Caliber Magazine – Issue 6 by Caliber Magazine

Inside 12

Your Voice Heard - Jonathan Stein, Your UC Student Regent

16 21 24

Greek Hazing: Behind Closed Doors Behind the Label of Depression

Office Hours 101: Earning Your “A” Without Awkwardness

26 28 32 42 44

Life of a Berkeley Squirrel DIY: Screen Printing Keenan Allen: Football, Family & Pump-Up Songs

924 Gilman Written For Screen: A Closer Look at Book to Film Adaptation

49 There’s an App for That 50 Facebook - Can You Live Without it? 52 2012 Caliber Club Awards 55 Refined Rebel: A Photo Editorial 63 Guide to Foreplay 64 More than Just Monogamy: Open Relationships 66 Food Around the World...in Berkeley 68 It’s Not Just Hot Water: Secrets of the Tea Bag 69 Quiz — What Grocery Store Are You? 70 Coupons

55 63

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The Staff Dear Readers,

Three years ago Caliber started in a dorm room. It was an idea hatched by two Cal freshmen that had a vision—they wanted to give Berkeley something it didn’t already have. They wanted to create a publication dedicated to showcasing the uniquely quirky and individualistic student body that we all contribute to. It was to be a magazine created by the students, for the students on anything and everything that would spark a student’s interest. And three years later, that’s exactly what we are—Berkeley’s “Everything magazine.” With this issue, as Caliber’s founders are graduating and the next generation of Caliber is emerging, we strive to embody that selfproclaimed title of “everything” more than ever. We are celebrating our origins—diving back into the first days of conquering the art of office hours, understanding campus politics and finding that delicate balance between Facebook stalking and paper writing, while exploring the success of one of Cal’s most sought-after seniors, Keenan Allen. We want to channel that infamous freshman enthusiasm. We want to tap into the oozing love for our school and the unquenchable desire to learn more as we also take the time to contemplate the more serious issues of our campus with a learned, collective respect. At this intersection in Caliber’s history between past and future, we aim to find that perfect balance between youthful fun and mature recollection in our articles and our attitudes. As Caliber continues as its own force, independent of the paternal wings of its founders, we remain committed to our title, our vision and to you—our readers, who have supported us from the very start. So here’s to you—our issue of transition, change and accomplishment. Cassandra Stephens Editor-in-Chief

Melissa Meagher, President Griffin Cassara, Vice-President Cassandra Stephens, Editor-in-Chief Executive Board Lara Hovsepian-Ruby, Assistant to Editor-in-Chief Gabbie Guison, Head of Journalism Nakta Alaghebandan, Head of Copy Editing Maya Kulkarni, Head of Design Stephanie Cai, Head of Design Silvia Cernea, Head of Photography David Herschorn, Editorial Photographer Jeannine Ventura, Editorial Manager Katherine Sziraczky, Blog Manager Colleen Murphy, Head of Business Kelsey Moty, Business Designer Julia Nagel, Head of Events Sucheta Salgaonkar, Head of Events Anisa Young, Head of Public Relations Alex Dickey, Account Executive Sarah Milk, Account Executive Gina Tai, Marketing Manager Lauren Closson, Distribution Manager Laljeet Mann, Technology Developer Copy Editors Manon von Kaenel Jaime Gamblin Isaac Wolf Mark Alshak Alex Dickey Taylor Fugere-Cale

Journalists Manon von Kaenel D.J. Sellarole Rachel Kang Nam Le Henry Huang Mark Alshak Diana McCaffrey Jaime Gamblin Kamyar Jarahzadeh Alessandra Rigonati Taylor Fugere-Cale Avery Barnes Sasha Chebil Jennifer Wong Lauren Thomas Rahul Pandya Gabby Fastiggi Cara Cerino Bloggers Adam Tuetken Avery Barnes Erica Hendry Jaemie Paraon Isaac Wolf Jo Wu Surmayee Tetarbe Prabh Kehal Henna Trewn Kiara Daswani Joyce Liu Rohit Upadhya Sarah Tang Alex Brooks Ancy Dow Hanna Morris Nina Udomsak Photographers Dylan White Gina Tai Brenden Beckley Nik Crain Priscilla Liu Sasha Chebil Rosa Nguyen May Kim Julie Juarez Publisher Nick Anastasiades

Cover photo credits Photographer: David Herschorn / Assistant photographer: Sasha Cebil / Model: Keenan Allen While Caliber is a part of the Associated Students of the University of California at Berkeley, the content of the magazine does not reflect the opinion of the ASUC in any way. The Caliber Executive Board

Caliber Magazine / Fall 2012

Spotlight

UC Student

Regent

In November 2011, hundreds of UC students gathered at the Capitol to protest rising student fees, holding bold signs and garnering widespread media attention. Students arrived on buses from various UC campuses, and one man even distributed scripts to students and numbers of the governor and other policymakers to call before the news conference. This man, one of the organizers of the protest, is a member of the Board of Regents. If being a graduate student pursuing a joint masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree from the Goldman School of Public Policy and a law degree from the Boalt School of Law doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sound impressive enough, imagine having to represent 222,000 UC students on top of that. Such is the case for Jonathan Stein, who served as last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Student Regent-Designate on the Board of Regents and who has been appointed to the position of UC Student Regent for 2012-2013.

Caliber Magazine / Fall 2012

Spotlight

Your Voice Heard: Jonathan Stein By Rachel Kang The Student Regent position is the creation of a campaign by the University of California Student Association (UCSA) to have more student representation on the Board of Regents. This governing body is responsible for establishing policy regarding the University of California; managing its financial investments; and appointing the president of the UC, its ten campus chancellors, and the officers of the regents. Historically, the 26-member Board tends to be comprised largely of wealthy males who are politically appointed by the governor. Within this board, only two student positions exist: the Student Regent ad the Student Regent-Designate; both of which have the biggest say on issues regarding the UC. Of these two student positions, only the Student Regent has the ability to vote. Jonathan Stein holds the one vote representing all students in the UC system. Even before arriving at UC Berkeley, Jonathan had years of student advocacy under his belt, organizing a statewide campaign to support a ballot initiative benefitting the UC, lobbying for UCSA, attending dozens of rallies and protests, meeting with legislators to support the DREAM act; yet he still felt he needed a stronger voice to create positive change on behalf of students—and the Student Regent role seemed to be the perfect opportunity to do that. He was chosen from a pool of 56 applicants from all 10 UC campuses in a rigorous interview process that lasted over five months. Though he attended a private school as an undergrad, Jonathan has a personal commitment to improving public education because of his background. Growing up in poverty, his mother was able to move to the United States from India because her brother was given a college scholarship, and Jonathan wants new generations to be given the same educational opportu-

nity. However, the doors to public higher education in California are beginning to close in light of perpetual budget cuts and tuition increases. Growing up in a longtime family of Cal backers (his brother and three of his cousins went to Cal), Jonathan was raised by parents who told him the UC was “the gem of California.” Even as an undergraduate English major at Harvard, Jonathan had known for years that the University of California was “the greatest engine of social mobility in the country.” He brings up how lucky he is to have come to Berkeley for graduate school, like generations of his family, because it felt like home right away. “It has been an amazing experience personally, socially, and academically,” he says. “Social justice became something I had never heard others talk about at Harvard to something I am surrounded by constantly.” He believes it is of the utmost importance that students put pressure on every point of decision-making in the UC, whether that is directed to the Board of Regents, Sacramento or the federal government. Because most of the Regents are wealthy and successful, they are decades away from the time when $2,000 mattered to them. They may not see the impact raising tuition by $2,000 may have on a student who has to drop out because they cannot afford to pay; Stein’s job is to make the Regents see the gravity of that. Feeling that representation on the Board is skewed, he believes in implementing more diversity, which includes racial diversity, gender diversity, age diversity and economic diversity— more people who can understand the student experience. He also proposes getting more student regents. For the first time in history, students are putting more money into the UC system than the state of California. Stein empha-

sizes that the UC’s budget crisis is not simply the result of a recession, but instead the product of a long-term divestment from the state of California. “Two decades ago, the state of California was the biggest contributor to the UC,” he points out. However, legislation such as Proposition 13, California’s tax-limiting measure, has devastated public higher education. This year alone saw a 9.6 percent tuition increase for the state’s public universities, which is greater than any other public university nationwide. Whereas previous generations of Californians could attend a UC at little to no cost, students may now have to pay more to attend Cal than an Ivy League.

Jonathan was raised by parents who told him the UC was “the gem of California.” As the representative for students who must face these hardships in their endeavor for higher education, one thing that Jonathan wants students to know is that he is a resource for them. “Most students don’t even know that I exist!” he exclaims, and his team’s goal is to change that. He plans to use social media more extensively than any Student Regent has ever done in order to make his post as transparent as possible. On every single one of his channels, students from every UC campus have a way to access him, and he hopes students will visit his website (UCStudentRegent.com), follow his Twitter (@UCStudentRegent), and subscribe to his Facebook page (Facebook.com/UCStudentRegent) so that they are cognizant of

calibermag.org

Spotlight

In a time where the UC has reached a crisis point, Jonathan Stein has grown to become one of the loudest voices in California’s struggle for higher education, and his job as Student Regent has become more important than ever.

Caliber Magazine / Fall 2012

the challenges facing the University and can voice any concerns they have. “Any one who needs me will get time, whether that is through email or the phone.” On his video blog (YouTube.com/UCStudentRegent), weekly episodes debut, updating his audience on his work and progress, as well as highlighting student activities working towards sustainable change from every campus. He encourages students to post questions they would like answered in the video through any of his sites and welcomes feedback. Though his job comes with a lot of responsibility and stress, Jonathan never forgets the rewards that have come along with it, stating, “I have gotten to know such inspiring student leaders at Irvine, Riverside, all these campuses, that I never

would have met without this job. First I knew them as leaders, now I know them as friends.” Student Regents are responsible for some of the most tremendous changes made to the University of California, most notably the incorporation of LGBT issues into the diversity statements across all the UC campuses, a policy to govern increases in professional degree fees, and the creation of all the universities’ sustainability goals. In a time where the UC has reached a crisis point, Jonathan Stein has grown to become one of the loudest voices in California’s struggle for higher education, and his job as Student Regent has become more important than ever. Though maintaining legitimacy in the eyes of students as both a fellow peer and Regents member is difficult, Stein is ready to handle the job.

Perspective

Behind Closed Doors

GREEK G N I Z A H By Manon von Kaenel

Britney Starling—a former pledge for a UC Berkeley sorority—was beaten, forced to remain standing for hours, hit in the ankle, and had her head slammed against a wall. Britney was forced to take medical leave from school to physically and emotionally recover from this alleged hazing.

of secrecy in the Greek system can prevent

demeaning terms; expecting pledges to

victims from speaking out for fear of social

run personal errands like cooking, clean-

repercussions. But where is the limit be-

ing, or carrying books for older members;

tween a fun bonding activity and hazing?

depriving pledges of sleep; and abducting

Why does hazing continue to occur, and

or kidnapping.

how does it differ within the UC Berkeley Greek system and across the nation?

there that attempt to define and punish According to the Cal Greeks website,

hazing at the university and state level

hazing is defined as “any action taken,

and within each fraternity or sorority

whether on or off fraternity premises,

chapter. UC Berkeley’s official policy on

which produces bodily harm or danger,

hazing—a state law called “Matt’s Law” in

mental or physical discomfort, embar-

memory of Matt Carrington, who died in

rassment, harassment, fright or ridicule.”

2005 as a result of hazing—states that any

These claims of Britney’s can be found in

When asked to define hazing, participants

person who hazes or conspires to haze is

a lawsuit that she filed on Jan. 27 of this

of an anonymous, Caliber-led online sur-

guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a

year against her former sorority, Zeta Phi

vey had a variety of responses, but nearly

fee ranging from $100 to $5,000, or impris-

Beta—a historically African American so-

all of them mentioned both the physical

onment for up to one year, or both.

rority that maintains a no-hazing policy.

and mental aspects of hazing as well as

Whether it’s forcing newbies to wake up

elements of involuntariness and tradi-

Furthermore, in order to be officially rec-

in the middle of the night to undergo a

tion. They used adjectives like “debasing”,

ognized as a campus sorority or fraternity,

drill or to drink until they’re sick, hazing

“foolish”, “uncomfortable”, “detrimental

each organization must sign a “Statement

rites—despite being banned on sev-

to self-esteem”, and “degrading”, among

on Hazing” acknowledging and comply-

eral levels—have been widely used in the

others, to describe hazing acts.

ing with university policies. If hazing

Greek system nationwide as a process to

does occur, the chapter then risks serious

supposedly maintain a hierarchy in the

These definitions can encompass a variety

consequences—an example is the UC

organization and help the new members

of initiation rituals. Examples of hazing, as

Berkeley chapter of the Pi Kappa Phi

bond. However, many times, these rituals

described on the stophazing.com website,

fraternity in spring of 2005. It was forced

can get very dangerous, very quickly—re-

include requiring new members to refer

to shut down for a year and all members

sulting in serious emotional or physical

to senior members with titles like “Mr.”

were placed on inactive status in response

injury. As research shows, the stigma

or “Miss” while they are identified with

to a hazing incident in which a pledge

around hazing and the particular culture

There are plenty of laws and policies out

Caliber Magazine / Fall 2012

Perspective

calibermag.org

Perspective sought hospital treatment after being shot

hazing-free campus on paper, hazing in-

at least 30 times with an air pellet gun.

cidents inevitably do occur at Cal. Results from the Caliber survey suggest that the

Reporting Hazing

the Flashcard

severity and type of hazing that occurs

and their umbrella councils also typically

—if at all—during the pledging process

ban hazing. “The goal of the Panhellenic

depends on the specific sorority or frater-

Council (PHC) is to promote positive re-

nity involved.

lationships

among

women,”

Tiffany

Kirkland, president of UC Berkeley’s Pan-

One respondent, a member of a sorority

hellenic Council, says of the PHC’s at-

in the Panhellenic Council, says, “My so-

titude towards hazing. “It is the opinion

rority does not and will never haze. This

of the National Conference, Panhellenic

is not a joke. I am proud to be a member

member organizations, and my personal

of an organization that values our sister-

opinion that hazing fundamentally goes

hood and would never want to make a

2) The University Student Conduct: http://sa.berkeley.edu/ conduct; report or call 510-6439069 Center for Student Leadership: go to the office (102 Sproul Hall) or call 510-642-5171

against this purpose. Therefore, there is

woman feel uncomfortable in any way.”

3) The Police UCPD: Emergency call 510-642-3333 (dial from a cell phone for campus police), non-emergencies call 510-6426760 or visit 1 Sproul Hall BPD: Emergency call 911, nonemergencies call 510-981-5900

TO REPORT A HAZING INCIDENT, CONTACT.. 1) A Trusted Administrator

4) The National Anti-Hazing hotline: (888) NOT-HAZE or (888) 668-4293. This hotline is founded and sponsored by 21 fraternity and sorority organizations. Callers will leave an anonymous voicemail with a law firm, which will then get into contact with the necessary officials. “Additionally, if someone has been hazed, they may want to talk with a counselor about the experience. They should contact Counseling and Psychological Services at the Tang Center at 510-642-9494,” says Woods.

The individual sororities and fraternities

Caliber Magazine / Fall 2012

zero-tolerance for hazing in our community.”

On the other hand, 43 percent of respondents did report having experienced hazing

Although the Multicultural Greek Coun-

behavior—although not all of them con-

cil (MCGC) does not have an anti-hazing

sidered themselves to have been “hazed”.

policy specific to the council, Melissa Her-

None of these students reported the haz-

rera, president of Berkeley’s MCGC, says,

ing incidents because “it didn’t seem like

“MCGC does not condone or encourage

that big of a deal,” as one PHC member

hazing as it goes against the purposes of

puts it. “No one actually got hurt.”

our organization, which is to foster the values of leadership, friendship, scholar-

The majority of hazing nationwide, like

ship, and service.”

at Berkeley, goes unreported. According to the National Study of Student Hazing,

David Blanchard, president of Berkeley’s

conducted with 11,000 college students

Interfraternity Council (IFC), says that “If

from across the nation by professors from

I, or any University staff, hear about an

the University of Maine in 2008, of those

incident, we will immediately follow up,

survey respondents who labeled their ex-

and if it constitutes hazing, student con-

periences as hazing, a full 95 percent said

duct action will be taken.” Leaders from

they did not report the events to campus

the National Panhellenic Greek Council

officials.

(NPGC), the fourth social Greek council at Cal, did not provide comment.

Part of the problem is that pledges are often constrained by a “code of silence”

The Greek leaders at Berkeley, then, seem

when it comes to hazing, as hazing expert

to be aware of and willing to take action

Dr. Susan Lipkins describes.

when it comes to hazing. According to the “Safety Counts” website, which is

“This strong guiding light [code of silence]

upheld by the University of California

is one of the biggest dilemmas in terms

Police Department (UCPD), “UC Berkeley

of hazing prevention and intervention,”

is fortunate to be a campus where inci-

Lipkins, who writes about her research

dents of hazing are rare. We have our own

at insidehazing.com, says in her analysis

comprehensive definition of hazing that

of the data. “If we teach our children ‘not

is much broader and more detailed than

to tell’, then the culture of hazing will

the State’s and our own strict disciplinary

continue to spread, becoming more dan-

protocols.”

gerous each year.”

However, despite being a relatively

Freshman Casey Berkovitz, a recent

Perspective

One out of five respondents of the National Study of Student Hazing said that, like Starling, they didn’t report a hazing incident because “I was afraid other members of the team or group would find out I reported it and I would be an outsider.” pledge for IFC, agrees that it is difficult

felt a sense of accomplishment, 18 percent

Student Hazing shows just how unclear

to get officials aware of hazing incidents

felt “stronger”, and 15 percent did better in

this distinguishing line is: according to

because of the nature of Greek organiza-

classes.

their survey, nine out of ten students who

tions. “Greek life is very insulated…there

have experienced hazing behavior in col-

are some rituals that are naturally secret,

The general consensus between those

lege do not even consider themselves to

because that’s how it works,” he testifies.

Caliber survey respondents who had

have been hazed.

experienced hazing was that all their hazVarious forces besides this alreadyestab-

ing experiences had a positive purpose.

One Caliber survey respondent from the

lished culture of secrecy prevent victims

Only when a ‘hazing’ event doesn’t serve

IFC compares the pledging process, and

of hazing from reporting their abuse. In

a purpose is it truly hazing,” one said.

the hazing involved, to an academic class.

the case of Starling, the lawsuit states,

“You go to class and do the work to get

“Ms. Starling felt extreme pressure to

One respondent, a member of the IFC,

the grade,” he says. “During pledging, you

remain as a pledge in ZPB because she

defines hazing as “a bonding experience.

complete the tasks you are told to do and

was in fear that if she left the sorority, she

However cliché that sounds, it does serve

then ultimately achieve the end goal.”

would become an outcast.”

a purpose—a purpose that unless you’re

Because hazing is part of the process that

exposed to, you won’t understand. I

eventually leads to brother- or sisterhood,

Like Starling, one out of five respondents

didn’t understand it until I started going

then, many pledges don’t even think to

of the National Study of Student Hazing

through it and I wouldn’t trade it for the

report it.

said that they didn’t report a hazing inci-

world. The bonding you achieve and

dent because “I was afraid other members

the growth you attain is unparalleled.”

of the team or group would find out I

Another respondent—in an academic,

ful hazing continues to occur across

reported it and I would be an outsider.”

professional, or honor sorority—said that

college campuses, and why hazing

An equal percentage said, “I was afraid

hazing is a “way to show loyalty to a col-

intervention and prevention has been a

of negative consequences to me as an

lege group.”

complex and ineffective process. Another

individual from other team or group members.”

All these factors help explain why harm-

reason is the perceived lack of support for However, many other respondents to

hazing victims. According to a study con-

the Caliber survey expressed skepticism

ducted by Alfred University, 36 percent

No respondents to the Caliber survey

about the effectiveness of hazing as a

of respondents say they would not report

directly cited this fear of social rejection

source of personal growth. “If students

hazing primarily because “there’s no one

as a factor in their hazing experiences,

in fraternities and sororities really cared

to tell” and 27 percent feel that “adults

although Berkovitz also says that social

about each other, they wouldn’t have

won’t handle it right.”

pressures and the culture of “cool” are

to prove themselves like this [through

involved with hazing. “There’s a culture

hazing],” says a non-Greek student. This

Berkeley students are encouraged to, if

that exists, and a lot of it is drinkingre-

belief exists within the Greek system as

they encounter hazing, intervene and

lated, that says ‘you need to be more of

well. An IFC member said hazing was “a

report the incident. “The most important

a man’,” he says. “That’s a lot of what ex-

complete waste of [his] time.” As for the

thing they can do is to report it,” Jeff

cuses hazing, particularly in frats.”

attitude towards hazing in sororities, one

Woods, the Interim Director in the Center

PHC member says, “Many people say that

for Student Leadership and advisor for the

For many pledges, the social and personal

hazing brings people closer together, but I

IFC, says. “It can be reported to the police,

benefits of hazing do indeed outweigh

don’t understand how making people do

to the University, or to both. Hazing is

the costs—one of the main findings in

unpleasant things builds friendship.”

not allowed by law and not allowed by

the National Study of Student Hazing

University policy and reporting it allows

is that “more students perceive positive

Discrepancies and confusion as to the pos-

for possible action to be taken.” To learn

rather than negative outcomes of hazing.”

sible benefits of hazing may stem from the

about where to report a hazing incident

Nearly a third of the respondents to their

fact that simply determining what types

to, see the sidebar “Reporting Hazing: the

survey reported, as a result of hazing, feel-

of activities even qualify as “hazing” can

Flashcard.”

ing more like part of a group; 22 percent

be challenging. The National Study of

calibermag.org

Perspective

Depression By Sasha Chebil

Behind the Label...

ONE OUT OF every eight adolescents and “one in ten college students... suffers from depression at some point in their college years,” explains Stephanie Ho, a licensed psychologist at the Tang Center. Although depression is often overlooked in college as a result of stress or a rapidly changing environment, this disease urgently calls for attention. That’s not to say, however, that being a little bummed about a breakup or bad test grade isn’t normal. It’s really when the sadness consumes you, and you cross the line into depression, that you should start paying attention to the red flags.

calibermag.org

Perspective

Depression has been dubbed the number one psychological disorder in the western world in the last decade, indicating just how frequently that line is crossed. Though the mental disorder has had a presence as early as ancient times, it has only recently gained public recognition and treatment as the rate of depression continues to climb. Ten times more people suffer from major depression now than in 1945. At the rate of its increase, by 2020 depression will be second only to heart disease as the most disabling condition in teh world. So, why has there been such a rapid increase in depression in this past century? Has depression become a term too easily thrown around, the symptoms infinitely expanding to embody depression? Or are there simply more triggers for depression today than existed centuries ago?

Students are more vulnerable to depression when they are so stressed out and overwhelmed that they are not taking good care of themselves. Since its initial diagnosis in ancient Greece, depression has affected people of all ages, backgrounds, lifestyles and nationalities, and the causes have changed little since its origins. Myrna Weissman, a psychology professor at Columbia University, states that depression is a “complex disorder which means that the environment as well as the genes interact.” Therefore, those who have a family member with a history of depression have an even greater chance of developing the illness than those solely affected by a depression-

Caliber Magazine / Fall 2012

inducing environment. “A family history of depression is the strongest risk factor for depression,” Weissman explains. “Sometimes you see depression where there’s no family history, [meaning] some depressions are purely biological, meaning that something...in your brain chemistry has changed.” Weissman’s DNA studies further prove that “if either parent, mother or father were depressed, there’s about a three-fold chance of the child becoming depressed or anxious,” and if the parent has “depression that began before the age of 20, that risk in [the] child goes up to four- or five-fold.” However, Weissman reassures readers who have depression in their family, recognizing that “some people escape it.”

College Health Association found that 45 percent of college students reported feeling hopeless, 31 percent said they felt so depressed they could barely function, and 6 percent felt suicidal.” This is drastically higher than the World Health Organization’s statistic of 8 percent of the population dealing with depression at any given time. Although this is still a shocking amount of people generally dealing with depression, the rate of depression on college campuses is more seriously concentrated. Considering this shocking prevalence in our own community, it is vital to know the symptoms of depression, so if you or a loved one begins to struggle, warning signs of the disease will be more easily recognizable.

Environmental stressors, especially at a prestigious college, are also a major cause of depression. These triggers may include stress over grades, loneliness, lack of social support, unemployment or recent traumatic experiences. “Students often seek help [at the Tang Center] because they are struggling in their classes, having problems in their relationships, [or] are feeling bad physically and emotionally,” says Stephanie Ho. At UC Berkeley, common relationship problems that may contribute to the beginnings of depression include time conflicts due to rigorous schedules, the constant changes that come with college, and the worries that accompany an undergraduate population of over 25,000 students. Ho also holds that although its rates are growing, “depression has always been prevalent among college students, [as] college tends to be a stressful time (i.e. leaving home, moving to a new area, having new freedom, taking care of new responsibilities, making new friends and leaving old friends and/or significant others) as well as the academic and social pressures at Berkeley.” This is an issue that ranges across the country in colleges, regardless of the rigorousness of the curriculum, though that may play a vital role on the Berkeley campus. “The American

In regards to the symptoms and effects of depression changing, the signs have remained relatively stagnant since the disorder’s beginnings. Symptoms of depression typically include everything that we as a generation have been conditioned to know since we first started watching television and movies. There are the familiar downtrodden expressions and immovability from the couch. Depression consumes the afflicted, causing them to often not leave bed due to fatigue and loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. Aside from these feelings of worthlessness and pessimism, symptoms include difficulty concentrating, significant weight change, trouble sleeping and irritability, especially. Individuals may also engage in dangerous activities that previously may have been out of character, including excessive drinking and drug use and life-threatening stunts. Ultimately, depression is a complete reduction of self-worth and an increase in sadness and hopelessness. When asked about his previous struggle with depression, current Berkeley student Austin* described it as “a constant darkness in [his] life,” as though he “had nothing going for [him] in [his] life.”

Perspective

This sadness started as Austin became uncomfortable with his appearance, and it dawned on him that his girlfriend would be leaving him as she moved to college. He gradually stopped going to class, stopped going out, “lost any drive [he] once possessed”, and would just “sit at home feeling sorry for [him]self”, having “zero energy” to make an effort. “I didn’t like people, didn’t want to see people, and just wanted to stay to myself.” Austin ultimately became “trapped in [his] own thoughts,” entering a downward spiral that quickly spun out of control. If his friends or his family were to mention his constant sadness, Austin would “spontaneously cry and yell”, a response that was previously and is now quite out of character. This anger eventually became a general “lack of response” as Austin continued to avoid social situations and started struggling in school. It was not until his close friend intervened, simply by constantly being with him, that Austin was able to escape this torture. Sometimes the severity of depression cannot be fully magnified until avenues of communication open up. Depression goes much further than a few tears and parties missed. So, what are the best preventative measures to avoid falling into this dangerous, downward spiral in which so many college students and adolescents unknowingly become entangled? “Students are more vulnerable to depression when they are so stressed out and overwhelmed that they are not taking good care of themselves,” Ho explains. It is important to always mange stress, balancing academics with social wellbeing and physical health. To manage stress, the Tang Center suggests regular exercise, a healthy diet, time management, social support and daily time set aside for relaxation. Take a break from your rigorous schedule and go on a hike up the fire trails or to the Big C to take a nap. Another popular stress releaser is attending an evening candlelit yoga class at Yoga To The People. This lovely studio on Shattuck offers inspirational speeches as well as a

“donations only” policy, ultimately saving your wallet some depression as well. Aside from relaxation time, it is important to “identify the sources of stress in your own life” and to “reach out for support.” If there is something that is constantly stressing you out or upsetting you, such as a class, a relationship or a club, consider removing yourself from the situation until you feel you can manage it. Whether you think you may be struggling with depression or not, it is still important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, void of excess stress. However, if you find yourself already struggling with depression, and you feel that you are past the point of stress relievers, the help you need is easily accessible, especially at Berkeley, through the counseling provided at Tang Center. Stephanie notes that “students often are reluctant to get help, believing that they should be able to solve their problems on their own...[and] many times the depression itself can prevent people from taking steps to help themselves.” Specialists can help you pull through difficult times, make you conscious of your negative thoughts, and if necessary provide psychiatric medications. Psychologists, like Stephanie Ho, are always available to talk by appointment or walk in if necessary. The Tang Center also offers five free counseling sessions, so if you feel down, there is nothing to lose. Moreover, while those who suffer from depression, like Austin, felt betrayed at the time by anyone “pointing out [his] problems”, simply being there for a friend or family member in a non-accusatory manner could possibly make the difference between continued struggle and in some cases, even death. If you or a friend seems to be in trouble, reflect on the fact that up to 80 percent of suicide deaths are sufferers of major depression, and think again about putting off getting help. If there is a certain someone who continuously came to mind while reading this article, be a friend, be a lifeline.

times more people suffer from major depression now than in 1945.

80%

of suicide deaths are suffers of major depression The American College Health Association found that

45%

of college students reported feeling hopeless said they felt so depressed they could barely function

31% 6% felt suicidal

This is drastically higher than the World Health Organization’s statistic of

8% of the population dealing with

depression at any given time.

Additional Resources and websites to seek help: http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/ screening/Welcome.aspx http://uhs.berkeley.edu/bewell/

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Campus

OFFICE HOURS

Earning Your “A” Without Awkwardness By Nam Le

THE BEGINNING OF a new semester usually brings about some standard college goals: get a better GPA, meet more people, stay in shape at the RSF, go to office hours… Wait, office hours? Yes, for the greenest freshman and even the most seasoned senior, those two words can often inspire an almost irrational fear and revulsion. But despair no longer. Here are some tried and true tips for navigating that often too-intimidating dynamic, so you can spend more time this semester focusing on the things you really want to do—like getting that cute girl’s number, or joining that club you’ve had your eye on. Just remember: no one ever says they wished they went to office hours less. No one.

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REMEMBER, YOUR INSTRUCTORS ARE PEOPLE TOO. Too often, students are afraid to approach their professors and graduate student instructors (GSIs), who rank among the most brilliant minds in America. But they’re really not that different from us—they do laundry, wash dishes, and they definitely put on their pants one leg at a time. The truth is, many professors and GSIs genuinely love working with students. Plus, they’re going to be in their office, whether or not you show up. You may as well take advantage of it. Besides, you never know what you might learn about them. MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE: HBO dramas like The Wire are particularly popular among the English department professors. SWALLOW YOUR PRIDE.

If you’ve made it to Cal, there’s a good chance you’re used to being able to handle your academic workload without much help. That may no longer be true. You may need some extra support, and your professors and GSIs are valuable resources. It never hurts to get clarification on the upcoming assignment, or to see why you got that problem wrong on the midterm. THE EXPERT SAYS: Tony Dear, a GSI in the electrical engineering and computer science (EECS) department, chimes in, “It may seem like a lot of extra effort, but it’ll be worth it in the end. Not only can this help your grade in the event of a borderline result, but you can always benefit from making some new connections for later endeavors, such as job hunting or graduate school.”

COME PREPARED.

Although they may be brilliant, professors and GSIs are not mind readers. Help them help you! To help make your office hours visit as productive as possible, bring in exactly what you’re struggling with, whether it’s a particularly difficult passage or a concept that just isn’t clear. This rule also applies for when you want to go to office hours just to chat and build a relationship with your professors. In these situations, you can use a pre-written question as an icebreaker— perhaps about the graduate school process, or something about what was discussed in class. Knowing the answer already is not particularly important, you just want to get them talking first. Once the conversation begins flowing, everything else should come naturally. THE EXPERT SAYS: One history GSI who asked not to be identified agrees, “The most important thing about office hours is that students shouldn’t be afraid to say that they’re unclear about the material.” He suggests that they “come with specific questions in mind and…show that they are at least attempting to learn the material on their own.” In his opinion, being prepared makes things “easier and, more importantly, productive for everyone.”

BE DISTINCTIVE.

AsBe distinctive. As much as it sucks to hear, professors deal with many, many faces a day—students and colleagues alike. In order to stand out a little and develop a strong rapport with them, make their job a little easier. Tell them a story about yourself, where you come from, how your experience in class is going, anything. My method is to tell professors my name twice at every meeting, at the beginning and the end, regardless of whether or not they know it already. By the third or fourth meeting, they often try to beat me to it. Hey, it’s a little corny, but it works. The expert says: “Even the most talented and nicest of students might not be remembered as vividly as an almost obnoxiously assertive one,” advises Asian American Studies professor Elaine Kim, adding that while students should not be too “pushy, or impolite,” it is “the squeaking wheel [that] gets the oil, as they say.”

DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF EMAILS. Your schedule is not an excuse. Many professors are more than willing to accommodate a separate appointment for you. All you have to do is ask, whether after class, or by email. Speaking of emails, it never hurts to shoot your past instructors one every once in a while. After you’ve developed a relationship with them, it leaves the door open for a potential letter of recommendation or lab opportunity in the future—tell them what you’re up to, how things are going for you in school, and even what you’re studying from time to time. It’ll give them more information about you to put in those letters and help them remember who you are.

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Campus

A Day in the Life of a

Berkeley Squirrel By Diana McCaffrey

9:00 am: Per normal, I am awakened by chaos: feet, bikes, skateboards and the occasional scooter bustlin’ past Sather Gate to class and shielding themselves from the flurry of flyers. It is far too dangerous for a squirrel to venture out during this time of morning. The stampede of students is relentless—they’re out-of-control, caffeine- fueled zombies—so I remain at my post in front of the Dwinelle benches.

10:00 am: This circus that I call my home seems particularly nutty today. From the windstorm of tables, chairs, fliers and a capella singers just emerged a human penis! I have never seen one of these before. I am going in for a closer look...

10:30 am: Mission accomplished. I have confirmed that the penis is just a human dressed in a large, flesh colored cloth suit. Quite disturbing. I must say I enjoy the man dressed in trash bags I saw last week a bit more. Freaking weird humans.

12:00 pm: It’s just about prime time for us squirrels’ lunch time. I am so sick of eating acorns. There is this squirrel stigma that we just go crazy over acorns. Okay, I admit that I enjoy a good acorn every now and then, who doesn’t? But as a member of the “Squirrel Rights and Dignities of UC Berkeley,” we are against these acorn-like stereotypes and stigmas that undermine our intellect. We Berkeley squirrels aren’t just any type of squirrel. We represent the squirrel race at its height of evolution. We are especially large in size and have intellect that is beyond what humans expect. And we have discovered that there is far more out there than acorns. What better place to live than Berkeley, the urban squirrel capital of the world?

1:00 pm: Today unfortunately I have not been so lucky in my search for food. The humans seem particularly knowing of my tactics today. Haven’t been able to coerce them into giving me a little crumb by playing cute or even stealing from them by looking in their backpacks. Can’t even find a damn, greasestained to-go box from the dining halls!

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Campus

2:00 pm: After moping around for a bit, I venture to Northside to visit my favorite Berkeley treasure—Yoshua. As my stomach growls for a warm slice of Val’s pizza, Yoshua lends me some distraction. He yells “YAHWEH!” so loudly it rattles my sensitive ear-drums. But the distraction is only temporary; desolate times like these remind me of everything I could be eating. Chocolatedipped strawberries chilled to perfection, fresh penne pesto made from scratch, a warm, steaming, sticky sweet apple pie just out of the oven...the possibilities are endless. But because I am a squirrel people don’t think that I’m entitled to these delicacies. No, people just think if they throw me a nut I’ll be satisfied. Why can’t I have a nice Gypsy dinner or a falafel from Sunrise? Why can’t I line up like everyone else for CREAM? When I let out a little squirrel cry every once in a while to protest these injustices no one listens. “UC Berkeley the epicenter of free speech,” my furry ass...

2:30 pm: My good god I almost got hit by a bike. A bike! I know that I am a little chubby, but I am still just a little guy—those huge tires could kill me! I was just trying to cross the road to get to the creek for some water and the guy didn’t even see me! I went left, he swerved, I crouched—ugh, near disastrous. My poor, little rodent heart can’t handle much more.

4:00 pm: Starving, tired and frankly a little defeated from today’s lack of success, I decided to go to the place where I know there is easily accessible food: the mecca that is FSM. I may have to look a little more desperate and compete with the fat, obnoxious squirrel that calls himself King Chubbs, but tonight it is worth the effort.

5:00 pm: After staking the place out for a bit, it is time to move in. I have my eye on a cranberry orange bundt cake—it’s mine. I’m not even going to let that damn squirrel and his crow sidekick have a chance. For once they will know how it feels to have their scoped food stolen from right under their furry noses! Besides, they usually get to all of the food before any of us have a chance; tonight is the night that is going to change. Suddenly, my empty stomach takes a violent turn as I realize what this means. This is a squirrel revolution. For once in my life, I will be more than the cute, little squirrel who poses for iPhone photos on Sproul, I will be the squirrel that brought change to our squirrely race—I will be a hero! As I flip my whiskers in anticipation, I arch my back and spring forward, dodging laptop chargers and open backpacks. In less than a second, I have sunk my teeth into a deliciously soft and extraordinarily flavorful bundt cake. With no time to lose, I scamper back to my home in the planter, dragging my prize after me. With my tiny heart racing, I curl up with my cake nestled between my two front paws and munch contentedly, thinking of the great squirrel victory that occurred today; it will forever go down in squirrel history as a golden day. Until tomorrow! — Petie the Squirrel

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Lifestyle

Fantasy T-Shirts Owner Arthur Choy SOMETIMES IN LIFE you get a pair of bright, pink, sparkly training wheels. Other times, the bike has to be ridden without training wheels, owner’s manuals, explanations and an over-excited mom to help you through the “how-to” phase. You have to simply DIY: Do It Yourself. Yes, that’s right: you’re going straight for the two-wheeler. And yes, there will most definitely be falls ahead. But, heck, as a far too intelligent poet once wrote, “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter.” Inspired by this go-for-it mentality, local Berkeley entrepreneur Arthur Choy explained his own experience of learning something from scratch: “It was almost just like riding a bike for the first time.” Over the years while working at Fantasy T-Shirts, Arthur and his team experimented with different types of printing processes. “We honestly had no idea what

Caliber Magazine / Fall 2012

we were doing,” he said, describing how it all started with trial and error. To him, even though it had to start from the ground up, Fantasy was a place where he and his team could grow. Its current logo, a vivacious tree with long branches, is a metaphor of what Fantasy T-Shirts has come to be: it grew from a stump and blossomed into something beautiful. The secret ingredient? The aforementioned poet, Samuel Beckett, knew it: “Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” After Arthur and his troops failed better and eventually greatly succeeded, they saw the satisfaction in their work. “We learned it all, even to the point where we started to really delve into special techniques and tricks,” Arthur explained. Motivation stemmed from the fact that they could see a product go from start to

By Melissa Meagher

finish. “And we were the people behind it that did it right,” he said. Screen printing, he described, is like any new project in life: you have to start somewhere. Clearly an advocate for the DIY motto and a lover of the screen printing industry, Arthur added, “It’s creatively fun. I encourage it and, really, anyone can do it!” Granted, there might not be pink, sparkly training wheels involved. But luckily, because of Arthur, jumping onto the screen printing bandwagon just got easier. In order to lessen the amount of times one might try…and try again, he’s provided Caliber readers with six simple tips to doit- yourself screen printing at home. So, get inspired, get messy, and get screen printing! And in response to Beckett, Caliber has a new motto: “Ever tried and ever dominated.” Perhaps we will make a shirt out of it.

Lifestyle

Arthur Choyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Screen Printing Tips MATERIALS YOU NEED: - Screen printing fabric ink (Speedball is an excellent ink that is easy to use and dries quickly) - A squeegee - Some paper - An X-Acto knife - A household iron - Masking tape - A screen (you can buy this pre-made at an arts and crafts store, or if you feel ambitious, you can make your own by purchasing mesh and stretching it over a canvas frame and stapling the edges to create a high tension surface) - A t-shirt or piece of fabric 1. Think of the design that you want for your tshirt and cut out the stencil on a sheet of paper. Silhouettes of objects and basic patterns make excellent stencil designs. 2. Using masking tape, block off the edges around your screen so when placed on top of the stencil on your shirt, it protects the shirt from ink bleeding through the sides. 3. Place your shirt on a flat surface, followed by your stencil, and lay your screen on top. 4. Apply a generous amount of ink on the screen at the top of your stencil and using one hand to hold the screen firmly in place, squeegee the ink down the screen (use a 45 to 60 degree angle with some pressure) and then repeat to ensure ink has passed through the screen onto the shirt. 5. After the ink dries on the shirt, set a household iron to the highest setting and with a piece of paper between the iron and shirt, iron the design for three to five minutes. 6. Show off your shirt to the rest of the world: you did it! Find more information at fantasyt-shirts.com

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Caliber Magazine / Fall 2012

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N A N E KE EN: L L A By D.J. Sellarole

Calm in the Eye of the Storm YOU CAN TELL a lot from a man’s handshake. Insecure men tend to squeeze a bit too hard—just enough to make it awkward. Overconfident men are much the same, and guys who know they have that special “it” usually offer the firm “respect that I am the alpha male in this room” shake. I expected a mixture, perhaps of all three, when I held out my hand on that early Monday morning. But instead, I was greeted by the handshake of a trusted friend; firm with a startling calmness. And he didn’t gruffly blurt out his name (like I would expect from a man of his stature), but instead introduced himself with a glancing, shy smile. Already, I was entirely thrown off by this hulking man in front of me. Who did he think he was, acting like a normal, everyday nice guy? This was Keenan Allen, the face of Cal football, a Heisman hopeful, a general badass. It was the first time he knocked me off guard that morning, but it certainly wouldn’t be the last. When I got out of bed on that gloomy mid-April morning for my interview with Keenan Allen, I had very set expectations for how things would go. Before I came

to Cal, I had spent a long three years as a defensive lineman at College of the Canyons in Southern California. There, I saw junior college football as a deadly mix of “all guts and no glory”. The majority of the guys I played with were major scholarship athletes who had missed their shot at the big show and were desperately trying to claw their way back to the top. Locker room anxiety was always at a high. We all knew that we had just one more shot, and the guys to our left and the guys to our right were always trying to steal it away. I was there because I came from a high school that was so small we played eightman football (there are normally eleven players). No scout had ever heard of my school, and if they had, I probably wasn’t good enough to catch their attention anyway. It’s safe to say that my reason for being there was the most mild. The stories were always tragic, and the storyteller always played the part of the victim. It was in that environment that I had learned to anticipate the pulse of a college football locker room, and I expected Allen to fit into the familiar space of the memories I carried around in my head.

It’s not that I was intimidated by his mere physical presence. Keenan Allen was far smaller than most of the guys I had played with, and I had known some crazy characters— guys who had a penchant for missing their seasons by taking vacations in the local county jail. What had me on edge, as best I can describe it, was a stale, numbing fear, a fear that I hadn’t felt since turning in my pads and helmet for the last time. It’s a feeling that will never really leave me, a feeling that is wrapped up in sweaty jerseys and sore knees, the fear that the guy across from you is about to make you a nobody. I expected nothing less than a cold, hard stare and a cocky attitude attached to every answer Allen gave me. What I got from him couldn’t have shocked me more. After watching the replay of Cal quarterback Zack Maynard’s 90-yard touchdown pass to his half-brother—Keenan Allen— it was hard to imagine a time when the North Carolina natives weren’t stars together on the field. After all, the two have been throwing to each other since Allen was seven years old, and the pair seems poised to dominate the 2012 season on

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I expected nothing less than a cold, hard stare and a cocky attitude attached to every answer Allen gave me. What I got from him couldn’t have shocked me more. college football’s greatest stage. Perhaps that’s why Melissa Meagher (my cointerviewer) and I both were so shocked when Allen revealed that his brother didn’t play officially until his senior year of high school. Allen himself didn’t play much as a freshman and told us that he figured he wouldn’t be going to college for football—he was “just a blocker,” and “not a very good one.” “My sophomore year came and I started doing better,” Allen said. “I saw my brother [a senior in high school] and he started getting offers, and I realized, ‘Okay, I can do this,’ and I started going to camps. You start to prove yourself and people start looking.” Suddenly, I stopped jotting down notes and sat back— it was hard for me to take this guy seriously. There was a level of vulnerability that I wasn’t used to hearing in his storytelling, as if he wasn’t worried about his image, or about asserting his dominance over his brother. The humility with which he told his story blew me away; after all—injuries and the end of the world aside—Keenan Allen is a guaranteed first round draft pick for the NFL in 2014. As if he hadn’t stretched his modesty far enough already, Allen decided to elaborate. “[Maynard] didn’t play until his senior year, and we were on the same [high school] team . . . he kind of had a big year,” he said. “Schools started coming and looking at him pretty fast. His process was much quicker than mine. He kind of led the way for me. Because I’m his brother.” I stared across the table at him with a stunned, dumb look, shook my head a little, twirled my pen, and tried desperately

to retain my composure. Now, readers, allow me to tread carefully around Keenan Allen’s statement. It’s not that I’m trying to take anything away from Maynard, and I certainly wouldn’t call Allen a liar, but anyone who knows anything about the crazy world of college football recruiting is aware that Keenan laid everything on the line for his as of now less hyped older brother. When I say less hyped, I’m not simply stating my own opinion. I would never claim to have that kind of interpretive skill for evaluating big time talent. The guys and gals over at Scout.com, however, are paid decent money to obsessively overanalyze guys like Allen and Maynard. The site is the Holy Grail of recruiting, and in college locker rooms across the nation—unless you’re Keenan Allen, apparently—the number of stars attached to one’s name dictates your bragging rights. Zack Maynard is awarded two stars out of five, and the universities listed under the “Schools of Interest” section are Buffalo (the school where Maynard played his freshman campaign), Temple and Middle Tennessee. There’s nothing wrong, per se, with that profile. In fact, by normal standards, it’s rather exceptional, seeing as most high school ball players (this journalist included) are now sitting at home watching him play on the big screen. It’s just that Allen’s account of Maynard paving the way doesn’t exactly add up, considering that Scout.com deemed Allen worthy of its highest honor—the coveted five stars. His “Schools of Interest” include Alabama, Clemson, Oregon, Tennessee and South Carolina (I only listed here five of the nine powerhouses that offered him a full scholarship).

pushes these otherwise ordinary men to extraordinary levels of physical prowess. It usually comes down to some corny formulation of determination, will to win, and sacrifice—the drive to succeed in the face of extraordinary adversity. With this “formula for greatness” on my mind,I tried hard to dig “it” out of him, the story I expected and wanted to hear. I wanted him to tell me one of the stories that I had heard a thousand times before from all the “victims” I had left back home. Bum coaches, greedy parents, too much time spent with the wrong crowd. I was conditioned to think this way, and when I looked at Keenan Allen’s stat sheet, I became convinced of the existence of some great, tragic, driving force—which is why I had naively anticipated that he would be angry, selfishly driven and territorial. But Keenan Allen—the from-a-distanceimposing bundle of smiles—just wasn’t having it. And it says quite a bit about his character. There’s no melodrama, no sob stories, no false bravado. Even better, there is a story—everyone has a story, but Allen doesn’t use it as a crutch or as a chip on his shoulder. Anyone with a Google search bar and a little bit of time could see that if Allen wanted to be a victim, he could be. The Internet armchair critics, obnoxious and

As a big time sports fan, I often ponder what separates the chumps from the greats. At some point in their careers, Reggie Bush, Payton Manning, and Aaron Rogers all played with guys like me— regular, average athletes who blocked for them, caught passes thrown by them, and even tackled and tried to hurt them. Sports writers through the mysterious ages have tried to put a finger on the magic combination that

photo courtesy of Michael Pimentel/GoldenBearSports.com

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...thankfully [Zack] picked Cal. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no better place to be a student-athlete.

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GETTING TO KNOW KEENAN Who is you number one mentor? “I know who I really want to say…because I said that person last time…but my mama got really mad, so I’m not going to do that…Of course it’s my mama!” What is the number one thing you want to accomplish in your time at Cal? “I want to make the Dean’s list…I’d do something wild if I made [it]. What do you say to a student-athlete who’s made Dean’s List?!” What is your intended major? “African American Studies.” Favorite class so far at Cal? “Physics for Future Presidents” Favorite book? “Fast Food Nation” If you weren’t a football player, what career would you want? “I would want to be a singer. I’m always singing. It’s like I have the Tourette’s, but with singing.”

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accusing as ever, make Allen’s recruiting process out to be a scandal on par with Watergate. “Is Alabama’s Top Recruit Trying To Blackmail ‘Bama?” an especially incredulous blogger inquires. What he is referring to, of course, is the fact that Allen insisted on being a package deal with his brother. “Zack Maynard is exploiting his brother’s fame,” says another Internet expert. Accusations of money under the table and secret job offers are thrown around flippantly, and it all was swirling in the back of my skull as I looked at this big amiable goof sitting across from me. “Keenan,” Melissa said, “describe the recruiting process for us. What was that like?” This prompt made something click, and within seconds, I was ready with my Watergate line of questioning. Suddenly, I was the sharp, keen warrior-journalist searching for a story; I was twenty steps ahead of this kid—he’d never outfox me. Allen looked at us with a blank face, shrugged and said, “I didn’t really care. I told my brother to pick a school, and thankfully he picked Cal. There’s no better place to be a student-athlete. I just followed him.” Once again, I was caught off-guard. I was dumbfounded, and before I had time to reshape my follow up approach, Melissa blurted out, “So . . . basically you just follow your brother around?” And just like that, we were all rolling in laughter and the scandal was swept up with his easy personality. “I wouldn’t say all that,” he retorted smoothly with a twinkle in his eye, “but yeah, we stick together.” Before I even had time to decide if Allen’s “Thankfully he picked Cal. There’s no better place to be a student-athlete” comment was bs or not, he explained why he said it, and there was not even the slightest scent of cover-up left lingering in the room. “I like it because no one knows me. No one’s coming up and going, ‘Oh, it’s Keenan Allen.’ Sure, if I’m at a basketball game and they say, ‘In the crowd tonight is Keenan Allen,’ then people know, but it makes me feel good that people don’t just know me as the football player.” “So,” I asked him, “why the drive for success if you don’t like the fame? You said you wanted to be on Sports Illustrated, and now you’ll be on Caliber. Don’t you know people will recognize you?” “Oh, I want them to know,”

he said. “I want to be known, for sure.” “You just don’t like being bothered and chased around,” I joked. He laughed, and then added, “Exactly. I want the success, just not all that. I’m not a very social person. I just kind of like to go with the flow.” At this point in the interview, Melissa and I had given up any hopes of deeper scandal or dark tales of hardship and woe. Keenan Allen is a rare breed of celebrity. Ultimately, the only statement we managed to get out of him that was remotely worthy of a Hollywood sport film was that he strove for success “to prove to doubters” that they were wrong. Even then, it was in a sporting, joking way; Keenan didn’t

There’s no melodrama, no sob stories, no false bravado. Everyone has a story, but Allen doesn’t use it as a crutch or as a chip on his shoulder. have cantankerous enemies in mind. His doubters, the ones who seem to bother him, anyway, seem playful at best. In high school, for instance, Allen was a top ranked safety, a defensive position as opposed to the (offensive) wide receiver he plays at Cal. When I asked him if he ever missed playing safety, he answered, “All the time. I’m always on the coaches to let me play.” Surprised, I asked, “Why do you want to play safety so bad when you have so much success as receiver?” With his trademark wink and smile, Keenan answered, “Because the defense thinks I can’t do that. I want to show them that they are wrong.” After that boyish wink, I was desperate to elicit some aggression from Keenan Allen— maybe I was just nursing my shattered imagining of how I had thought the conversation would go, but I wanted to feel some electric intensity that I could translate onto the page. I blindsided him with my best shot, hopeful that he’d give me answers I could anticipate and expect and use. “What are your top five pump up songs?” I asked. Of course, I expected Lil Wayne, Eminem, maybe Young Jeezy. Those are locker room staples; they are angry artists with angry lyrics inspiring

angry young men to do angry, violent things. They were my favorites, always blaring in the locker room, and I thought perhaps Allen and I shared that code. He leaned back in his chair, smiled again and said, “The Weeknd, maybe some Drake. The Birds, by the Weeknd, for sure.” At that point, all I could do is laugh. The man had out-gamed my every expectation and move, and I was helpless under his seamless humor. “Do you ever let that calm go?” I asked, letting my exasperation leak through. “Of course,” he said, “I get angry on the field all the time. Especially at my brother. When he doesn’t pass and I’m open, I let him have it.” And then Allen laughed; he was probably thinking of Melissa’s earlier comment about how he follows his older brother around. “Only to a point,” the smile seemed to say, “does that calm flow stay intact.” And with that hint of a smile, I had it. I could see the athlete under all of his boyish, easygoing charm. He was still the winking, joking, smiling Keenan Allen, but he was also the skilled wide receiver with 1,833 receiving yards and 11 touchdown receptions to date. And it all seemed to hit his character—laughing easily and catching easily, Keenan seems to take life in stride... and right into the end zone. So, watch out when Keenan Allen in all his poised, calm, affable glory takes the field this semester— he might be playing to prove someone wrong. More likely, he’ll be singing The Weeknd out there— Keenan admitted that if he could have any career other that football, he’d be a singer—just waiting for someone to challenge him. One thing is certain; I know that I’ll be in the stands rooting as loud as I can. What can I say, maybe I’m not the best journalist in the world; my skill for objectivity must not be that great if I can leave the interview room as my subject’s new biggest fan, but I blame that on Keenan. He can handle it, just the same as he’ll handle the season opener and every game after that: with a song on his lips and his brother by his side. Thanks to Nam Lee for contributing to the interview questions. Photography by David Herschorn and Sasha Chebil.

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Entertainment

924 GILMAN The Venue You Need To Know

BEFORE GREEN DAY, Operation Ivy, and Rancid amassed their cult followings, they had a few numbers in common. 0: The number of major record labels they had signed to. 0: The number of official albums they had released. 0: The number of times band members’ members had appeared on stage and made MTV news (though the former may have happened and just been mercifully blocked from concert-goers’ memories). 924: The Gilman Street address where they launched their careers to become the legends they are today. Located less than three miles from campus, 924 Gilman Street, or simply “The Gilman,” is a punk and alternative legend that doesn’t have the recognition from Berkeley’s diverse student population that it deserves. Founded in 1986, the all-ages, drug- and alcohol-free venue has offered an accessible launching point for touring and local metal, punk, alternative, ska and hardcore bands. In

Caliber Magazine / Fall 2012

addition, The Gilman has been host to a variety of other now-famous bands: The Foo Fighters, Dropkick Murphys, AFI, the Offspring, Star Fucking Hipsters, NOFX, Primus, and Fugazi have all presented their jean-vested selves at 924. The venue has a member-based, democratic system of operation that requires bands to send in a copy of their lyrics to ensure that they don’t contain homophobic, misogynistic or racist messages. The Gilman has been a unique place of safety for over two decades for everyone who wants to enjoy and support independent and creative music. Staff at The Gilman is serious about staying away from the corporate mainstream world of music—bands that have signed to a major label are banned from the stage. Gilman members sometimes take their own interpretation of “major” to the next level as they did in 1997, when several crowd members attacked the former lead singer of the Dead Kennedys in spite

By Jaime Gamblin

of the club’s non-violent stance. While singer Jello Biafra was there with his new band that, in accordance with club policy, had not signed to a major label, his appearance was enough to incense those who feel more militant about an anticommercial scene. The Gilman’s colorful past shouldn’t be a deterrent, however. While a good show will undoubtedly have a decent mosh pit for thrashing around in, there’s always a sense of camaraderie and a helping hand or three to help you up if you should get pushed down. If this still sounds too intense an experience as an audience member, the back of the venue is always available for pure band viewing pleasure. Just don’t be surprised if all the cathartic fun of a good pit surprises you. A short bus ride away, and with shows that almost always end in time to catch a ride back home, the Gilman is an exciting Bay Area institution that’s well worth the trip.

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What to take on your trip to the punk rock Mecca: A good pair of shoes. Even if the mosh pit isn’t your thing, The Gilman can get packed. Having your toes crushed isn’t in anyone’s best interest. A light jacket. This depends, of course, on the season, but the wide streets on the couple blocks from the bus stop to the venue can get windy. While the venue gets reasonably warm, there are also always the breaks in between sets. A lighter. During those breaks, people tend to congregate out the side door to get fresh air or to have a cigarette. It’s easy to make friends when someone asks if you have a light, and you might have an interesting conversation outside of the UC bubble. Cash. Unless you buy presale tickets on the website, the venue doesn’t accept cards. Luckily, shows are usually less than $10, and it isn’t too difficult to find ATMs nearby. OPTIONAL: Earplugs. While they will impair the quality of the sound, The Gilman is a small venue that serves a typically loud style of music. If you have very sensitive ears, and your comfort and ability to enjoy all that The Gilman offers are at stake, don’t give a damn and pack those puppies in.

THERE ARE SOME interesting and useful things you’ll want to look for while at the Gilman. On the right side of the ceiling above the graffitied stage, there’s a tag that says “Sweet Children.” This is Green Day’s original band name, and it’s neat to look at and contemplate a Green Day without MTV. Speaking of graffiti, there’s a lot of it all over the inside of the venue. While it’s an odd thing to go looking for, the bathrooms in particular are a very “colorful” and interesting place to look around. Finally (hopefully after all of your moshing), you’ll probably be in need of some water. There are usually cups and a water cooler located near the front by much of the bands’ merchandise. Grab a cup and hydrate while you look through merch and show some support. Photos by Nik Crain. Show photo on page 42 courtesy of Matt Gill.

Deodorant. Wear it. Or don’t. It is a punk venue. But in the middle of a packed crowd, if nothing else, you can resort to your own sea breeze scent for a brief respite.

How to get your gang to the Gilman: Depending on your method of transportation, the trip can take anywhere between 15 to 40 minutes. Driving, of course, is the easiest: Just take University to a right on San Pablo, and then a left on Gilman Street. Bart is a bit of a hassle, and you don’t get the advantage of a free ride with your bus pass. The North Berkeley Bart Station is a little over a mile from the venue. Bussing it is the most rational way of getting there for most students without a car. Depending on your location around campus and the day of the week, the 25, 51B to the 72R, and the 52 will all get you there. No matter your location, though, you’ll never have to walk more than three blocks after your end stop.

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Entertainment

REVOLUTION CAFE

History You Can’t Find in a Book By David Herschorn TIME STOPS WHEN you step off the street into the Revolution Café. You grab a coffee or tea or beer or wine or soda, sit in one of the wooden or velvet or leather or cloth chairs or stools or benches and sit back to overhear the most eclectic conversations happening in the Bay (and that’s saying something). “No, man, Arnie says to take care of you,” is the reply I get when I pull out my wallet to pay for my tea. I got there just before the big man, Arnie Fields, who runs not just the Revolution Café, but the whole block. Arnie is a thoroughbred Oakland native, a two-time mayoral candidate and a rambler, in the best of ways. Normally, I hate people who ramble on about the minutia of their lives, but with Arnie, each tangent is more interesting than the last and in the course of our little chat I learned about Dutch architecture, Oakland skateboarders, and the evils of Jerry Brown. As our conversation haphazardly danced about, my eyes feasted on the chaotic yet not at all careless collection of items that makes up the décor of the café. An MLK street sign, an old black and white photograph of the café with men in hats, a painting of Che Guevara, a homemade book about white supremacy, a gas mask. The conversation was interrupted twice: once when a European architect who makes polyhedral living spaces for a “modern nomadic, minimalist way of life” came to talk with Arnie and once to join in singing happy birthday to a regular. Besides the big interruptions, the conversation was punctuated by Arnie greeting his customers by name. “The Café is an opportunity for all, it’s an opportunity for the community and the neighborhood to have a place to frequent, a place to go to and have breakfast, lunch and dinner. Instead of just turning the facility into a live/work space, it seemed

Caliber Magazine / Fall 2012

like the right thing to turn it into a café. Financially, it was a big loss in dollars by not converting it into a live/work space, but it’s paid off tenfold as far as the benefits to the community. Nothing has created community like the Revolution Café has. It’s an entity that has been created for folks. We have musicians come in here, we have eccentric folks come in here, we have families come in here…so the place is essentially designed for the entire rainbow, to be a place for everybody, so we want to extend an open hand to everybody in the community and the city.”

To Get There: The Revolution Cafe is at 1612 7th St. Get off at West Oakland BART (on your way to or from SF), exit the station onto 7th St., go left, and walk 2 blocks. Hours: Mon-Thurs 8-8, Fri 8-1am, Sat 9-8, Sun 10-3

Arnie talks about time on a grand scale, and specifics don’t matter too much. “We want this place to be here for our life time, and for our kids’ lifetime and our kids’ kids’ lifetime. We want this essentially to be here for two-three-four hundred years. We want to save the architecture for the future generations so they can see the past.” The café is a revolution in itself, and I walked out of it feeling nothing less than revolutionary. The place feels like it might be where the Occupy Movement was planned, but really, it’s just a great setting to sit and see what happens and the perfect pit stop on the way to or from San Francisco, just two blocks from the West Oakland BART station. Stop by when you’re passing through, the café will be there, watching time go by, and Arnie will be sitting there, waiting to tell you about the latest revolution in Oakland.

Arnie Fields founded the café a decade ago

Entertainment

Written for Screen A Closer Look at Book to Film Adaptation

By Nakta Alaghebandan

THE WORLD OF book-to-film adaptations can be like a Brooklyn alleyway: sticky. Just as the entire country might argue over whether or not Jersey Shore is a godsend, the idea of what makes a film adaptation truly successful is debatable. There is the Darwinian approach, in which to adapt in either the world of cinema or the world of Galapagos finches means essentially changing to become better compatible with a new environment. More simply put, directors will adjust details so that a novel’s storyline better fits the film format. But how far is too far? Often with adaptations, problems with content loyalty abound. Directors find themselves in a double bind, torn between catering to supporters of innovation or devoted fans wanting an adaptation that is faithful to the details of the book—eternally bound in text-to-visual marriage, even if that might not translate as well onto screen. One side requests commitment to detail, the other prefers commitment only to thematics.

This tug-o-war of opinion can sometimes be cruel. An audience will both complain that a loyal film adaptation gives them nothing more or newer than the book and also point a finger at the Hollywood hotshots when they feel cheated by “tweaks” that do not accurately portray the story to the moviegoers who have not yet hungrily devoured the book. Adaptations will never win both audiences. In the end, it all depends on to whom the directors want to cater—the diehards or the innovators—and what kind of relationship they have with the film. Do they want to feed a commercial audience or take the potential of an imaginative work and tap into a new source of awesomeness, regardless of the critics? More often than not, a film finds more success by using a book as a source of inspiration to produce a similar, yet original means of storytelling. The most popular adaptations aren’t really about respecting every nanodetail that embellishes the pages of an author’s book. The ones that are worthy of the box office artfully capture and translate the spirit of a book into the new medium and ultimately, into a new work of art that can stand on its own. Making changes in film adaptations is inevitable—forced, even—by the hindrances of a different medium and of not having more than about three hours of an audience’s patience to tell a visual story on screen without skimping on all the book’s details. To adapt, a director must sign the invisible Terms of Servic-

es of common sense, which clearly state that the condensation of a book into film form requires both inventiveness and, by consequence, personal interpretation. A novel, no matter how hard a director tries to challenge the fabric of reality, will always in essence be a novel, and a movie will accordingly remain its own separate species, even if its primitive ancestor were to be the original novel. The film adaptation is a derivative of that novel, and by essence, its own entity. To unite both film and novel in a seamless act of adaptation à la Frankenstein, a skilled director must find a balance between recreation and translation. Director Stephen Daldry, who brought Jonathan Safran Foers’ Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close onto the big screen, nestled himself at the extreme (no pun intended) end of the adaptation spectrum. Much to the disappointment of the novel’s fans, the film, which snaked its way through the states with a wide release in January, was to the book what Tiger Woods was to former wife Elin: totally unfaithful. Granted, because Foer’s avantgarde method of storytelling extends beyond simple prose to employ unique syntax, visual imagery, and blank pages, his novel is what some critics would call “unfilmable” due to its non-screen-friendly nature. To add more chaos to the chaos, Daldry had to wield the formidable task of translating an insurmountable amount of interior monologue to the screen without sounding like an ESPN commentator. With all that mental talk, so vital to the plot and character development, how could Daldry engage the audience, who sit in their plush, popcorn-scented seats

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Entertainment

in pursuit of entertainment and not a mind-numbing lecture? From the start, a “faithful” adaptation was doomed; a style of storytelling as inventive as Foer’s required an even more ambitious transcription to film form. While the film was cleanly produced and well condensed, it was not ambitious enough. It did not outdo itself; it merely satisfied. To enlighten readers who have never touched the book, ELIC follows the story of a precocious boy named Oskar who tries to make sense of his father’s 9/11 death via a scavenger hunt through New York, vaguely similar to the Little Prince’s interplanetary travels—all while possibly dealing with Autism/Asperger’s syndrome. The story of his search for closure intertwines with the beautiful, heart-wrenching story of not love, but of

ceiling. Here lies the great adaptation conundrum: the need to make stories both Hollywood-friendly and the need to treat viewers not only as a creative audience, but also as customers. Understandably, at a run time of just over two hours, Daldry had some sandpapering to do. And to not acknowledge the tact with which he is able to make such a jigsaw book coherent would simply be unfair. As Betsy Sharkey of the Los Angeles Times eloquently put it, the film is a “handsomely polished, thoughtfully wrapped Hollywood production about the national tragedy of 9/11 that seems to have forever redefined words like unthinkable, unforgivable, catastrophic.” Even with the abridgement of character encounters, however, the film feels rushed towards the end, as if the finish of

like a light bulb without a lamp. Such is the case with The Hunger Games, which was released to a rabid, Harry Potteresque fan base mid-March. While the experience of witnessing how the filmmaking team visualized the details of the book was both interesting and gratifying to our hungry (yes, pun) curiosity, the pressure of dispatching an absolutely straightforward adaptation at risk of being torn apart by the fervent followers of the trilogy was too thick to ignore. If the author Suzanne Collins were to dislike and consequently disassociate herself from the film, that kind of public backlash would discourage other innocent civilians from even bothering to just watch the movie to see what the hype is all about. Besides, before the movie came out, many had not yet bothered to touch

To unite both film and novel in a seamless act of adaptation à la Frankenstein, a skilled director must find a balance between recreation and translation. need, between his estranged grandparents. While Daldry does a skillful job of depicting Oskar’s autistic, sensory overload in the anxious phases of his journey, his omission of the grandparents’ story raised eyebrows. Adapting often reaches a point where an individual has to question if the omission of certain storylines toes the line of respect for the novelist’s work. Who is to say what meaning is worth expressing, what story is worth telling? Foer’s novel finds richness and depth in its many characters, from the old man who hears his own voice for the first time in almost 20 years (and who was only given a halfsecond cameo in the movie) to Stan the Mailman’s big break in helping Oskar find some closure after his father death—both of whom were coldheartedly cut out from the film, along with the grandparents’ past. But most importantly, the film relied too heavily on the 9/11 theme as bait for the audience’s empathy, an easy fan magnet for the people who equate the amount of tears shed to the success of a film. While the death of Oskar’s father in the attacks was what sparked everything, the story of the novel transcended that of the attacks, and the film simply crashes into that glass

Caliber Magazine / Fall 2012

a storyline was only hastily thrown in. Unfortunately, stories aren’t as easy as making Top Ramen; their endings require care, not a boom-boom approach. But in the end, the movie’s Oscar nomination for “Best Picture” reminds the adaptation’s critics to evaluate the film as a work of its own. It is only fair to respect Daldry’s acknowledgement of the Terms of Services, that adapting requires the courage to compromise based on personal interpretation. He still manages to translate the spirit of the novel in some way, if not all its serpentine storylines, while still creating an individual work of art. Nevertheless, adaptations can fail in more ways than just not trusting the material enough or streamlining the material for Hollywood profit. Sometimes, being too faithful to the details of a book leaves nothing more than the cinematic sketch of a well painted story, a visual Sparknotes, if you will, that simply looks to check off key requirements. This is where the innovator fans ask: how can an all-too-faithful adaptation stand alone as a work of its own if it simply clones the novel, if it offers nothing new? At that point, the film would be entirely too dependent on the novel for its own success,

the books. Even with all the potential for an interpretive recreation, anything other than a faithful translation was not worth the risk of bad press. As faithful as it may be, The Hunger Games prioritizes the main plot details and consequently fails to flush out vital relationships in the book that would help viewers better empathize with the main heroine Katniss. By sacrificing originality for loyalty, director Gary Ross directed a film that became more of a blueprint than a story—too literal. To honor a novel, a successful adaptation is better off actively engaging with the material rather than remaining boringly faithful; the makers must pick and choose what is important to emphasize rather than worry of omitting details. Along with having echoes of the film Battle Royale—albeit with lesser violence and shakier camera movements— The Hunger Games was not concerned with artistic expression transcending the details of the novel as with the interpretive ELIC. Here, the film focused more on translation, not recreation. From opposite spectrums come two different ideas of both success and failure in adaptation, as evidenced by viewers and critics.

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We grew up hearing not to judge a book by its cover. Today, with more technologically up-todate adages, we must understand not to judge a film adaptation with the bias that comes from reading its original inspiration. Perhaps the success of adaptations would suffer less if we first watched the movies and then went back to the book for the even more in-depth, nittygritty details. When we read the book first, we walk into the theater and expect a meticulous transcription of what we read in film form, even if being faithful to the book is not what will help cinematically tell its story best. The other way around, we go back to the books not searching for the same story, but for better understanding the thoughts of the characters when they are not translated onto screen. Realistically, though, this is typically not the case, which means we are responsible to not enter an adaptation with a mental checkbox of everything that absolutely must be present in the film. Rather, we are responsible to evaluate the film based on what is, and not what is missing. Nothing is sacred. While it only makes sense to question whether the director “respects” the work if he is taking out storylines to his own accord, perhaps that is what is necessary to do when trying to best embody the emotional spirit of a novel. It may not be “accurate”, but at least it will be interesting. While we may write off unfaithful adaptors as being Hollywood mercenaries, we can also be forgiving and hope that the director does have a personal connection to the material rather than a personal connection to popularity. To the best of their abilities, directors will respect the material— their own success is at stake, too—cut out what will help make the film better on its own, and acknowledge that they will not have every fan on his side, especially the die-hard ones. Such is art: a vision, a goal to connect with the people. In the end, it really isn’t about what makes a book-to-film adaptation “good”; for the true artist, it is about understanding what makes a good film, and understanding how it is possible to get there from the materials offered by the book. We must remember to review a film not only by its success in transcription but also its success as a work on its own. Of course it makes sense to relate it to the novel, to read the novel and point out where the film went wrong, but is that to undermine the artistic integrity of the film as its own creation? Yes. To transcribe a novel directly into a film is to ask for a leprechaun to appear in your lap. Ludicrous. And all within the constraints of the film reel. For the love of art, we as viewers should be a little more adaptive ourselves.

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Kluegel House Student Housing Weird Name, Cool House. Kluegel House is a private student rooming house located two blocks north of the UC Berkeley campus. You can live in a gorgeous old mansion, in a spacious and sunlit room, surrounded by 100-year old redwoods, amid a couple of dozen other UCB students. Rent includes utilities, highspeed wifi, common-area cleaning, shuffleboard, ping pong, T-rex, flamingos, food staples (rice, pasta, flour, sugar, spices, etc.), soaps (bath, laundry, hand, dish), shampoo & conditioner, notary services, and housecats George Clooney & Mabel. Life can be good. 2669 Le Conte Avenue, Berkeley, CA (510) 356-3523 kluegel-house.com

Technology

There’s an For That

App By Rahul Pandya

SLEEP CYCLE ALARM CLOCK Waking up in the morning can be tough at times; it leaves us irritable, cranky and desperate for more sleep. Sleep Cycle alarm clock makes that experience as easy as possible by waking you when it is natural for your body to wake. With your phone placed under your bed sheet, the app uses your phone’s accelerometer to track your movements while you’re asleep and to sense in what part of the sleep cycle you are. You set up a time to wake up and a time interval, usually 30 minutes. It will then wake you when you are in the lightest phase of sleep within that interval of time, so that you can wake up feeling completely refreshed.

CALIBER’S

MUST-HAVE APPS Instagram ESPN Scorecenter Shazam Yelp

There are over 500,000 different apps in Apple’s App Store. With so many apps, many that you’ve probably never even heard of, there’s a chance you aren’t using your iPhone to its full potential. So we at Caliber put together a list of some not-so-wellknown apps from a number of different categories that you should download to make your smartphone experience—and let’s face it, your life—even better.

ZILLOW Sick of searching Craigslist to find apartments? Zillow is a real estate app that provides listings for available places to live all in a neatly designed app on your phone. It also has the ability to estimate the value of different houses and apartments, if you are ever curious as to how much a certain house is worth. For Cal Students looking for new places to live, this app definitely comes in handy.

VIDDY Think Instagram for videos. Viddy allows you to put filters on videos, up to 15 seconds in length, and stream them to your followers or post them to Facebook in the same way you would pictures to Instagram. Fun Fact: Viddy was temporarily removed from the App Store because of the presence of pornography (or stuff close to pornography anyway), but if you wish to record yourself getting your twerk on, I can’t think of a better app to use.

HONORABLE MENTIONS Urbanspoon Readability MyFitnessPal iFood Assistant by KRAFT Next Bus Fast Customer Diptic

CONVERTER TOUCH Ever travel abroad without knowing any currency exchange information? Perhaps in the middle of a physics problem, you forget how Kelvin works. Maybe you are buying drugs for the first time and aren’t exactly sure how much an eighth is. Converter Touch lets you convert units in pretty much any unit category you can imagine, from weight and speed to luminance and torque, all instantly.

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Technology

Facebook

Can You Live Without It? By Jennifer Wong

”EVERYONE AND THEIR mother is on this friggin’ site,” a friend once said to me as she joined the world of Facebook. It was true. Everyone in my family, even my mother, is on it. That’s what makes Facebook one of the most useful tools on the Internet today; everyone’s there, checking their Facebook every day, so that we can interact much easier. After all, I can message my lab partner to double-check homework answer 34, like my friend’s essay idea or start an English 125 reading group all before checking my newsfeed. At the same time, Facebook can be the most timesucking website on the Internet today. Time after time, I find myself amongst friends, saying, “I have a paper due; I need to get off Facebook,” or, “It’s finals week; I need to get off Facebook.” If there was a way to measure how many hours I’ve wasted every day on Facebook distracting myself from homework, I’d be too embarrassed to share it. So where does the balance lie? Where is the tipping point between procrastination and productivity, and exactly how much time do we spend doing each? Bottom line: Are we more productive with or without the sensation we call Facebook? There wasn’t any better way to find out than to see what my daily life would be like without our infamous social network. For two weeks I went cold turkey— I deactivated my Facebook.

Caliber Magazine / Fall 2012

DAY 00 I would be off the network for two weeks. I made myself a promise and set a starting date. Instead of sticking to my word, I made excuses: “Tomorrow will be a better day for that” or, “Right after I finish this one last thing.” Already I could tell how attached to Facebook I was. After three whole days of postponing deactivation, I finally got the courage to go and do what had to be done.

DAY 01 “Deactivated. You’re off the face of the earth now,” my friend texted me after I changed my password and deactivated my profile. I was now “off the face of the earth,” as if the realm of Facebook had grown so much over the years that it now servesdas an “official” record of everyone on the planet. I went to the library to see if the time I would have otherwise spent on Facebook would be spent productively. Instead, I found myself rebounding to other social networking websites like Tumblr and Twitter, desperately trying to fill the void that was my daily Facebook activity, feeling for the first time pangs of withdrawal.

DAY 03 For a while now, my DeCal facilitator has been organizing a social for the class via the convenient

Technology

feature of the ‘Facebook event.’ Today, I found out I had actually missed out on important announcements that were made on the event page. Being out of the loop made me wonder: what other information would I fail to receive?

DAY 04 A friend left me a message on Tumblr: “Did you deactivate your Facebook? If yes, know that I tried to send you a message about a potential SF dinner outing next weekend.” Well, dinner in San Francisco sounds sweet. But wait, how strange is it that this friend, my floormate no less, chose to go through another social networking medium in order to contact me when she could have texted me or simply walked down the hall and knocked on my door? Receiving that Tumblr message made me feel like we were so reliant on the Internet as a means of communication that real time methods like calling or talking in person were suddenly not as effective. If true, communication within the system will be easier, but those left on the outside—like me at that moment—won’t be as fortunate.

DAY 07 I redeemed myself for not studying on my first day of deactivation. Where I initially failed in my first attempt at the library, today I succeeded. By now, my feelings of withdrawal and attachment to Facebook have faded. I had actually started my homework in the daytime instead of my usual habit of starting late into the night. I caught up with my readings for Classics and was even able to de-clutter parts of my dorm room. If any day could point to the benefits of being off Facebook, it’s this one. Productivity for the win.

DAY 14 Reactivation day. I definitely feel less of a need for the website prior to the start of these past two weeks though I’m a little anxious and excited for my return. What will I find? What will I feel? I finally received the golden key— my Facebook password. In that moment, Facebook opened its gates to me: ‘Welcome back. Your account has been reactivated.’

Everything was still familiar yet foreign. I felt a kind of disconnect scrolling here and there, wondering why or what made me so fascinated and captured in the first place. On my News Feed, I scrolled a bit and read a few statuses, giving everything an ‘eh’ and deeming them pointless. Just like that, these two weeks of Facebook fasting changed a lot for me. I found that I wasn’t as attached to the website anymore. Though there are exceptions when I get distracted and sidetracked looking at everyone’s profiles (oh, you do it too), I don’t feel tortured when I’m unable to check my notifications for a day and I can tell myself “it can wait” when my Ethernet cable is too far to reach. Maybe just having a Facebook isn’t so much a problem as it is really how we choose to use it. There’s no doubt that Facebook tends to make life easier, but it has the equal ability to waste your time as well. It’s up to us as users to regulate our own time. Of course, deactivating and cutting out Facebook forever doesn’t have to be the final solution, but from my experience, a little bit of cold turkey certainly helped.

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Awards

2012 Caliber Club Awards

00ES! 0 8 T ER

Best Parties Ski and Snowboard Club A club dedicated to the fresh powder and snow enthusiasts, College Ski and Snowboard Club (CSSC) provides its members with discounts on gear, rentals, and season passes for ultimate shredding. Not only that, but during spring semester, the CSSC hosts up to eight cabin trips in Tahoe, complete with carpools and lodging for only $20 a night. College students, cabin, Tahoe— even in theory, it is a crazy party just waiting to happen. And it’s paid off—here at Berkeley, when CSSC parties get brought up and reminisced upon, it always sounds like a crazy, Ke$ha-approved kind of a night. Also rumored to have thrown a rager just to win our club award, congrats, CSSC mission accomplished. Party on!

Caliber Magazine / Fall 2012

Best Dance Group Movement Forget American’s Best Dance Crew, Berkeley’s got some great talent that will make even the best dancers envious. On a campus where dance groups are almost as plentiful as the squirrels that roam about, students seem to be especially crazy in love with Movement, also known as The [M]. Instead of getting lost in a sea of dance groups, Movement differentiate themselves by focusing on their dancers’ unique abilities; they make it a point to not limit themselves to a specific type of dance and, instead, welcome all sorts of dances. Not only can they break dance like a pro, but they can also bust out some crazy jazz, hip-hop and swing dance. Already a repeat winner, we can safely assume that this group has the moves like a certain Rolling Stones and will continue dancing on their talented, happy feet.

On a campus that hosts hundreds of clubs, which reign supreme? We here at Caliber love a good ol’ competition and we also love the crème de la crèmes, so we have combined the best of both worlds and created the Caliber Club Awards. Thousands have voted and we are now proud to present the 2012 Caliber Club Award winners. By Anisa Young

Best Professional Organization Innovative Design Described as “a family of graphic designers, web designers & photographers,” Innovative Design, or InnoD, seems to generate nothing but professionalism as they aim to “provide a holistic design service” to Cal and business surrounding the campus. With three tiers (the photo tier, tier 1 and tier 2) InnoD provides a wide but also extensive and specific array of expertise that range from logo designs to marketing collateral and everything in between. Even more impressive is their client list which features local businesses such as C.R.E.A.M., Annie’s Pie Hole, and Bowl’d, just to name a few. On top of all of this, InnoD also has a decal that teaches graphic design through the use of Photoshop and Illustrator, which could prepare you to join InnoD in the future. You can often catch them at different Cal events, camera ready. Just be sure to smile big and say “cheese!”

Awards

Best A Cappella UC Men’s Octet It sounds like no one can get enough of the UC Men’s Octet’s sensational voices, and really, it is a group that we can listen to on repeat. Eight sensational and vocally gifted Berkeley men have been making girls and boys swoon year after year ever since 1948. With their aww-worthy voices, matching suits and ties, charming dance moves and equally charming personalities, how can anyone possibly resist? This talented octet has been making a name for themselves that extends to an audience far greater than Berkeley, and even the Bay Area. With Youtube videos that boast over two million hits, over a dozen albums and an international following, let’s just say that it makes perfect sense that the students voted UC Men’s Octet as Best A Capella Group for two years in a row.

Best Public Service Dance Marathon Berkeley’s Dance Marathon began in 2006 and each year’s event just grows bigger, badder and crazier than the year before. Despite all the fancy frills and thrills of the event, the core of Dance Marathon has remained exactly the same since day one: they dance for a cure. They work in conjunction with Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundations (EGPAF) in an effort to combat against pediatric AIDS across the world through “research, advocacy, prevention and treatment programs.” It only costs $19, the cost of two Chipotle burritos, to provide the necessary education, outreach and medication in order to prevent one mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Dance Marathon has truly made a special place for itself within the heart of the students with the help of their slogan “we dance for those who cannot.”

Most Green Berkeley Student Food Collective The Berkeley Student Food Collective (BSFC) seems to be a raging hit amongst students, as they have voted it “Most Green” two years in a row, and they have been in operation for only two years! Perhaps the option of being able to get knee-deep in the food prep as a member is enticing, or maybe they just cannot get enough of the co-op’s unique food creations; whatever the reason may be, there is no denying that students unanimously believe that the BSFC is as green as can be. The food coop opened its doors in 2010, and since then, they have spent the last two years trying to promote a healthier, more sustainable and ecologically sound lifestyle geared towards the students, which seems very appropriate, if not a requirement, for a campus with a reputation like Berkeley’s.

Best New Club Autism Speaks U With an organization that was founded in 2005 and a Berkeley chapter that was founded in 2010, Autism Speaks is a new foundation in all sense of the word “new.” With a goal of changing the future for all those who suffer with ASDs, Autism Speaks U is here to unite and raise awareness about autism. Their slogan, “Autism Speaks. It’s time to listen,” perfectly connects to Autism Speak U’s first annual 5K in which hundreds of people ran, walked and fundraised over $13,000 in support of ASDs. Getting off to such a strong start, there is no doubt that Autism Speaks U will be a club that has great staying power and one that will truthfully make an even bigger impact in the longrun.

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Awards

Best Events SUPERB

Most Enthusiastic Heuristic Squelch If you have ever stepped foot onto campus, it is almost guaranteed that you have been offered a copy of Squelch by someone uninhibited, loud and obviously in-your-face, which makes them a perfect winner of Most Enthusiastic. The Heuristic Squelch is Cal’s one and only intentionally funny campus publication created for the sole purpose of making people roll on the floor and laugh (aka ROFL). Started in 1991 with the byline of “college humor the way it should be—and is,” Squelch is a twenty page magazine that includes comedic gold written by Berkeley students. Completely student-run, the members of Heuristic Squelch are definitely something to rave about, and somehow enthusiastic does not even seem to cover part of it. Next time you are bee lining to class, be sure to be on the look out and get a copy of Heuristic Squelch, as you are sure to hear them before you see them!

Consistently and constantly, SUPERB seems to always have a way of getting super stressed students out and about, whether it is to catch the latest flick in Wheeler auditorium or to bop along at a daytime concert on lower Sproul. Founded in 1964, SUPERB, the Student Union Program, Entertainment, and Recreation Board, has been outdoing itself each and every year with even better performers, entertainment and activities. An advanced screening of “Casa De Mi Padre,” along with a Q&A with Will Ferrell himself, is surely enough to cement their reputation for throwing awesome events, but, being SUPERB, that is certainly not all they had planned. Besides movie screenings, SUPERB is also very well known for their concerts, trivia nights, poker tournaments and weekly concert ticket giveaways. With grade-A entertainment at dirt-cheap prices, there are no doubts as to why SUPERB is a crowd favorite, as well as a repeat winner of Best Events.

The Caliber Award Berkeley College Republicans Rumored to be one of the largest student clubs on campus, the Berkeley College Republicans have been making headlines everywhere, literally. A club that welcomes moderates, libertarians, conservatives and even curious democrats, their primary focus is to foster “viewpoints that contrast the notoriously far-left reputa-

Caliber Magazine / Fall 2012

tion of U.C. Berkeley.” Probably one of the biggest scandals this past year was the Republican Bake Sale that satirized affirmative action, which created a huge controversy on campus as well as off of it—thanks to Berkeley College Republicans, Cal was making headlines on the likes of Time magazine and the New York

Times. Not stating a particular party affiliation but wishing to recognize a club that has the balls to conduct such a controversial event, we here at Caliber would like to give props where props are due. Here’s a hats off and a coveted Caliber Award for the now-nationally renowned Berkeley College Republicans.

Fashion

Photographer: David Herschorn Production Lead: Jeannine Ventura Production Team: Kendall Prohaska, Ming Cong, Kelsey Moty, Sasha Chebil, May Kim, Lara Hovsepian-Ruby, Melissa Meagher, Cassandra Stephens. Hair & Makeup: Ashley Diamond (cupcakecosmetologist@gmail.com) Models: Cleo Palmer-Poroner, Jake O’Connor, Jansen Trahan, Jordan Locklear Contributors: Danielle Lee, Robby Hays

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Fashion

The Wild One Rag & Bone Split Skinny Jean: Saks Fifth Avenue Jacket: Stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Black Cropped Basic Tee: Sway Shoes: Sway Earrings: Sway Ring: Sway Sunglasses: Mars

Caliber Magazine / Fall 2012

Fashion “The Lost Boys” Jacket: Dior Homme, Saks Fifth Avenue

Rebels Without a Cause Caption: (From left) On Jordan- White Tee Shirt: Stylist’s own. Black Pants: Model’s own. Shoes: Chuck Taylor All Star On Jake- White Tee Shirt: Stylist’s own Black Pants: Model’s own Shoes: Lacoste, Model’s own On Cleo- see previous page On Jansen- White Tee Shirt: Stylist’s own. Black Pants: Model’s own. Shoes: Cole Haan, Model’s own. Sunglasses: Tom Ford, Model’s own

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Fashion

Through the Wire On Jordan: Yigal Azrouel Moto Jacket, Saks Fifth Avenue

Slick Shirt: Stylist’s own Sunglasses: Ray Ban, Model’s own

Caliber Magazine / Fall 2012

Fashion

Rarefied Ruffian (Right) Shirt: Yigal Azrouel, Saks Fifth Avenue

On the Edge (Left) Shirt: Philip Lim 3.1, Saks Fifth Avenue Pants: Stylist’s own Shoes: Cole Haan, Model’s own

Band of Outsiders (From Left) On Jordan- Shirt: Yigal Azrouel, Saks Fifth Avenue Pants: Model’s own Shoes: Chuck Taylor All Star On Cleo- Jacket: Stylist’s Own Pants: Seven For All Mankind, Saks Fifth Avenue Shoes: Guess, Model’s Own On Jake- Shirt: Yigal Azrouel, Saks Fifth Avenue Pants: Model’s own On Jansen- Shirt: Philip Lim 3.1, Saks Fifth Avenue Pants: Stylist’s own Shoes: Cole Haan, Model’s own

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Fashion

Fleeing the Scene Yigal Azrouel Moto Jacket, Saks Fifth Avenue Pants, Modelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Shoes, Chuck Taylor All Star

Caliber Magazine / Fall 2012

Fashion Nowhere Boy T-shirt: model’s own

American Graffiti (From Left) On Jansen- Jacket: Dior Homme, Saks Fifth Avenue On Jordan- Jacket: Yigal Azrouel Moto Jacket, Saks Fifth Avenue On Cleo- Jacket: Levi’s, Stylist’s own; Shirt: Lace back top, Sway; Bottoms: Leather leggings, Model’s own; Earrings: Sway

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Love & Sex

Foreplay Guide Wanna surprize your other with a little something special? Wanna know how to have fun at home and at school? Readers, we give to you—your very own Caliber guide to foreplay. Find your category, push the boundary and don’t forget to mix and match!

Explore, enjoy and be safe.

Much love, your Caliber Love Advice Columnist

DIRTY TALK AND ROLEPLAYING Men & Men - As you get dressed for the day, pick clothes inspired by you and your partner’s sexual fantasy. Sailors on a ship? Grab some stripes. Jungle love? Try some cheetah print. When he sees you throughout the day, he won’t be able to stop thinking about your real-life fantasy. Women for Men - Turn his planner into an erotic flip book. On the top corner of each page, write one word corresponding to a dirty sentence of your creation. The more the merrier - see if you can fill every page. The next time he pulls out his planner to write in a due-date, he’ll see your sexy surprize. Men for Women - Sit next to your partner in lecture. Every time the professor changes a slide, whisper an erotic compliment to your partner. She will love anticipating your next comment and the fast pace will keep you on your toes! Women & Women - When you see her between classes, lean in close for a hug and tell her how sexy she looks in those jeans. For extra arousal, tell her how sexy she would look without them on. OR “Forget” to wear a bra for a day—the visual outline of your breast will keep her intrigued and the extra freedom and constant stimulation will leave you turned on and ready.

2ND & 3RD BASE Men & Men - As he climaxes, don’t stop stimulating him. Your continued movements will make his climax longer and more intense. Women for Men - When you are giving him oral pleasure, take one hand and wrap it around the base of his penis. Slowly twist over and up, mimicking your oral movements. (But be careful— no chaffing please!) Men for Women - When you stimulate her orally, take a moment to finger her. Alternating between the two will allow for enough lubrication and will build tension as she anticipates the changes in sensation. Women & Women - Gently stimulate her with the tip of your finger. Be delicate but consistent, resisting the urge to speed up or change the pressure of your touch. The steadiness of your touch will slowly build erotic tension as she yearns for more!

PUBLIC KINKS Men & Men - As you are sitting in lecture, lean across him to borrow a pencil. As your lips come sensuously close to his, the erotic tension will build. Women for Men - For a sneaky hello, reach into his pocket and slowly caress his penis. From a distance, you are innocently searching for change! Men for Women - Slip your hand down the side of her butt, under her jeans. This can be performed while walking to class, waiting for the 51b or stealing a kiss in the library. Women & Women - When you are both sitting down (preferably in class), trace the curve of her inside thigh. The stimulation will drive her crazy!

UNDRESSING AND KISSING Men & Men - Leave your clothes on until the last possible moment. The friction between clothing will provide tension that, when released, will allow for even more sensation when they are removed. For an extra sensual experience, leave his pants on and only unzip (instead of fully removing) to kiss at free will. Women for Men - Have him lie on his back, sans clothes. With the tip of your finger, trace patterns on his skin. The lighter, more delicate your touch is, the more he will be yearning for it. Tip - don’t forget his lips! Surpassing all other erogenous zones, the lips have the most densely packed portion of nerve endings in your body. Men for Women - Before you take off her bra, kiss around the edges of the fabric. As you slowly begin to remove it, continue kissing the exposed portion of her breasts. The slow unveiling will allow her to enjoy each kiss. Women & Women - After you undress her, kiss the outline of her body - even her toes. By acknowledging each part of her body, you let her know that you accept her and love her—no exceptions!

More articles like this can be found online at:

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Love & Sex

More than just Monogamy:

Open Relationships

AS A YOUNG adult, one of the greatest things we are entitled to is non-judgmental sexual exploration. We get to be with who we want, when we want, how we want. Well, hopefully. Unfortunately, the who is limited by our social circles, the when is limited by our idealized fairy tale stories, and the how is limited by the social construct of relationships. We are persuaded by our classes, our parents, our friends, our cultures. At some point during my own experience with this exploration process, and specifically a sexual encounter with a repeat offender (someone you sleep with more than once), I got the opportunity to challenge my own whowhen- how standard and subsequently society’s construct of whowhen-how. Being at Berkeley, we are lucky to be in an environment where going off track is acceptable, if not encouraged. The revelations that follow are a result of being surrounded by interesting people who push limits, bold thoughts, challenging conversations, and the realization that this is the ideal time for us as young adults to figure out how we want to formulate our standards. The proper standard that society pushes is the monogamy model. Who: one. When: when you both are ready to settle. How: Marriage, children, family, circle of close

Caliber Magazine / Fall 2012

friends. For most of us, from the day we enter the world, parents, grand parents, the media, surround us with this ideal. We learn from them that relationships with acquaintances, close friends, and lovers are a fundamental part of life—as long as they remain “appropriate” and standardized. Additionally, the American perspective on romantic relationships is also extremely limited; one-on-one relationships rule all.

By Laljeet Mann

With this standard, the accepted sense of self is also restricted. We must conform to the plastic bride or groom that stands on top of that tacky wedding cake; there is only room for two. Ideas of monogamy can be found anywhere from the Bible, Disney films, and board games such as Life. But is one life partner enough? Can you be 100 percent satisfied with the same person your whole life? Why do we perpetuate this one model in forms of media that are not all regarded as fact?

The renowned and increasingly popular book The Ethical Slut addresses these new standards: the authors Dossie Easton and Janet Hardy consider someone participating in an open relationship as “a person of any gender who has the courage to lead life according to the radical proposition that sex is nice and pleasure is good for you.” The purpose of this reclamation is to define those who like sex and intimacy with others and to accept that in an ethical and open way. The rest of the book serves as a “how-to” guide in open relationships. Chapters are filled with information on subcultures that function outside the bounds of monogamy, how to deal with scheduling and managing jealousy, and etiquette for group sexual encounters, etc. While this book and other emerging pieces of literature affirm that this model exists, I wanted to see if it was practical in real life situations. There is always literature—but I wanted to experience it for myself.

A better question to ask, in fact, might be if anyone even pushes these boundaries. And if they do, how? One type of a relationship model that steps outside of this boundary is open relationships. “Rules” of the monogamy model are forgotten, and people have the opportunity to create new who-when-how standards.

The first thing that I learned was that open relationships are difficult to define because there are many types. On the most basic of levels, open relationships start off with the monogamy model- they involve two people (sexual and emotional partners) who are committed to each other, but don’t mind sharing. It is

Love & Sex

hardly arguable that these qualities aren’t desirable. But in addition to this model, more parties are involved (amount of parties determined by case-by-case basis). In other words, the couple agrees that romantic or sexual relationships with other people besides themselves are permitted. This may seem shocking—you may be asking, isn’t this considered cheating? How do you regulate and stay on top of that kind of thing—let alone feel sane, valued and committed in that type of relationship? In order to deal with these questions, each couple that I talked to seemed to have their own set of rules for what was permitted. These rules are referred to as “The Agreement, ” binding and rooted in trust. Some examples of these agreements include days of the week to have “off nights,” what details are appropriate to share, and if you can bring a third person over to your home or not. Overtime, alterations can be made on the original set if both parties concur. From all of the couples that I interviewed, I encountered two dominant types of agreements within open relationships; the “Play Together” and the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.” The Play Together couple agreed to share their beds with a third once in a while. The only rule they had was if sex with another person was to happen, both parties needed to be present. This “do it together” attitude was interestingly reflected in their appearances: this couple looked like long lost twins. They had similar hairstyles, shared clothing and had surprisingly similar voices. They could be spotted on the hunt together at clubs, bars, and at poly (polyamory) parties. Conversely, the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell couple had their own approach. In these agreements both parties are aware sexual and romantic relations are occurring outside of the partnerships but they choose not to inquire about them. In simpler terms, it’s okay to have other relationships, they just don’t want to hear about it. In terms of appearance, I have found this couple to be more of the “opposites attract” nature. Sexual relations with a third are prohibited from the couple’s home. If you’re going to screw, you can’t do it at home. Often times an individual

in this arrangement will investigate their partner and this turns into an “only tell what I ask” arrangement. Regardless of the types of agreements made, the core of the expectations needed to be rooted in strong communication. Even couples who started off in closed relationships and transformed their relationships to polyamorous relationships claim that communication is key. Having a relationship based in honesty and no judgment allows for healthy conversations. Healthy conversations breed healthy relationships. This strong foundation makes it easy for one to bring up feelings of jealousy, discontent and insecurities. Communication also allows the opportunity to explore. What exploring new types of relationships taught me was to never underestimate what your partner is willing to do, where he/she is willing to take your relationships, and what emotional and/or sexual boundaries the two of you can push together. Who knows, your next sexual experience might be the one where you introduce the handcuffs, icing, toys, another body—maybe all of the above…. This desire for exploration however should not be mistaken for boredom. Rather, couples suggest that it comes from a place of “sharing.” Both parties described sex or a date with another person as an experience to learn from and give to. More simply put, people are not in open relationships just because they’re horny. The takeaway here is how we all have something to give, be it intellectual, spiritual or physical, and our gifts should not be limited to one recipient, friend or lover. When asked, “Do either of you ever feel jealous?”, the answer was unanimously, “YES.” Offering gifts of any kind to a person besides your significant other can easily lead to the treacherous feelings of jealousy. However, the jealousy is not understood as, “this person is trying to hurt me” but “what’s the real issue here?” “What am I scared and insecure about?” These questions lead to personal reflection and eventually a conversation with the partner. This can be very beneficial for individual social growth. Another exam-

ple of how talking shit out can make the biggest difference. All of this analysis and reflection does not mean that open relationships should replace monogamy as the new relationship standard. The couples interviewed, the books read, the people observed merely prove that people pushing the boundaries of monogamy exist. They are out there, being bold and making room for any type of arrangement they want—whether or not they can find little wedding cake toppers that match their individual special interactions.

Who knows, your next sexual experience might by one where you introduce the handcuffs, icing, toys, another body—maybe all of the above….

Whether or not you agree with the idea of open relationships is not the issue at hand. The goal is not to encourage one type of relationship over the other, or to say which one is more successful. Instead, the goal here is to motivate you to think about your own relationships with friends, family, classmates and lovers, and identify if there is clear and effective communication of your feelings, needs and desires with your partner. With communication comes sharing, with sharing comes exploration, and with exploration comes a better sense of what you want from a relationship, regardless of the norm. So the next time that you re-watch your favorite Disney movie, overhear that engagement ring commerical on the radio, or observe a couple engaging in way too much public affection, think twice about the implications of that relationship. Whether it’s identifiable or not, they may be taking a bold step towards redefining the word “slut” for both themselves, their partners, and their community.

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Food & Drink

Food

AROUND THE

WORLD

WHETHER YOU’RE A fourth year or a first year here at Berkeley, you should keep an endless bucket list of eateries if not in your pocket or handy-dandy iPhone, at least in the back of your mind. At this point, you’ve thoroughly explored Durant Food Court (if you haven’t, you’re seriously missing out on some Berkeley culture), probably visited a couple restaurants on Telegraph, and if you’re a real foodie, discovered the treasures on College Avenue. Venture out, take advantage of the myriad of delectable, international cuisine we have waiting at the end of every block, and trust us—you won’t be disappointed. Because there is a range of restaurants per ethnic food that must be penciled into your bucket list, ASAP we’ve made it as easy as 1, 2, EAT!

By Gina Tai

taste of the himalayas

TRANSPORTATION: 51B bus. GREAT FOR: Dinner. Even with Little India in my hometown, nothing compares to the Taste of the Himalayas. From the décor to the service to the food, everything is perfect. The interior of the restaurant is richly decorated with purple curtains and wood furniture. Before even ordering, you’ll feel like royalty. Furthermore, the food far exceeds any hungry customer’s expectations. Some of you may feel like you’ve eaten your fair share of Indian food, but other restaurants do not come close to the quality of the food and the experience received at Taste of the Himalayas. If you think you’ve tasted enough of the Chicken Tikka Masala, you haven’t tried it at this restaurant; the creaminess of the sauce and tenderness of the chicken is impressive. Or try something new and order the Kukhura Tarkari. You have no idea what you’re missing out on.

césar

$$$

TRANSPORTATION: 51B bus GREAT FOR: Dinner. If you enjoy a hipster setting, a full bar and Spanish gourmet cuisine, you’ll love César. The service is impressively accommodating, so if you aren’t pleased with your order, the bartenders will have another one made. Be sure to try the hangar steak, smoked salmon with capers, and ribs with pomegranate sauce from the tapas selection’ the vegetarian paella; and the coffee flan and crema chocolate from the dessert menu. The obvious drawback is the price—if quality isn’t a priority, you can get more bang for your buck elsewhere. Otherwise, it won’t hurt to spend a little more than usual to pay César a quality visit!

Caliber Magazine / Fall 2012

manpuku

TRANSPORTATION: 51B bus, or a leisurely walk GREAT FOR: Lunch. Extra charge for credit card. Question: Can you can still eat Japanese food without burning a hole in your wallet? Answer: You can…at Manpuku! Manpuku serves great quality sushi at an affordable price. Try the Aloha Roll if your taste buds need some explodin’ – where else would you be able to taste the sensation of salmon with fresh cut lemons (yes, you can eat the lemon skin)? If sushi isn’t your thing, don’t worry. Manpuku’s menu consists of delicious bento boxes and ramen combos that will surely satiate your appetite. Your stomach and your wallet will walk out happy.

Food & Drink

le bateau ivre

TRANSPORTATION: A leisurely walk GREAT FOR: Brunch. Take a walk down Telegraph and you’ll find this treasure a little past Parker. The exterior of the diner is quite exquisite—it appears simultaneously homey and welcoming, yet classy and unique. Inside, you can select one of the three rooms in which you’d like to dine, like the cozy fireplace room, and fresh flowers sit at each table. Otherwise known as The Drunken Boat, Le Bateau Ivre offers a large selection of brunch items and alcoholic smoothies, coffee and milkshakes, all of which should make it onto your gluttony list. A personal favorite is the buttermilk waffles, but we’ve heard the Peasant Omelette is amazing as well. While at Berkeley, you must try at least one of Le Bateau Ivre’s specialty beverages!

the ethiopian restaurant

TRANSPORTATION: 1 or 51B bus, or a long, leisurely walk GREAT FOR: Dinner. No worries, there are no crickets involved (Ethiopian food de-mythed)! If you’re looking for some authentic Ethiopian food, this is definitely the place. The homey setting, waitresses and authentic decorations create a cultural vibe upon entering. Come hungry because you’re up for a treat. We especially recommend the T’ibs, tenderly braised beef prepared with special house sauce. The dishes come with unlimited injera, a flatbread eaten with most everything. The menu has a variety of mouthwatering options, so vegetarians, don’t shy away. But beware, there are no forks or spoons—be ready for a true cultural experience.

trattoria la siciliana

$$$

TRANSPORTATION: 51B bus, or a leisurely walk GREAT FOR: Dinner. Cash only. Gentlemen, take your girl here for a romantic date. The ambience of the restaurant complements the caliber of the food. The waiters are accommodating and cordial; you will definitely be impressed with their service. If you dine with three people, order the family style—we assure you that your money will be well spent. The flavors of each dish are distinctive and savory, so you need not worry about whether or not you’ll enjoy the food and your experience… you’ll enjoy any dish you order. Try the Gnocchi di Casa with pesto sauce and pine nuts, an extraordinary, rich texture from the potatoes and crunchy nuts. Just as amazing as the food is the presentation. The combination of the two will blow your mind, and you’ll be coming back.

Caliber Asks

12%

Indian food

Convenience sample of 110 students

What’s your favorite cuisine in Berkeley?

27%

Thai food

36%

Mexican food

16%

Italian food

Other

BURGER KEY: 1 - The place next door is probably better. 2 - Could be better. 3 - Some good, some bad. 4 - So much better than dorm food! 5 - Go! Time is wasting!

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Food & Drink

It’s Not Just Hot Water:

Secrets

OF THE

Tea Bag

Sit down, close your eyes, and just breathe. Now take a sip. Sometimes the comfort of a cup of tea is just enough to remind you how to find balance and peace amongst the bustle of life beyond the steam. By Lara Hovsepian-Ruby

WHITE TEA

GREEN TEA

This purest of teas is the healthiest of all. White tea contains less caffeine than decaffeinated coffee and only between one to two percent the amount of caffeine in regular coffee. Minimal processing of white tea leaves keeps them packed with nutrients that are great for the skin and complexion—you can even try crushing and mixing them with honey to create a facial mask that will make your skin glow. White tea is great for beginner tea-drinkers, as its mild taste is delicate and sweet. Try: Silver Needle White Tea from Teavana.

Green tea is the most popular tea, and for good reason, too. It has gained popularity for all types of health benefits from preventing cancer to maintaining healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and promoting good skin and teeth. It contains about five to ten percent the amount of caffeine in coffee and is described as having a more “grassy” and natural taste than other teas. Some types are sweeter than other, more astringent green teas, so most everyone can find one that’s suited to them. Try: Temple of Heaven Gunpowder Green Tea from Numi.

HERBAL TEA

KAVA

Herbal teas are not made from the Camellia sinensis plant family that bring us the previous four teas, but consist instead of herbs, fruits and flowers. This category can be subdivided into three basic teas: Rooibos, Herbal Infusion, and Mate. The first two are caffeine-free and the most ideal teas for supplementing daily Calcium intake and boosting the immune system, respectively. Rooibos has more of a nutty taste, while Herbal Infusion is somewhat bitter (but can be sweetened with milk or sugar). Mate tea is known by Teavana as the “coffee lover’s tea.” It tastes similar to the brown drink and even has the same amount of caffeine, but will give energy without the nerves. Given that it is made not only from leaves but also from twigs and stems, Mate tea is a bitter, acquired taste. Try: Calm from Tazo Tea.

Kava is unique to the rest of the teas on this page in that it makes you feel slightly, well, crossfaded. Grown today in South Pacific islands such as Vanuatu, Hawaii and Fiji, this tea brings a general feeling of happiness and clarity of thought, and drinkers tend to feel more social. Its sedative and calming qualities have also been described as bringing on a “body high,” as one would experience with marijuana. If you want to try it, make sure to buy Kava root powder and not Kava leaves, as the leaves of the Kava plant are toxic. Also, save it for special occasions—in some cases, too much Kava tea-intake has been linked to liver disease and should be limited to one cup at a time. Other than this limitation (and the fact that it tastes like mud), enjoy it. Pope John Paul II did back in ’86. Try: pure Kava from an herb store.

OOLONG TEA

BLACK TEA

For those of you looking to lose weight or suppress appetite, go with Oolong tea. It fits halfway between green and black tea in both color and of taste, giving it a smoky floral flavor, which is a step up from the lightness of green tea, but not so rich as black. It has about 15 percent the caffeine of coffee and is great not only for slimming down, but for reducing cholesterol as well. Try: Jade Oolong from Adagio Teas.

Black tea is the most fermented tea, so naturally it also has the most caffeine, but it is still packed with nutrients and health benefits. It has been credited with helping to maintain cholesterol levels and promote healthy cardiovascular and circulatory systems. Black tea has about 20 percent the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee and also has the strongest flavor of all the teas. Try: India Darjeeling Summer Tea from Stash Tea.

Caliber Magazine / Fall 2012

Quiz

POP QUIZ

By Gabbie Guison and Jo Wu

What Grocery Store Are You?

WHOLE FOODS You are high class. You enjoy life in the gourmet- treating yourself to quality food, unique experiences and luxury. You set out to experience things at their fullest and always choose the option that will satisfy your high taste. Most likely to: go to an art museum followed by dinner in San Francisco Least likely to: go to a food truck expose in Oakland

BERKELEY BOWL You are a curious soul who is interested in all assets of the world and the environment around you. You believe that your every action has a meaning. You’re an observer and tend to let things happen organically rather than adhering to structure. Most likely to: go to Yoga to the People Least likely to: go to a Frat party

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4) You just got your paycheck and are in need of some new shoes. Which pair of shoes do you have your eye on? A. TOMS B. Rainbow sandals C. Converse sneakers D. Sperry’s

7) The checkout line is taking forever. What do you do to pass the time? A. Stand patiently and observe your surrounding environment B. Browse various magazines C. Wonder if 90% cacao chocolate actually tastes good D. Consider purchasing Burt’s Bees chapstick

Fill In Answers Here

3) What’s your favorite street in Berkeley? A. Shattuck Avenue B. College Avenue C. Telegraph Avenue D. Euclid Avenue

6) It’s Friday afternoon. What would you be caught doing? A. Making plans for the nighttime B. Napping on Memorial Glade C. Enjoying a wine-and-cheese picnic with friends D. Checking out the local farmers’ market

8) What is most like your ideal day in San Francisco? A. Grab lunch and check out downtown’s best shopping spots B. Take a party-bus with friends around the city C. Go to a café and people-watch in the Mission D. Go to an outdoor music festival

2) You come across the drink aisle. Which would most likely quench your thirst? A. Six pack of soda B. A natural green smoothie C. Pink lemonade D. Odwalla OJ

5) If you had to choose one of these classes to take, which one would you pick? A. Astronomy C10: “Introduction to General Astronomy” B. UGBA 106: “Marketing” C. ESPM 50: “Introduction to Culture and Resource Management” D. L&S 40 “History of Hollywood”

1 - A___

C___

B___

D___

2 - D___

B___

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A___

3 - A___

D___

B___

C___

4 - D___

A___

C___

B___

5 - B___

C___

A___

D___

6 - C___

D___

B___

A___

7 - D___

A___

C___

B___

8 - A___

C___

D___

B___

Total ____

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1) You’re at a grocery store because you just ran out of one food item. What’s missing from your fridge? A. A block of aged cheddar B. Red pepper hummus C. Organic trail mix D. A bag of chips

TRADER JOE’S You are laid back and enjoy the little things in life. You tend to adapt to any situation you are in and make the most of it. You like a mix of the spontaneous and the planned and know how to have a good time no matter what the circumstances. Most likely to: do your laundry every two or three weeks Least likely to: spend an hour getting ready for class in the morning

SAFEWAY You love to be social. Your weekly priority is when and where to party, whether it be an outdoor barbeque or an indoor rager. You supply the tunes, the food, and the drinks to create the overall hanging environment. Your wild and fun spirit make you the life of the party- or rather any environment. Most likely to: be sore from dancing Least likely to: be sore from a hike in Tilden Park

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Caliber Magazine / Fall 2012