not come to fruition before the draft begins, NFL fans will have to watch out for one during the draft.

In the words of California Aggie alum Omar Navarro, the draft is best characterized by the phrase “expect the unexpected.” It only takes one team to make an out-of-the-blue trade or pick to change the draft’s landscape. It is a pivotal event that will have ripple effects for the next 10 years of NFL action, and it begins on April 27, when Commissioner Roger Goodell will say: “The Carolina Panthers are on the clock.”

Written by: Patrick Figueroa — sports@theaggie.org

Davis ranks 15th healthiest college town in the U.S.

The California Aggie

April 30, 2023

Davis ranks 15th healthiest college town in the U.S.

The study from Broke Scholar included physical, mental and social health factors to determine the healthiest college towns for students

By KAYA DO-KHANH — campus@theaggie.org

Lea este artículo en español.

On Feb. 7, UC Davis was ranked the 15th healthiest college town out of 148 cities that are home to the nation’s top four-year public universities. The study, done by Broke Scholar, sought to identify the healthiest college towns for Gen Z university students.

“We looked at America’s top college towns to see which ones backed students with the resources needed to thrive, both physically and mentally,” said Dr. Jessica Sharem, who was heavily involved in the project.

Davis was one of the six college towns in California to rank in the top 25 healthiest college towns. Berkeley was ranked third, Santa Cruz eighth, Fullerton 13th, San Francisco 20th and Irvine 24th.

The researchers of the study looked at three categories to determine the healthiest college towns in America: physical, mental and social health measures. Davis’s physical health score was 7.4 out of 10, based on factors ranging from percentages of binge drinking to adequate sleep. These data, according to the methodology section of the study, was collected using county health rankings.

In Yolo County, 33% of adults reported getting less than seven hours of sleep per night on average, according to the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps program (CHR&R). In regards to excessive drinking in Yolo County, 19% of adults reported binge or heavy drinking. Additional physical health factors that were analyzed for the study include the concentration of fitness centers and the frequency of walking and biking.

“I am not surprised that we rank high on physical wellness as we have implemented many programs to supplement our already bike- and pedestrian-friendly Davis campus and city of Davis and strong Health Education and Promotion department,” said co-lead of the Healthy UC Davis Steering Committee Stacey Brezing via email.

The Healthy UC Davis initiative is made up of a steering committee that offers support and resources to members of the UC Davis community to “help them live healthier lives,” according to their website. One of the programs led by Healthy UC Davis includes Active Aggies Mobile, which is intended to make engaging in physical activity simpler by creating more workout classes around campus in places other than the ARC.

“Healthy UC Davis aims to make the University of California ‘the healthiest place to live, work and learn’ by investing in meaningful shifts in our environment that produce a lasting culture of health and well-being for the entire UC community,” said the Coordinator of the Living Well Program for Campus Recreation Eric Chen via email.

For the category of mental health, Davis scored a 2.7, which is based on factors such as the number of residents reporting poor mental health days and the concentration of meditation and yoga studios. The category of environment and community health, in which Davis scored a 3.7, was based on factors such as access to natural grocery stores and farmers markets.

“Our Campus Recreation motto is ‘Come As You Are,’” Chen said. “We are welcoming to all and promote inclusive programs and healthy messaging like our nutrition seminars along with things from our partners on campus such as the Helmet Hair Don’t Care or Body inclusivity projects.”

Written by: Kaya Do-Khanh — campus@theaggie.org

Davis ocupa el puesto 15 de ciudades universitarias más saludables en Estados Unidos

Translation

The California Aggie

April 30, 2023

Davis ocupa el puesto 15 de ciudades universitarias más saludables en Estados Unidos

El estudio de Broke Scholar incluyó factores de salud física, mental y social para determinar las ciudades universitarias más saludables para los estudiantes

Por KAYA DO-KHANH — campus@theaggie.org

Traducido por: JOSÉ HERNANDEZ

Read this article in English.

El 7 de febrero, UC Davis fue puesta como la decimoquinta ciudad universitaria más saludable entre 148 ciudades que son hogar de las mejores universidades públicas de cuatro años del país. El estudio, hecho por Broke Scholar, buscó identificar las ciudades universitarias más saludables para los estudiantes universitarios de la Generación Z.

“Observamos a las mejores ciudades universitarias de América para ver cuales apoyaban a los estudiantes con los recursos necesarios para prosperar, físicamente y mentalmente,” dijo la Dr. Jessica Sharem, quien estuvo fuertemente involucrada en el proyecto.

Davis fue una de las seis ciudades universitarias en California en estar entre las 25 universidades más saludables. Berkeley fue puesta en el tercer lugar, Santa Cruz octavo puesto, Fullerton décimo tercer lugar, San Francisco vigésimo puesto e Irvine vigésimo cuarto lugar.

Los investigadores del estudio miraron tres categorías para determinar las ciudades universitarias más saludables en América: medidas físicas, mentales y salud social. El puntaje para la salud física de Davis fue 7.4 de 10, basado en factores que van de porcentajes de consumo excesivo de alcohol a sueño adecuado. Estos datos, de acuerdo con la sección de metodología, fueron recogidos usando las clasificaciones de salud del condado.

En el condado de Yolo, el 33% de los adultos reportaron que dormían menos de siete horas, de acuerdo con “County Health Rankings and Roadmaps program” (CHR&R).

Con respecto al consumo excesivo de alcohol en el condado de Yolo, el 19% de los adultos reportaron consumo excesivo de alcohol. Adicionalmente, factores de salud física que fueron analizados para el estudio incluye la concentración de gimnasios y la frecuencia de caminar y andar en bicicleta.

“No estoy sorprendido que ocupamos un puesto alto en bienestar físico ya que hemos implementado muchos programas para suplementar nuestro amable campus y ciudad de ciclistas y peatones y un programa fuerte de salud educacional y departamento de promoción,” dijo Stacey Brezing, codirectora del Comité Directivo de “Healthy UC Davis” por correo electrónico.

La iniciativa de “Healthy UC Davis” está formada por un comité de dirección que ofrece apoyo y recursos a miembros de la comunidad de UC Davis para “ayudarlos a vivir sus vidas más saludables,” de acuerdo con su sitio web. Uno de los programas dirigido por “Healthy UC Davis” incluye “Active Aggies Mobile” que tiene el objetivo de simplificar la práctica de actividad física creando más clases de ejercicio alrededor del campus en lugares que no sean el ARC.

“‘Healthy UC Davis’ busca hacer de la Universidad de California ‘el lugar más saludable para vivir, trabajar y aprender’ invirtiendo en cambios significativos en nuestro entorno que produzcan una cultura duradera de salud y bienestar para toda la comunidad UC,” dijo el coordinador de “Living Well Program” para la recreación del campus Eric Chen a través de correo electrónico.

Para la categoría de salud mental, Davis obtuvo un 2.7 que está basado en factores tales como el número de residentes reportando días de pobre salud mental y la concentración de meditación y estudios de yoga. La categoría de entorno y comunidad saludable, en el cual Davis reportó un 3.7, estaba basado en factores como el acceso a tiendas de comestibles naturales y mercados de agricultores.

“Nuestro lema de Recreación del Campus es ‘Ven tal como eres,’” dijo Chen. “Damos la bienvenida a todos y promovemos programas inclusivos y mensajes saludables como nuestro seminario de nutrición junto con cosas de nuestros compañeros en el campus tal como el ‘Helmet Hair Don’t Care’ o proyectos de inclusión corporal.”

Escrito por: Kaya- Do-Khanh — campus@theaggie.org

Traducido por: José Hernandez

Aggies fall short in overtime on senior day

The California Aggie

April 29, 2023

Aggies fall short in overtime on senior day

UC Davis women’s water polo hosts last home game before Big West Conference Tournament

By ELOISE ENGS — sports@theaggie.org

On April 15, the UC Davis women’s water polo team hosted their last home game of the season against Long Beach State. The game was also the Aggies’ senior day where seven seniors were celebrated for their contributions to the team throughout the years. The game was close throughout the four quarters. After a tie at the end of regular play, the game went to overtime, in which the Aggies were defeated by one goal.

UC Davis went into their final home game ranked No. 10 in the conference rankings. They faced a strong offensive team, Long Beach State, who was ranked No. 6. The Aggies started off strong, gaining a a 4-1 lead by the end of the first quarter. Sixth-year graduate student and captain Ally Clague scored two of those goals.

“After the first quarter, the team and myself were feeling extremely pumped,” Clague said. “Especially because Long Beach State plays fast and physical, our goal going into this game was to set the tone in the first quarter and control the flow.”

Clague continued, “Long Beach is having a strong season, just coming off of a big win against Cal [Berkeley]. For us to go out and dominate them in the first quarter was a huge morale boost. We were not having the perfect game, and mistakes were made even in the first quarter offensively and defensively, but being in control of the momentum put us in a great position to win the game.”

The Aggies maintained their lead in the waning minutes of the first half, and to close out the second quarter, fourth-year center Noëlle Wijnbelt scored the Aggies’ fifth goal.

“Going into the second half we all really had to keep our composure and remember that we still had a whole second half to go,” Wijnbelt said. “There is always excitement when you’re up against a team that is ranked higher than you, but we just had to remember to focus on our defense first and then capitalize on offense.”

After Long Beach State won the sprint at the beginning of the third quarter, the Beach made a comeback, bringing the score to 6-5 in favor of the Aggies. With six minutes left in the third quarter, Clague responded with a goal, making the score 7-5. The score was back and forth throughout the middle of the third quarter, with UC Davis’s second-year attacker Kelly Hungerford scoring the Aggies’ eighth goal. Long Beach answered back in the final three minutes of the third quarter, scoring three goals and putting them ahead of the Aggies 8-9. With 13 seconds left in the third quarter, the Aggies tied the game.

“The team’s momentum did not shift after Long Beach State’s goals in the third quarter because I knew we could still win,” Hungerford said. “I think the team was still confident because in a sport like water polo, you have to have confidence if you want to dominate the other team. You also need to show confidence for your team, to show them that you still feel like the game is winnable.”

The Aggies’ confidence was running high going into the last quarter of the game. The fourth quarter started off slow, without a single point scored until the final two-and-a-half minutes of the quarter. Hungerford assisted sixth-year graduate student and attacker Alyssa Lengtat to put the Aggies up by one on a power play. However, on Long Beach State’s next possession, they successfully tied the score, sending the game into overtime.

“I am the type of player who brings energy and gives it all I have while I am in a game,” Clague said. “I always tell my team that we need to ‘leave it all in the pool.’ During the team meeting before overtime, our coach, Kandace Waldthaler, gave corrections and words of encouragement and then I led us in our team cheer.”

The overtime consisted of two quarters. In the first, not a single player appeared on the score sheet until the final eight seconds, when Long Beach State scored.

Twenty-five seconds into the final overtime quarter, Wijnbelt tied the score with an even-strength shot.

“I think the goal got everyone excited and made us remember that we were still in the game and we needed to get a stop on the defensive end,” Wijnbelt said. “My goal was a team effort and I would not have gotten that goal without the initial counter-attack to offense as well as the pass that turned into a goal for us.”

Following Wijnbelt’s heroic shot to tie the game, both teams kept the game leveled, each scoring another goal. With only five seconds left in the game, Long Beach State drew an exclusion, resulting in a powerplay goal that put them up by one and ended the game 12-13.

“We all played really well, which is a good feeling heading into the last individual conference game in Hawaii and then the conference championships. Of course, it is not fun to lose, but we all played really well, and we were on the same page for the whole game, which, in my opinion, is a better way to lose,” Wijnbelt said. “I think we are all really excited for the last few games, and this game definitely set us in a cohesive and confident mindset to potentially play Long Beach again.”

Following the game, the senior day ceremony took place, recognizing Clague, Makenna Ferguson, Lengtat, Sophia Noble, Morgan Polterock, Wijnbelt and Hailey Williams.

“There were a lot of emotions surrounding our final home game of the season, especially for the seniors,” Clague said. “I am a high-energy player, so the excitement surrounding senior day and Picnic Day with lots of fans and alumni coming to cheer us on played to my strengths.”

With high emotions and intensity during and after the last home game, the UC Davis Aggies are looking forward to traveling to Hawaii for their last game before their Big West Conference Championship in Santa Barbara during the weekend of April 28.

“After seeing the team’s performance against Long Beach on Saturday, I am even more confident and excited for the conference tournament taking place next weekend,” Clague said. “We are peaking as a team at just the right time, and I look forward to our next match.”

Written by: Eloise Engs — sports@theaggie.org

Teachers, activists, residents rally for trans youth following anti-trans speaker event

Uncategorized

The California Aggie

April 28, 2023

Teachers, activists, residents rally for trans youth following anti-trans speaker event

Members of the Davis community, Davis Phoenix Coalition held a protest in opposition to event at Mary L. Stephens Davis Library

By MADELEINE YOUNG AND CHRIS PONCE — city@theaggie.org

Content Warning: This article contains discussions of transphobia and suicide

On April 22, members of the Davis Phoenix Coalition, as well as parents, teachers and other Davis residents gathered to protest in opposition to a speaker event featuring Dr. Colin Wright at the Mary L. Stephens Davis Library. The speaker event, which was titled “The Biology of Sex and Gender Curricula in CA Public Schools,” sparked controversy amongst many in Davis who believe it was a transphobic event.

Among those protesting was Rachel Warren, a scientist and engineer from Davis. As a scientist, Warren shared her reaction to Wright and the event.

“There’s no place in Davis for right-wing transphobia and misinformation,” Warren said. “And using science as a pretext for bigotry and fascism is just plain wrong. As a scientist, I denounce that. A pseudoscientist and entomologist has no credentials to be speaking to whether or not gender and sex are binary or nonbinary. And the science shows that it’s a spectrum. And if he [Wright] was a true scientist, he would know that.”

Wright is an entomologist and according to his website, an evolutionary biologist. The event was hosted by Yolo County Moms for Liberty, an organization that advocates for “parental rights.” Yolo County Moms for Liberty invited Wright to speak about his belief that there is no distinction between sex and gender. On April 21, Wright stated on Twitter that gender ideology is “harmful” and that activists tried to cancel his event.

“Activists in Davis have attempted (and failed) to get my event canceled, and are now planning to protest my talk on the biology of sex and the harms of gender ideology,” Wright tweeted. “They refer to me as an ‘anti-trans speaker’ and call my talk a ‘message of hate.’”

Anoosh Jorjorian, an organizer of the protest and the director of Yolo Rainbow Families, discussed recent anti-trans movements in Yolo County and the organization Yolo County Moms for Liberty.

“Moms for Liberty is a national organization that has been primarily pro-censorship,” Jorjorian said. “So they are trying to eliminate books about the LGBTQ+ community and books about anti-racism, anything that challenges the ‘Make America Great Again’ narrative. And this chapter in Yolo County seems to have been started specifically for anti-trans activities.”

Solidarity Action Yolo is a new project started by the Davis Phoenix Coalition with the intent of supporting marginalized communities in Yolo County, according to Jorjorian.

“Davis Phoenix Coalition recently started a project called ‘Solidarity Action Yolo,’” Jorjorian said. “This is a listserv for community members of this area. Whenever our marginalized communities are under attack, whether it’s the LGBTQ+ community, our immigrant community [or] a Black Lives Matter incident, then we rally the community to help support those marginalized communities.”

Among those protesting in support of trans youth was Beth Ochsner, a fourth-grade teacher in Davis, who stated why teaching kids that there is only one gender binary is detrimental to students.

“I think it’s really important that trans kids know that there’s support for them and [we don’t believe the] pseudoscience that there is only one gender binary,” Ochsner said. “I feel like it’s important to really understand that when trans people aren’t supported, they are much more likely to commit suicide and so trans lives are literally on the line.”

Written By: Madeleine Young and Chris Ponce — city@theaggie.org Davis Phoenix Coalition Davis Queer Teen Group Yolo Rainbow Families

Utilize the new pay-as-you-can AggieEats food truck

The California Aggie

April 28, 2023

Utilize the new pay-as-you-can AggieEats food truck

The first-of-its-kind initiative is a groundbreaking way to combat on-campus food insecurity

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD

Since April 17, the Aggie Compass Basic Need Center’s new AggieEats food truck has been on campus serving lunch five days a week. The pay-as-you-can program is designed to “increase student access to delicious, nutritious, healthy food and other basic needs resources,” according to its website.

In 2020, the UC Undergraduate Experience Survey found that 42% of UC Davis students have experienced times of low to very low food security. AggieEats was created to address this issue by providing food to students who might be unable to afford it at any given time — or who simply find themselves stuck on campus and hungry.

To some, this might sound too good to be true, but it’s not! Access to fresh, yummy food at prices that are manageable is definitely not the norm, but it should be. The Editorial Board commends this novel initiative and encourages you to take advantage of and raise awareness about it so that other schools and communities might adopt similar programs.

Even if you don’t feel that you “need” to use the truck — maybe you have AggieCash set to expire in June or the walk from SciLec to the CoHo between classes seems manageable — it’s a resource that Aggie Compass has created for all students, and you should use it. How much you choose to pay for your meal is anonymous, and purchasing a low-cost or free meal from AggieEats both normalizes using the program and shows UC Davis that it is well-received and in demand.

If you aren’t on campus at lunchtime or prefer to bring lunch from home but feel that you could benefit from food security support in another way, there are other resources on campus that are available to students. The Pantry, an ASUCD unit, provides free produce, shelf-stable food goods and more, and is open in the MU and online seven days a week. They also host a Mobile Pantry by the Silo every Tuesday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. “Fruit and Veggie Up!” offers free produce from the Student Farm on Mondays from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and Wednesdays from 1-3 p.m. on the Quad.

“Freedges” located around campus — both at the Silo and MU — as well as in downtown Davis are also available for anyone to donate food to or take food from as needed. The Freedge program is funded by The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) and is yet another reason to vote on the TGIF Fee Referendum measure on the ASUCD spring election ballot. Voting closes on Friday, April 28 at 8 p.m., and TGIF not only needs to get a majority of votes in favor of renewal, but also hit 20% voter turnout to pass. Voting for TGIF’s fee referendum is a free and easy way to help ensure the Freedge program and others like it are able to continue at UC Davis.

Beyond voting, utilizing the resources listed above and spreading the word about their availability, you can also help support campus food security in other ways. If you want to volunteer your time, the Pantry and the Student Farm are both run almost entirely by students. Or, if you do find yourself in a position to pay for a lunch on campus, do so at the AggieEats truck! It will be open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at various campus locations, listed here. Having a filling, nutritious meal during the day is something we should all have access to, and the AggieEats truck is making it possible for 500 more students on our campus every weekday.

Written by: The Editorial Board

A preview of Lawntopia 2023, UC Davis’s spring quarter live music event

Arts & Culture

The California Aggie

April 28, 2023

A preview of Lawntopia 2023, UC Davis’s spring quarter live music event

The event will feature Isaiah Rashad, Ladies First DJ Club and Byemilo, among others

By CORALIE LOON — arts@theaggie.org

Lawntopia, the ASUCD Entertainment Council’s (EC) annual live-music event, will be hosted this Friday, April 28 from 7-10 p.m. at Dairy Field. This is a different location from previous years when the event was held on the UC Davis Quad. The EC’s biggest Spring Quarter production is something you won’t want to miss.

This year, American rapper Isaiah Rashad will be headlining. Siya Pun, the volunteer director of the Entertainment Council, says the EC is extremely excited about this event.

“In the early 2000s we had Drake, Kendrick, Flume, a lot of big artists featured at Davis,” Pun said. “So we’re really excited about this one. We’ve been working on this event for months.”

Although many are looking forward to Isaiah Rashad’s appearance on the UC Davis campus (and rightfully so), this year’s list of openers provides plenty of reasons to get excited.

Lawntopia 2023 will also feature Ladies First DJ Club, a DJ collective centered around women DJs and helping women gain more experience and exposure in the music industry. The collective’s members Soulflower Rey and DJ Jazzy, who also opened for pop artist Raveena at EC’s winter quarter event, Brainfreeze, will be performing.

Singer and rapper Byemilo, who has performed at one of the EC’s Local Limelight events, will also be returning to the stage for Lawntopia 2023.

This year’s lineup is guaranteed to be a good time, and Pun encourages everyone to support all of the featured artists, not just the headliner.

“They’re all really great,” Pun stated. “The headliner is really great. But please do show up for our openers, because we’re really excited about having them and we want to show them our students’ appreciation.”

Lawntopia is an entirely student-run event, organized by the EC and produced by student volunteers. After months of planning and volunteer work, the event will be a fun opportunity to burn off some steam while supporting live music, production and entertainment.

If you’re planning on showing up to Dairy Field for the event, Pun reminded everyone to bring all their friends and plenty of water.

“It’s probably going to be a hot day,” Pun said. “We’re expecting a lot of people.”

To stay up-to-date on everything related to Lawntopia, check the EC’s Instagram page, @asucdec.

Written by: Coralie Loon — arts@theaggie.org

To the Class of ‘23: Please graduate faster

The California Aggie

April 28, 2023

To the Class of ‘23: Please graduate faster

Get the senior citizens out of here

BY ANNABEL MARSHALL — almarshall@ucdavis.edu

Y’all old as hell. Get out of here. Walking around like you own the place. The only thing you own is pre-arthritic joints and an inability to answer the question, “So, what do you want to do next year?”

I know like 10% of you technically finished in winter quarter. Leave. Go home. Sublease your apartment to someone who recently discovered that being good friends in high school does not mean you will be good roommates. Go travel the world or wander around CVS in your hometown. I don’t care.

“Oh, I’m actually taking a class in the summer but I’m walking in the spring.” Why? Is that class really necessary to the completion of your education? Are you really learning something in PLS 21 GE that is integral to your Art Studio major? No. Your advisor can’t stop you if you just run across the stage. I’ll hold them back.

I see y’all clogging up the quad with your 100 functionally identical white dresses, taking photos that will plague my social media feeds for months, if not years. I see you taking the last spot in my required classes with your fancy early pass time. You don’t even need ENL 184, Mark, you’re an environmental policy major. Get out of here.

I’m so proud of y’all for making it through college. It’s an incredible achievement that should be celebrated as quickly and efficiently as possible. I do not want to attend four separate commencement ceremonies. Why can’t everyone just say their own name as they sprint across the stage?

To those who say I am acting callous to cover the pain of losing some of my closest friends as they graduate and move on with their lives: wrong. You are making Trader Joe’s so crowded. You have all the best apartments. If someone held a gun to my head and said, “I’ll let you go if you can find parking at Hutch in twenty minutes,” I’d say just shoot me. I’ll see y’all in hell.

Written by: Annabel Marshall — almarshall@ucdavis.edu

Disclaimer: (This article is humor and/or satire, and its content is purely fictional. The story and the names of “sources” are fictionalized.)

Study shows Lake Tahoe is the clearest it has been since the 1980s

Science & Technology

The California Aggie

April 28, 2023

Study shows Lake Tahoe is the clearest it has been since the 1980s

Lake water clarity is expected to continue improving as long as zooplankton populations remain high

By LILLY ACKERMAN — science@theaggie.org

From August to December of 2022, Lake Tahoe’s clarity was the best it has been since the 1980s, according to the 2022 annual clarity report from the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC). Lake clarity averaged 80.6 feet during these five months, starkly clearer than the approximately 70-foot average seen over the last 20 years.

The TERC monitors several aspects of Lake Tahoe, including its aquatic ecology, physics, atmospherics and even nearby forestry. Notably, researchers with the TERC have been measuring water clarity since the late 1960s.

Clarity measurements are taken using a tool called a Secchi disk; the one used by the TERC is a white disk with a 10-inch diameter that is lowered into the water until it disappears from view. The depth at which it disappears is averaged with the depth at which it reappears upon being pulled back up to give an accurate clarity depth reading.

Several factors can negatively influence Lake Tahoe’s clarity, including land disturbance, fires and the amount of snowpack each year, as these factors affect the amount of sediment and other fine particles added to the water. However, the recent increase in clarity seems to be tied to the lake’s aquatic ecology.

According to Geoffrey Schladow, a professor in UC Davis’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the TERC’s founding director, a shrimp species called Mysis was introduced to the lake in the 1960s with the intention of feeding game fish so that they would become larger and more abundant.

Unfortunately, the shrimp began feeding excessively on the lake’s native zooplankton, the microscopic animals that live in the water — notably the species Daphnia and Bosmina, instead.

“What wasn’t realized is that the Daphnia and Bosmina are very efficient grazers,” Schladow said. “So the way they eat is they literally just shovel everything in a certain size range into their mouths. The net effect of their feeding was to gather up all these tiny particles that impact lake clarity and just remove them from the water.”

Naturally, the rampant consumption of these zooplankton by Mysis shrimp since the 1960s has removed a lot of the zooplankton’s filter-feeding power and has had a long-term effect on water clarity that has only very recently been considered.

According to Brant Allen, a field lab director and boat captain at the TERC, it wasn’t until 2002 that researchers began to think zooplankton might have substantial impacts on water clarity. This came after a brief decrease in Mysis shrimp and a resurgence of Daphnia.

“With the resurgence of the Daphnia, we saw a dramatic increase in water clarity that we really couldn’t attribute to anything else,” Allen said. “So it has given us this new view that the aquatic ecology of the lake and restoring the native zooplankton could have a serious impact on water clarity in a positive way.”

According to the researchers, a reduction in Mysis in late 2021 allowed for blooms in Daphnia and Bosmina zooplankton populations, contributing to the recently observed increase in lake clarity.

Due to the life cycle and history of Mysis in Lake Tahoe, researchers at the TERC believe that clarity will continue improving throughout 2023. However, they emphasize that Mysis will likely return within the next few years and lower zooplankton abundance once again.

“The restoration target for Lake Tahoe is to get the average annual clarity to be about 97 feet,” Schladow said. “I think by the end of this year, we would be very close to that target of 97 feet, but it’s not going to last, so it’s a great learning opportunity.”

Knowing what has strong effects on Lake Tahoe’s water clarity can inform future management decisions about maintaining zooplankton populations and minimizing swells of Mysis numbers. For now, we can appreciate Lake Tahoe’s increase in clarity while being mindful of what has caused it and why it may not last.

“[We will see if] we can actually track that decrease in water clarity with the resurgence of the shrimp and the loss of the zooplankton,” Allen said. “And if we do, that’s really powerful information for being able to say that the zooplankton have a strong correlation to good water clarity.”

Written by: Lilly Ackerman — science@theaggie.org

Give the gift of effort

The California Aggie

April 28, 2023

The best type of gifts are the ones you make yourself

By OWEN RUDERMAN — opinion@theaggie.org

I’ve never been a very physically creative person. Sure, as an English major, I can craft a solid narrative, but when it comes to creating something tangible, I’m not particularly gifted. I’m sure many can relate; it takes a lot of effort to build or make something — a toy, a meal, a sentimental gift — all by yourself.

But the thing is, it’s precisely that effort which makes those things so great. I believe that dinner tastes better when you make it yourself and that getting an A in a class that was difficult feels better than getting an A in a class that didn’t challenge you at all.

I think this also applies to gifts. The best gifts I’ve personally received have been the ones that I knew took the person a lot of time and effort to create. For example, for our six-month anniversary, my girlfriend gave me a hand-crafted, completely original board game based on milestones in our relationship. It’s one of the most amazing gifts I’ve ever been given. It may not have cost that much money to make, but the time, effort and love that went into it are worth more than the individual materials.

That’s not to say that I hate gifts that aren’t handmade. I always appreciate when someone goes out of their way to give me something, whether it’s food, an item I put on my wishlist, a simple gift card or a wad of cash. However, I strongly believe that the best gifts are the ones you never explicitly ask for.

This is why I’ve begun to try my hand at making some of my own gifts from scratch. A while back, in anticipation of one of my anniversaries with my girlfriend, I headed down to the local craft store and bought a little wooden box, some paint, glue and stick-on letters and got to work on making her a jewelry holder. The end result was a little sloppy and definitely simple, but she loved it. She could see that I put effort and care into the box — something that a normal gift can’t express nearly as well.

Overall, the price of the materials I used to make the box wasn’t even that much, and I feel like it meant so much more to her than if I were to simply buy something cute from Amazon for the same price.

Granted, there have been times when I’ve toed the line a little bit. For example, I wanted to get her something that was unique and represented our relationship but had no idea what I would make. I decided to go online and buy some items that could be customized. So far, I’ve given her a body pillow with a picture of me on it (we’re long distance, okay?) and an engraved photo locket. I think something like this, while maybe not as impressive as something handmade, is a little more personal than a regular gift.

Ever since I’ve tried to be more original and creative with my gift ideas, it’s been so much more fun to give them. I love seeing the reactions of people as they open my present and are totally surprised, almost in disbelief, that I’ve taken the time out of my busy schedule to make them a customized gift.

So if you have a friend, family member or loved one who has a birthday coming up, or you feel like you just want to give them a gift to show that you care, I highly encourage you to try your hand at crafting something personalized — even if you’ve never done something like that before. The best part is, it doesn’t even have to be good! No matter how shoddy, a gift you create yourself shows genuine effort, which is something money can’t buy.

Written By: Owen Ruderman — opinion@theaggie.org

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie.

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