The Runner 4-6-22

therunneronline.com California State University, Bakersfield

April 6, 2022

Vol. 47, No. 11

ASI election voter guide See pg. 3-4

Find the hidden Harry Styles!

There is a tiny hidden Harry Styles head on every page of this issue. Try to find them all!

Also Inside

O Ramen serves delicious eats See pg. 5

facebook.com/runnercsub

Harry Styles edges fans towards insanity See pg. 8-9

@therunner_csub

Beach volleyball coach is digging for the win See pg. 12

@therunner_csub

Pg. 6

@csub_runner

CSUB teaches students to not plagiarize See pg. 2

News

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The Runner

April 6, 2022

The Runner Staff The Runner

CSUB teaches students to not plagiarize

California State University, Bakersfield 9001 Stockdale Highway Bakersfield, CA 93311-1099 661-654-2165 runner@csub.edu FACULTY ADVISER Jennifer Burger jburger1@csub.edu PUBLICATIONS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Vada Hepner vunderwood2@csub.edu DIGITAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ellice Richman erichman@csub.edu ARTIST Faith Okoli WEBSITE EDITOR Marlene Garcia SECTION EDITORS Ambria King, Xochitl Martinez, Madalyn Powers, Sydney Williams COPY EDITORS Guadalupe Avalos, Kennadi Burke, Vanessa Hernandez, Frankie Nadal

Canva Illustration by Adeli Arvizu/The Runner

By Adeli Arvizu Staff Writer CSU Bakersfield held the first event for their new Academic Integrity Work-

DIGITAL TEAM Camila Arambula, Brizna Fregoso, Autumn Layton, Melisa Magana, Adriana Toledo, Claire Welch SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM Haydee Brahona, Paige Calvin, Jessica Espinoza Diaz, Victoria Zaragoza REPORTERS/WRITERS Graciela Aguilar, Adeli Arvizu, Fatyma Cendejas, Giselle Gamez, Joselyn Green, Carlos Hernandez, Marlene Herrera, Ernesto Leon, Nick Lopez, Yasmin Marcelo, David Mendoza, Alexis Shofner, Ashley Soren, Kiara Zabala, Alexa Zepeda ABOUT US The Runner is a laboratory newspaper published daily online with a biweekly PDF e-edition, in conjunction with the Department of Communications at CSU Bakersfield.

DISCLAIMERS Views and opinions expressed in The Runner are not necessarily those of the editors, staff or the Department of Communications. The staff of The Runner reserve the right to refuse or omit any advertising or material which advocates illegal activity, or which may be considered libelous, irresponsible or tasteless.

COPYRIGHT Copyright belongs to the Department of Communications at CSU Bakersfield.

CONTACT US Send corrections requests, letters to the editor, op-ed submissions and press releases to runner@csub.edu.

Send advertising inquiries to Faculty Adviser Jennifer Burger at jburger1@csub.edu.

shop Series on March 23.

According to Library Instructions and References Services Coordinator, Andrea Anderson, the series has two workshops for students, the Academic Honesty Skills and the Drop-in Citation Studio.

The school initially had a drop-in citation at the end of the fall semester of last year, however, the overall Academic Workshop Series is the first CSU Bakersfield has done.

Anderson explained that the Academic Honesty Skills workshop focuses on teaching students more about the meaning of academic integrity along with other resources, and helps students gain reassurance in their writing skills.

“It is just an opportunity to express the importance

of academic integrity here at the university and in our students, their future lives, and their careers,” said Anderson. She said that the first event in the series went well and despite a small number of students present, the room was engaged in participation and discussion. Students were taught how to search for and recognize plagiarism, and it aimed to further encourage ethical writing.

Anderson went on to explain that the Drop-in Citation Studio is where students can take their writing assignments or papers to receive assistance with their citations.

Both a librarian from the library and a tutor from the Writing Resource Center will be present to help students fix any errors, learn more about citations, and teach them how to do them correctly.

The next Academic Honesty Skills Workshop will be on Thursday, May 4 through the Zoom platform and the next Drop-in Citation will be on Tuesday, April 19 in the Dezember Reading Room.

For students who need tutoring or additional help with writing throughout the semester, the Smarthinking Service and Smart Thinking Paper Review service are available.

According to the Writing Resource Center and Supplemental Instruction Coordinator Jacob Whitaker, the Smarthinking Service is a content-based service accessible online, 24 hours a day. It permits students

to submit any questions they may have and lets them work with a student or tutor. The paper review service allows students to send in their papers or writing assignments and

receive feedback within the 24 hours they had sent them in.

He went on to say that students can press on a link that can add the Smarthinking Service to Canvas and it will show up on the platform as a class that students can access.

“Our tutoring services have held consistent with enrollment, (...) for all of our on-campus tutoring services we’ve offered virtual versions of that,” said Whitaker. He explained that even though classes have been allowed back on campus, they are still offering virtual tutoring options that are conducted on Zoom such as the Math

center, Science center, Writing research center, and more.

Whitaker said that there

are various purposes for tutoring, such as help studying for an exam, seeking guidance for a writing assignment, etc.

He said that sometimes students have their own preconceived assumptions about what tutoring is for that may deter them from reaching out. He went on to say that students who go

to tutoring have proven to be more successful in their classes and are more likely to receive better grades.

“It is not a bad thing, it is not a negative thing to go to those things, it is taking advantage of your resources and doing what you need to do, to do better in classes,” said Whitaker “What we do is a judgment-free zone (...) we are here and waiting to help you.”

If any students or faculty have any questions, or suggestions regarding resources about a specific topic or the Smarthinking services, they can contact Coordinator Whitaker through his email, jwhitaker@csub. edu for more information.

This also includes anyone interested in becoming a tutor as well.

News

The Runner

April 6, 2022

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ASI debate lacks audience and candidates

By Ernesto Leon Assistant Features Editor Out of 23 candidates running for ASI, only 10 potential members were present at CSU Bakersfield’s Associated Students Inc. debate forum on Monday, April 4.

The ASI debate forum was held during the same time as the ASI’s ‘Game Day’ event, which both started at noon.

The debate forum did introduce candidates who made their interests clear on what they want for the future of ASI and why they believe to be the best candidate for the position as well as what problems students will be facing as we return to an in-person environment in the fall of 2022.

Most of the candidate’s biggest issue regarding returning to campus was the lack of engagement and community that they will be facing as school starts back up again.

“I think one of the biggest problems that many students are going to face in the fall will have to do with connecting to one another. I think communication is key and trying to create an environment that helps students not feel alone and know about the resources that are there, and the things we can do

to help…,” said Andrea Bautista.

Those running unopposed that came to the event were Kayla Medina, running for director of clubs and organizations outreach, Yasmin Marcelo, running for director of arts and humanities, and Sarah Alame, running for director of sustainability.

Marcelo explained that the Department of Arts and Humanities is like her home, and she wants to see more representation and highlights for students who are studying in the department.

She also wants to help individuals who are victims of harassment to know where to go when they go through these traumatic experiences, and would like ASI to take a more active role in supporting these students.

Alame would like to take more proactive measures in combating wastefulness and reducing harm to the environment and brought up wanting to limit the amount of plastic CSUB is utilizing.

“Currently, The Runner Cafe plastic wraps every individual apple when giving them out to students.

The amount of plastic use is going to go up, especially in the fall… We’ve even found microplastics in people’s blood recently,”

said Alame.

All candidates running for Vice President of Finance and Director of Diversity and Inclusion were present throughout the event and answered questions from the audience.

Daniel Albiar, Julissa Chavana, and Erick Plata Torres are the candidates running for vice president of finance and provided information on what made them the best person for the job.

Torres talked about his previous experience as Director of Transfer Students, where he helped pass a $100 donation to any new club, any internship that works with community outreach, and his job of helping students with financial aid.

Albiar talked about his background in business starting his first one at the age of 14, and is the President of the Bussiness Student Association on campus which raised $1,000.

Chavana mentioned the importance of students when thinking of this position.

She has her own photography business, which she says brings a new aspect to this candidacy one that focuses not only on profit for ASI but on people and them being informed of the

Canva Illustration by Ernesto Leon/The Runner

availability of resources CSUB offers.

Candidates running for Director of Diversity and Inclusion include JaNell Gore, Andrea Bautista, and Alejandro Romero.

The audience asked what they would do if a student who experienced harassment came to them.

Bautista made it known she would be there for them and do everything

she can to make sure that the student feels safe and have it reported.

Gore explained that they would submit a forum on the CSUB website that allows students to report any incident of harassment of any kind and help that student get out of that situation as soon as possible.

Romero talked about being there for the student throughout the entirety of

that process which can be scary.

To make sure the student feels comfortable and heard.

Candidates who were present throughout the event but their opponents were not were Nick Dobusch, running for director of athletics engagement, and Wefaq Alshami, running for director of international student relations.

Voting opens today for new ASI board of directors

By Graciela Aguilar Staff Writer This week as students vote on the incoming board of directors for Associated Students Inc. it will be the 46th time since the student government was established in 1976.

After the spring of 1976 when students voted by to approve a constitution that insinuated the first student government at CSUB. The organization has evolved since that time and was incorporated in 1987 as a non-profit organization.

ASI includes Board of Directors, with directors from each school, class level, and the dorms, in addition to the student body president and vice presidents. Decisions made by the Board members affect all students. ASI serves as

a balanced support system for all student voices and issues at CSUB. The first student body fees were collected in winter 1978. These fees continue to support student government, a variety of clubs and organizations, activities, services, athletics, and the children’s center.

ASI has been instrumental in the development of several projects that have enhanced the campus community. This includes takeout Tuesday, runner hour, runner nights, civic engagement, educational and social programs.

The ASI were helpful in the planning, development, design, and construction of the Student Union which was completed in 1994.

In addition, Runner Park was completed in 2000 and

was designed and funded entirely by the ASI for the enjoyment of students, past, present, and future.

“ASI is instrumental for students being their voice and advocating for their concerns and they do a tremendous job, both in terms of advocacy but also they fund a lot of student projects student groups,” said Jason Watkins, ASI Elections Coordinator.

Students who pay the ASI fee, have a minimum of 2.5 grade point average and at least 12 units at CSUB can run in ASI elections.

Elected candidates must go through an extensive transition period where they are invited to come to meetings, attend a leadership retreat in July, and a statewide conference in August. The board of

directors receive scholarships through their financial aid each semester.

This year executive received $3905 and the directors received $100 per semester, according to Llaria Pesco, ASI Executive Director.

However, over the years voter turnout for ASI elections has been relatively low for the university’s population.

With the highest percentage of voter turnout being 8.6% in the last five years. In 2021 there was a 2.5% voter turnout, in 2020 6% voter turnout, in 2019 8.6% voter turnout, in 2018 7.4% voter turnout and in 2017 a 7.5% voter turnout.

Ultimately students are voting to ensure they have the best of their peers to represent them, as well

as addressing any student concerns happening on or off campus.

ASI is more than just student government. It is a unique organization that helps foster student engagement and leadership in educational, cultural, and social activities.

“ASI hires a person to run elections to bring level of fairness and neutrality to the process. Those running for positions will be campaigning both in person and online from Monday, Mar. 28 – Apr.7.

Every CSUB student will receive a ballot in their CSUB email from ipesco@ csub.edu on Wednesday, Apr. 6th at 8 am. Students have from Wednesday, April 6 at 8 a.m. to Thursday, April 7 at 11:59 p.m. to vote.

“Winners will be

announced by noon on Friday, April 8” said Llaria Pesco, ASI Executive director.

There are currently seven positions open including, Director Community Outreach, Director Student Support, Director Students with Disabilities, Director Graduate Students, Director Business and Public Administration, Director Social Sciences and Education and Director Transfer Students.

“Applications open on Monday, April 11. I hope that even if you didn’t run for a position, you would consider applying for an open position. It’s a great way to be involved on campus, to make a difference in the lives of students, and help shape the student experience back on campus,” Pesco said.

News

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April 6, 2022

The Runner

ASI Election Voter Guide Carson Vollmer, Presidential candidate

Year in School: 5th year Major/Minor: Philosophy What position are you running for?

ASI President Why did you choose this position?

I chose to run for ASI President because I want to make a difference in students lives by making changes at both the campus wide and system wide levels.

This position will allow me to engage in conversations with not only students, but also staff, faculty, and others who I will work with to initiate change and better the lives of students.

Next semester will be

unique as we transition more back to campus and will be faced with more challenges. I want to work to help ease this transition and make it as seamless as possible for students.

I am passionate about advocating and representing those who need it and I will do my best to continue doing this.

What made you interested in student government?

I was initially interested in student government when I found out how involved they were on campus and how they were able to make real changes on both the campus wide and system wide levels as well.

Being in ASI for 2 years now, my interest has only grown and the potential to make real differences has greatly expanded.

Photo of Carson Vollmer

Ramneet Dhillon, VP Campus Life candidate Year in School: Sophomore Major/Minor: Biology Major What position are you running for?

I am running for Vice President of Campus Life Why did you choose this position?

I chose to run for VP of campus life because I want to be able to interact with students on a competent level.

Students’ perspectives and voices should be given a priority.

I want to give students a voice on what events they want to see happen on campus.

School is constantly causing students to stress.

I want to be able to help organize events on campus to help students distress.

Overall, I want to help make the campus a comfortable environment for students where they are able to express their voices.

What made you interested in student government?

concerns.

I also started coming up with ideas on how to help students distress and one of the best ways is by having fun events on campus.

What qualifications or experience do you bring to the position?

I have had experience talking to students about their concerns and what they want to see on campus since my first year here at CSUB. Yes, I started off virtualPhoto of Ramneet Dhillon ly but through zoom I was able to listen to students’ I became interested in opinions. student government my I have also been able to first semester of sophohave engagements on cammore year when I realized pus by being in the Helen how students may be afHawks Honors Program, fected of transitioning into Vice President of the Prein-person classes. soma club, and currently I became aware that this being VP of Campus Life. was a stressful transition for most students.

What do you hope to conIn which I wanted to tribute to ASI if elected? help make a change and give students a voice.

I hope to bring rise to I also wanted to make student’s voices along with the CSUB community helping plan fun stress-free aware of how students events. were truly struggling with I want to be able to this transition. provide a comfortable enFrom there I became vironment where students interested in how I could are able to distress and truly help students and focus on themselves. help find solutions for their

What qualifications or experience do you bring to the position?

During my time at CSUB, I have held several different leadership roles and been a part of several clubs and organizations.

These experiences have allowed me to grow as a leader and develop skills that allow me to become a more efficient and effective leader.

These experiences will also allow me to be a better advocate for students and represent their interests and needs.

What do you hope to contribute to ASI if elected?

If elected, I hope to make a difference in the lives of students on campus.

I want to make sure students have the resources and opportunities they need to succeed and progress towards their career goals.

I will actively advocate and work hard to make sure we have diverse and inclusive opportunities for all, and that students’ college experiences go as smoothly as possible.

I want to be the voice for students, and I hope they know that I will always be there for them.

ASI Elections 2022 Candidates President Carson Vollmer Executive Vice President Maria Espinoza Vice President Campus Life Ramneet Dhillon Vice President Finance Daniel Albiar Julissa Chavana Erick Plata Torres Vice President Legislative Affairs Ignasio Castillo Vice President University Affairs Daisy Alamillo Najeeb Darwish

Director Diversity and Inclusion Andrea Bautista JaNell Gore Alejandro Romero Director International Students Relations Pricilia Mugwa Wefaq Alshami Director Social Media and Marketing Gabby Acosta-Tackett Director Students with Disabilities Leo Levesque Director Sustainability Sarah Alame

Director ASI Outreach Kayla Medina

Director Arts and Humanities Yasmin Marcelo

Director Athletics Engagement Nick Dobusch Garrisen Freeman

Director Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering Jacob Roper

Director Clubs and Organizations Outreach Kenlee Calvin-Stoll

See therunneronline.com for more information on these candidates.

Features

The Runner

April 6, 2022

O Ramen serves delicious eats

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By Alexis Shofner Staff Writer Over the years, O Ramen has become more than a spot to eat; it has evolved into my favorite comfort space away from home.

I paid the restaurant my first visit in 2018 a year after their grand opening in March of 2017 at 5139 Ming Ave. I can genuinely say that since my first visit, neither the food nor the service has let me down.

Thanks to their vegan options, I have become a frequent ramen consumer and I always find myself comparing other’s ramen dishes to theirs.

The interior of the space is decorated with anime characters framed on the walls, dimmed lighting, lo-fi music, and a mural of four well-known ramen eating anime characters on the back wall.

Since it was not busy during my arrival, I was seated as soon as I walked in and the host was friendly the entire time, but according to Yelp, it seems that wait-times and staff issues are the main reason behind low-rated reviews.

To start off the meal, I

Photo by Alexis Shoftner/ The Runner

Five count veggie gyoza with sweet and savory dipping sauce. ordered an appetizer of the vegetable gyozas and a side seaweed salad.

The gyozas are filled with mixed veggies and are pan fried, giving them a crisp exterior on both sides while still having a slightly chewy texture.

It is paired with a gyoza dipping sauce made of soy sauce, sugar and a few drops of sesame oil.

The seaweed salad consists of fresh seaweed served atop a bed of shredded cabbage.

It serves a cool, refreshing bite with a crunchy texture coming from both the seaweed itself and the cabbage.

It is delicious on its

own, but I added and mixed in the leftover gyoza dipping sauce to enhance the flavors.

As much as I enjoy O Ramen’s food, I find that the actual ramen noodles themselves are a bit too heavy to digest and take up too much space in the broth.

My order, the only vegan option, is the shio tofu ramen but with a substitution of udon noodles.

The vegetable broth in this dish is full of umami and topped with steamed broccoli, bean sprouts, cabbage, corn, green onion, carrots, and tofu.

The vegetables hold up to the broth rather well

and have a slight crunch to accompany the chewiness of the udon noodles as they both absorb the saltiness of the veggie broth.

Each mouthful of this soup is wonderful and comforting; it would be even more so on a chilly day or when you’re sick.

According to Google Reviews, they hold a 4.6 out of 5 stars versus their Yelp average of 4 out of 5 stars.

O Ramen serves quality food for a quality price.

At just $12 for the shio tofu ramen, served in a large enough bowl that could fill you up alone, it makes eating on a budget easy and tasteful.

Photo by Alexis Shoftner/ The Runner

Fresh seaweed placed atop a bed of shredded cabbage.

Photo by Alexis Shoftner/ The Runner

Shio tofu ramen with udon noodle substitution.

Chicken Enchiladas de Mole Oaxaqueño

Photo by Marlene Herrera/ The Runner

Dip corn tortillas into mole sauce.

By Marlene Herrera Staff Writer With summertime coming, my family makes sure to prioritize making all our favorite warm foods before the weather gets too hot to enjoy.

One of my family’s favorite meals are chicken enchiladas de mole de Oaxaca, which is an ingredient typically hard to come by because of its lengthy preparation time and ingredient list.

For our family, the preparation and cooking of this meal are done and shared together.

Servings: 15 Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 55 minutes Total time: 70 minutes Ingredient list: 2 cups of Mole de Oaxaca paste 2 ½ pounds of boneless chicken breasts 1 pound of queso fresco

Photo by Marlene Herrera/ The Runner

Add chicken and roll into a wrap.

1 cup of Crema Mexicana ½ of an onion 1 bunch of cilantro 2 whole avocados Maseca Corn Flour Water Directions: Fill a pot halfway with water and set over medium-high heat to boil.

Add a small piece of onion and a pinch of salt to water.

Add chicken breasts and alllow to cook thoroughly

for approximately 20-25 minutes making sure to save the broth.

Place a saucepan over medium-high heat.

Stir the mole paste in the saucepan and slowly add the saved broth (2-4 cups) until you reach a stew-like or preferred consistency.

After it reaches a boil, let the sauce simmer over a low heat.

While the cooked chicken cools down to be shredded, prepare the corn flour to make tortillas.

Photo by Marlene Herrera / The Runner

Top enchiladas to your preferance.

Use 1 ½ pounds of Maseca flour and add water to reach a firm but sticky consistency. Knead for 3 minutes.

Using a cast iron tortilla press maker, form round palm-sized pieces of dough to press and place on top of a flat gribble to allow the corn tortillas to cook.

Cook for at least 60 seconds on each side and only flip once.

To prepare to plate the enchiladas, dip the tortillas one by one into the mole

sauce.

Add shredded chicken in each and roll into a close wrap.

Drizzle the Mexican cream over the enchiladas to your liking.

Next, begin to prepare ingredients to place on top of the enchiladas. Cilantro should be chopped very finely to add as garnish.

Similarly, the queso fresco should be crumbled to coat the plate evenly.

Add thin slices of onion and avocado to your liking.

Features

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April 6, 2022

The Runner

‘Turning Red’ reaches all generations

By Marlene Herrera Staff Writer “Turning Red” perfectly conveys how uncomfortable and awkward it is to wake up and discover your body is changing with everyone around to see it. This coming-of-age story is told through the portrayal of a 13-year-old Chinese Canadian girl, Meilin Lee or Mei-Mei, navigating her pubescent years in the early 2000’s in Toronto, Canada.

Mei is facing the embarrassment of discovering new things about herself, such as developing crushes, her first period, and preferring to spend time talking about her favorite boy band with her friends. More alarming, she is dealing with magically transforming into a giant red panda upon experiencing any strong emotion. To make matters more complicated, she worries that these new things about herself, which she is having a hard time concealing, are keeping her from being the perfect daughter her parents know and love.

In other words, the movie is about much more than puberty. It is about balancing family-friend

dynamics through the reality of culture and traditions. Kristen Vibal, CSU Bakersfield alumnus, comments, “The movie examines the relationship between filial piety and autonomy in the pubescent age. We don’t all grow up the same way. Something I wish people understood about growing up as an Asian American is why I would do the things that I do, and that resonated with me. To have “Turning Red” give a glimpse of what that is like is kind of comforting to see.”

To her luck, Mei’s mother, Ming, is not willing to give up invading her privacy because of her own upbringing. Having dealt with her own panda and watching it diminish her relationship with her mother has convinced her that being overbearing is the only way to ensure Mei will not distance herself from her family.

The movie highlights a scar on Ming’s mother’s forehead that conveys the severity of their last falling out. Because of the guilt Ming carries, she encourages Mei to suppress this part of herself and her identity. In the article, “Pixar’s Turning Red Review: You’ve Got a Friend in

Mei’’ by Esther Vallins, she mentions, “Mama Ming Lee assures that there’s a cure (Mei’s first telltale indication that her panda is something that needs curing,

that should be removed from her identity).”

This is also a story that puts a lot of emphasis on the importance of doing good by your

friends. In the film, Mei will do anything she can to keep them around and make sure she is bonding and appreciating them.

Although the familial guilt persists throughout, Mei does recognize her friends are her safe and supportive space. Vallins explains, “[Her friends] celebrate this new discovery, which in turn, shows Mei that she can celebrate her new self, instead of seeing her panda as a curse.”

Although intended for a younger audience, the themes touched up on are universal.

Everyone can understand or remember what it is like to grow up, and viewers can also understand these new and scary things do not just startle us during pubescent age. Growing up is continuous.

Vibal comments on what the biggest take-away from the movie is when she says, “At the beginning of the movie, she kind of opens it up to be this perfect daughter for them because they provided basic necessities, but I think what is most important is that we owe it to ourselves to be the most honest version of us and unapologetically us.”

The pandemic’s impact on love languages

By Yasmin Marcelo Special to The Runner When asked if they are familiar with the feeling of love, most people are likely to say yes.

Whether it may be familial, platonic, or romantic, people have felt the emotion at least once in their lifetime.

However, when asked how they like to express and receive love that is usually when the answers vary.

Every individual communicates in their own unique way, and the same principle applies to love.

Love languages are the different ways people like to show and be shown love.

The 5 are: physical touch, quality time, words of affirmation, acts of service, and gift giving.

For Gaby Castro, the primary love language she enjoys receiving is quality time with words of affirmation coming in as a close second.

She likes spending time with people she cares about as she appreciates it when “they make the effort to spend time with me or at least just meet up to say ‘hi,’” she explains.

Words of affirmation also mean a lot to her because she likes having a “reminder that the person enjoys [her] company and wants to be around [her].”

Castro states that the love languages she uses to tell people

Canva Illutstration by Marlene Garcia/ The Runner she loves them are quality time and gift giving.

She elaborates, “I like providing gifts to the person (even if it’s drinks and food) just to show them that I am thinking about them. I also like providing them my time whenever they need me.”

Rossley Cruz also lists quality time and words of affirmation as the love languages she favors being given, along with physical touch. She further states that she enjoys using the aforementioned love languages to express her love for others. Like Castro, she adds, “I also like to give gifts as a way to show my love to that person.”

Similar to both Castro and Cruz, the love language Najeeb Darwish’s prefers for himself is quality time. As for the one

he likes to provide, he uses acts of service toward the people he cares about.

A person’s upbringing and past experiences play a big role in developing their love languages.

As people’s needs change over time in different environments and phases of their lives, so can love languages.

Castro attributes her fondness of quality time to how her mother cared for her as a child. She shares how her mother used to “[take her] everywhere... grocery shopping, to the park, shopping at the swap meet, and other things.” Her interactions with her mother led her to associate “time spent with love and affection.”

When several of her friends “[hung] out together without telling [her],” she interpreted it as them not caring for her as much

since her primary love language is quality time.

On the other hand, Darwish expresses, “My turbulent upbringing helped me appreciate the peacefulness of quality time.”

Because of the pandemic, there have been adjustments made to minimize the spread of the virus, hence the numerous lockdowns. This has also altered the way people socialize and interact with each other.

Cruz says, “Because of the pandemic, quality time has been added as a form of [my] love language[s].” The distance from her family and friends led her to realize that she “truly loves spending time with the people [she] love[s].” In Castro’s case, the pandemic did not alter any of her languages.

Instead, it reinforced her already preferred ones. She discusses, “Being in quarantine made me realize how much I need quality time with people just to assure that my relationships are still solid.”

Because of the social distancing protocols, however, spending quality time became more challenging. To mimic the experience, she explains, “I text [my friends and family] whenever I can or send them videos or memes just so we can talk at least through texts.”

As for Darwish’s love languages compared to before and after the pandemic, he shares, “I don’t think it changed. Maybe

before I liked words of affirmation.”

While people have their favorite methods of expressing their love, they also have ones they dislike.

Castro cites her least favored love language as physical touch.

She elaborates, “I like my own personal space and feel apprehensive when people invade it.

I have created a little bubble for myself that I don’t want people in.”

However, she also clarifies that she does not really mind it when her mother or her close friends get physically touchy; she would simply need a warning beforehand.

Receiving gifts is the love language Cruz is most avoidant of. She shares, “I always feel guilty... as if I’m taking advantage of the person giving me gifts” despite knowing that it is not the case.

Meanwhile, Darwish is “not a fan” of physical touch and does not care much for gift giving because of “the sense of obligation.”

In a time where countless conversations occur on digital platforms, in-person contact is no longer the most prevalent way for people to connect.

Therefore, it is important for people to be aware of their friends’ and family’s love languages to make every form of social interactions much more meaningful and fulfilling.

Opinions

The Runner

April 6, 2022

7

There are no winners with DoorDash

By Sydney Williams Opinions Editor With the recent spike in gas prices, there has been a jump in Doordash users.

To try and get around the outrageous prices of gas, people are trusting delivery services like Doordash to bring them their fast food.

As the prices of gas keep increasing, it seems as though Doordash might not be as beneficial as it sounds.

Doorsdash drivers are not accepting small orders

or orders that are far away.

The cost of gas does not outweigh the end pay of the order. An ABC news reporter shares the experience of a DoorDasher during these difficult times. Ronda Gantt says, “They are too low paying.

It might be like drive five miles for $6. I’m not going to do that it’s ridiculous.”

Dashers are losing money when taking smaller orders. Dashers like Gantt are parking in lots that have a variety of different fast-food options to try and

minimize the driving time.

It’s not worth it to dashers unless people start to tip more.

Doordash is an effortless way for people to get food delivered to them, But is it worth it to the consumer? Doordash makes you pay for the food, a delivery charge, and you are expected to give the dasher a tip upon delivery.

If you were to get the food yourself you would end up saving money, even when using gas. If you are trying to save money, you really

are not. After spending extra money on delivery and tips, you are spending three times more than you would have if you were to go get food yourself. There is also the risk of the dasher messing up your order.

In the article “Doordash review: What customers need to know about this food delivery service”, the reporter talks about the most common complaints about Doordash. Most of the complaints are about orders being wrong and the quality of the food being

poor. The reporter says “Dont expect drivers to get your order any faster than you could.” Doordashers are not superhuman, and it might even take longer to get your food using Doordash rather than getting it yourself.

The use of Doordash spiked when the COVID-19 pandemic first started. People used the delivery service to get food because they were not allowed to leave their houses. Doordash also provides new opportunities

for people to work during these demanding times.

I think that Doordash has both good and bad attributes. I think that the opportunities that Doordash opens are extremely beneficial. Overall, I do not see the point in spending three times the amount on my food, just so I dont have to leave my house..

The service is an innovative idea if you are sick, so you do not risk the chance of spreading COVID-19.

But I dont think its practical for everyday use.

Canva Illustration by Sydney Williams/The Runner

Customers save gas money with DoorDash

By Kiara Zabala Opinions Writer The recent spike in gas prices has almost everyone retreating back into their households or finding alternative ways to get around.

This recent spike also is causing a lot more people to use DoorDash to get food in a final attempt to save on their gas.

DoorDash is helping more people than what we realize.

Although prices of gas

are rising and their jobs depend on them driving, Dashers are not concerned all too much with the increase in prices.

Fox Business reported on March 15, DoorDash said it will give drivers 10% cash back when they buy gas using DasherDirect, the company’s debit card designed for drivers.

Drivers will get the cash back for any gas purchase, whether or not they are completing deliveries at the time.”

DoorDash is being more than understanding during these troubling times.

DoorDash also let it be known that they will be giving weekly bonuses to those who drive the most miles.

DoorDash knows that it is hard to pay for gas and other essentials during this gas spike.

Yet, they clearly understand and are helping their employees in the best possible way.

When it comes to the benefit of students,

DoorDash helps us a lot.

With gas being mainly used for getting to campus and work, I sometimes do not have time nor the gas to get some food.

This is where DoorDash comes in handy.

DoorDash allows college students, like myself, save money that they could be using to spend on gas.

Instead, college students now do not have to make a choice between getting to campus and being able to afford their

next meal.

DoorDash is helping college students both get food and not waste their money in a more practical way.

By using DoorDash, students now have extra money for food and commuting to campus or work.

If it weren’t for them, I certainly would have gone hungry once or twice.

It should not come down to the choice of whether I will eat or if I will have enough money to fill up my car.

With gas price rising, the anxiety of students rises as well.

With DoorDash and other companies alike, this stressor seems to lessen as we have found more convenient ways to not use our gas unless necessary.

And when it comes to college students, the most important thing in our mind is getting to class on time.

With DoorDash, we can use our gas on getting to class and can still eat at the end of every day.

Opin The Runner -

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Harry Styles edges fa

By Kiara Zabala Opinions Writer Harry Styles has become a household name over the last few years, as he continues to dominate in every area of entertainment that he can manage to get a role in. From singing to acting to even modeling for Gucci and putting out his own nail polish; Styles is slowly starting to do it all.

Although I wish I could go back to 2010 when he was just a no name competing on a TV show, I am so proud of how far he has come. No matter how big he gets, I will support him the entire journey.

There are many reasons Styles has such a big following from all around the entire world. One of the main traits about Styles that keeps his fans coming back in swarms is the odd way that he announces his new releases of music His new album “Harry’s House”, which is set to be released May 20th, was no exception. He certainly did not make this easy on us in any way at all.

Now, as we look back, it makes me realize how he was screaming at us and dropping so many hints. He was wanting us to crack his clues before we were ready because he knows just how devoted we all are.

Devoted fans first believed that Styles first started dropping hints for this upcoming album with multiple lyrics within his 2nd album “Fine Line”.

Some of his songs contained lyrics such as, “I’m going home” and “kiss in the kitchen like it’s a dancefloor” which are ties back to a home. Looking back at it now, it seems that Styles was trying to slowly hint at this upcoming album.

He hosted a two-night concert special that he creatively called “HARRYWEEN” which took place on October 30 and 31st at Madison Square Garden. Styles invited all guests to dress up since this was supposed to be a themed two-night event.

On night 1, he absolutely shocked the crowd as he stepped out on stage in a Dorothy outfit from the Wizard of Oz. This outfit idea of his was also another little teaser that fans would not connect the dots until after his album release was announced.

Dorothy’s character in the story was best known for her phrase “there’s no place like home”.

Styles most likely wore that costume for that exact callback to her phrase.

Styles was looking for his home. He killed this outfit and this costume was just another example of how he likes to test the gender norms.

As he has stated before, sexuality and gender are both supposed to be fun in his eyes.

No matter what Styles is wearing, he looks beyond good in all he wears and could pull off anything he tried on.

On his last leg of his North American tour, Styles performed for Long Island on November 28, 2021.

During his final song of the show, Styles yelled “One more time, loud as you possibly can, send me home!”

The whole arena and fans watching his show through livestreams all felt chills. Personally, I cried.

Every time I scroll across a video of him saying that from his last concert, I cannot help the chills that course through my body. It seemed as if there was some sort of double meaning to

what he was saying as he played that final song.

He seemed to be calling out, hoping that he would truly be sent home at the end of his tour.

Months had passed after Styles had performed on that Sunday night. The world was anxiously waiting for him to move with any indication towards his next album.

Fans have even started making Twitter accounts to keep track of how many days it had been since Harry interacted or “moved”.

Then during early March, there was finally some sort of movement from him. A door appeared on a website with social media handles across all platforms that was named “youarehome”.

Fans were quick to assume that this was the work of Styles even though we had no proof of him being involved at all. Each day, fans would wait for the door to open and showcase a new image behind the door.

Looking back at when the door was first discovered, it seems so silly to me that we just blindly followed a door and linked it to him.

However, being a fan of this so called “Fruit Man” as we like to call him, causes you to believe that anything suspicious in the world could somehow be tied back to him.

Fans were finding that these small clips of images that flashed behind the doors once opened were tied to works of art that also had ties to the overall idea of home such as Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Nature and Selected Essays”.

On March 23rd, Styles finally broke his silence by announcing on his social media platforms that his new album would be called “Harry’s Home” and

Photo from @H A photo of Harry Style’s new album called “Harry’s House” releasing May 20.

would be released on May 20th.

His fans also realized that Styles had planned the doors very well in his case. 13 doors for 13 singles. 13 doors leading up to April 1st. What is April 1st you ask? April 1st is when us fans will finally be able to hear his first single off his upcoming, highly anticipated album.

His new single, “As It Was” has us all nervous about what is to come next. With such little to no warning every time he does something new, some of us

fans have even resorted to being afraid to sleep. This man has such a hold on us that we are so afraid to close our eyes at night; in fear of missing any music that he could drop.

During his Love On Tour, Styles discovered the word edging and what it meant. Now it seems that Styles lives for “edging” his fans at any chance he gets. With him being so secretive, it has caused a lot of us to go into detective mode and overanalyze just about everything.

nions April 6, 2022

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ans towards insanity

Screenshot from the “As It Was” music video on YouTube Mathilde Lin and Harry Styles

The “As It Was” release

HarryStyles on Instagram

Photo from @youarehome on Instagram A photo of the first door that was posted on March 19 to tease Harry Style’s new single.

You would think that after being a fan of him after all these years I would be use to it. I am not, even in the slightest.

Yet, I always love figuring out the mysteries he leaves behind and piecing together the clues.

Even if he loves to see us panic when he does the simplest of things, such as tweeting “Do.”.

Fans still are on the edge of their seats, unaware when Styles will move again and what he will announce next. All of his fans know that it isn’t easy to follow

him, but we do so anyways because where’s the fun in just announcing something.

Why not make the fans work for it? Working for what he has planned makes it even more worth it in the end.

Despite how crazy it seems; I personally would follow that man to the end of the Earth. I was here before he went solo in his music and I will be here long after, probably still waiting for that One Direction reunion.

There are a select few things that I fear in this world. One of them is missing the moment when Harry Styles drops any new music. And today, that fear became my reality.

As a rather dedicated fan of Styles, like most of the world, I was counting down the minutes until “As It Was” would be released to the general public.

Although I was a half hour late to the initial release, I still was able to enjoy the first moment, the first song to come from his upcoming album.

Let me be the first of many to tell you, Harry Styles certainly did not disappoint in the slightest. Fans were expecting a rock album from Styles 3rd solo installment to his solo career, but this song has us completely shocked. Of course, in the best way possible.

Instead, we were thrown off guard by a sad, yet upbeat song.

It almost gives me, personally, late 80’s and early 90’s vibes from the musical side of it alone.

The upbeat background music reminds me of a toned-down disco party.

The song is a contradiction in itself. Although the musical sense of it makes you want to smile.

When you hear the instrumental part of it alone, you cannot help but want to tap your feet and nod your head along.

However, upon listening to the actual lyrics, we can discover that this is not intended to be a happy song. So many theories are going through my head.

Styles is no stranger to sad songs, but this must be his saddest to date.

With lyrics in the first verse such as, “When everything gets in the way, Seems you cannot

Screenshot from the “As It Was” music video on YouTube

be replaced,” it seems Styles is missing someone.

As if he wants to replace this person, but soon he comes to the realization that no one will ever come close to them.

Also, the painful chorus that reads as follows, “In this world, it’s just us. You know it’s not the same as it was.” Styles sees everything within this person.

He sees that the world revolves around them, but the two of them no longer hold the spark they once did.

When it came to the second verse, “Harry, you’re no good alone,” I was tearing up in shock.

Clearly, this is Styles being extremely vulnerable with his fans.

Whomever it is that Styles is missing, he clearly misses them in a way that is quite painful.

Perhaps that is why this song was released first. The person this song is about could be who he views as his home, his safe space.

Being ripped from them is such a painful thing that Styles is left with only writing songs about them to keep what they had still alive in some sort of form.

Pair these painful lyrics with his music video where he is

chasing his female love interest.

We watch as they keep getting ripped apart in the video, yet still he reaches for her even if he falls. This easily is a very painful song for Styles to have shared, but I am so thankful that he did.

When you have an artist such as Styles that is willing to share so much about himself with his fanbase, it means so much. To us fans, it makes us see how he cares enough to show the pain he would usually not share.

Harry’s House, I am certainly ready to hear the rest of you. Will I cry? If Styles has more songs as vulnerable as this one on the album, then I will be sobbing in the corner as I listen to every song.

“Pain and money are nothing.

Harry Styles is forever.”

– Kiara Zabala Pain and money are nothing.

Harry Styles is forever.

Harry, I am ready to come home.

Opinions

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April 6, 2022

The Runner

Rising gas prices continue to plauge the nation

By Ashley Soren Opinions Writer Motorists all throughout America have been feeling the pain of high gas prices lately with no reprieve in sight.

Rising gas prices have been harsh as of late, with gas prices averaging at $5.85 in California according to triple A’s website.

Ever since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, gas prices have sky-rocketed from their starting prices in 2022.

These price changes have been harsh on CSU Bakersfield students who commute to their classes. Originally, I would pay roughly $50 to fill up my own tank before the increase in price, and now I pay about $70 for the same number of gallons.

CSU Bakersfield student Michael Summers, who drives a Toyota Tundra, states that he pays about $100 to completely fill up his truck, whereas he usually paid

$60 before the price change.

It is important to note that these two examples are from students who live in Bakersfield, and that there are many other students who commute to campus from towns like Delano and Shafter. Students who must commute from these outside cities suffer the most, with some students having to drive up to thirty miles and more to make it to class.

These gas prices are outrageous and unfair to all citizens, whether they be students or not.

I believe that aid should be distributed to motorists throughout the country, especially those who are not as financially stable. Luckily, relief is being developed and on its way for California residents.

Taryn Luna from the LA Times writes that State Governor Gavin Newsom is introducing “A new $11-billion-dollar proposal” that would “send $400

to Californians for each registered vehicle.” However, there are limits and loopholes in this proposal.

Citizens with a single vehicle, but with multiple names registered to it, can only receive up to $800, whereas citizens who own multiple vehicles with different names registered to them will not deal with the $800 cap. While I believe this bill to be a step in the right direction, I feel that it won’t truly help those who are less financially stable.

Instead of basing payments and caps on the numbers of registered names on a vehicle and the vehicles themselves, I believe it should be based on a household’s total income instead.

CSU Bakersfield should also work on aiding its own students as well. For example, professors could offer alternatives to coming to class physically.

Classes could be operated in a hybrid format, with some students being over

Photo by Ashley Soren/The Runner Gas prices at the Gas station on Brimhall and Coffee Road

Zoom and some being in the classroom. This would allow students who live further from campus to save money on gas

in the mean time, it might be better for students to commute to camous in other ways, such as by bus or bike While it does-

seem like rising gas prices will continue to plague the country for awhile longer, there are solutions that can help ease the pain.

CAMPUS VOICE

What is Sensational Sophmores?

By Wefaq Alshami

The Sensational Sophomores Program is a leadership-driven program where students learn leadership principles, develop in their professional and personal growth, and serve the campus and community by engaging in community service endeavors.

Only students that have maintained a GPA of 3.0 or above during their freshmen year are invited to join the Program during the summer of the start of their sophomore year.

Throughout the year, students relate to campus leaders to learn their leadership styles and engage in topical seminars (e.g., food insecurity, mental health,

and implicit bias). Sensational Sophomores have met with CSU Bakersfield President, Dr. Zelezny, Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. Wallace, and Dr. Watkins, Assistant Director of Programs and Services for Students with Disabilities.

Along with seminars, the program ingrains students with the importance of community service.

They participate monthly with Food Distributions, campus clean ups, and are planning an alternative spring break project to help the Edible Garden.

The overall objective is to develop and build responsible student leaders who are engaged on campus and are career-ready

professionals.

As an Executive Officer, I believe that this program is a privilege because not all students can be part of the program. Students who attend meetings and help with community projects are also given priority registration to help with preparing for classes.

It is extremely important and useful for Sensational Sophomores because enrolling in courses can be tough; especially for those who want to map out their academic journey effectively. Although COVID-19 posed many challenges, the Executive Officers pushed through and found alternative methods to engage their class, and help students

A photo of Wefaq Alshami

feel engaged on campus.

Again, I personally love this program because it pushed me out of my comfort zone and connected me with the community.

I found a new passion in helping my community.

Wefaq Alshami is the director of community engagement for the Sensational Sophomores program at CSUB. Current Executive Team: President: Fatyma Cendejas Vice President: Abraham Mendoza Director of Campus Collaboration: Brizna Fregoso Director of Community Engagement: Wefaq Saleh Alshami Director of Student Involvement: Sanjit Gill

Opinions

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April 6, 2022

The Runner

‘RUNNERS REACT

What are the first three words that come to your head when you think of Harry Styles?

Interviews and photos by Sydney Williams and Kiara Zabala

Jennifer Hernandez Pre-Health Major “Trendy, funky, and talented.”

Emily Hernandez Kinsiology Major “Singer, boyband, attractive.”

Aaron Valencia Art Education Major “Peak gay fashion, One Direction, myself, british.”

Kenny Parker History Major

Jaithen Be Leon Kinsiology Major

“Best childhood memories, not first of thought, fashionable.”

“Beautiful, tall, isn’t he british?”

‘Don’t say gay’ bill promotes homophobia

By Gisselle Gamez Opinions Writer The “Don’t Say Gay” bill, formally known as the “Parental Rights in Education” bill was signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and will go into effect starting July 1, 2022.

What is this bill exactly and what are its effects? This bill signed by Florida’s Republican Governor forbids teachers from including any kind of material regarding sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third-grade classrooms.

This bill allows parents to sue if any subjects regarding LGBTQ+ are spoken of or taught to children.

Many argue that enforcing such a law protects children from being “brainwashed” and allows for parents to teach their children about these matters on their own, but implementing a rule like this one only excludes young children who might feel they are part of the LGBTQ+ community and also promotes homophobia.

Let’s be real, the parents who advocated for this bill will not be teaching their children acceptance of their peers.

For some students, going to school is their safe space.

It is a time for them to express themselves when they might not be able to do that during their time at home.

Some teachers also bring a

sense of comfort to students, they become someone that students can rely on for advice.

This bill takes away all of those things for young children from Florida.

In an article explaining what exactly Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill is set to do, reporter Richard Dahl included that “The bill’s supporters say it strengthens parental rights by preventing teachers and school staffers from withholding information about gender issues from parents. (An earlier version of the bill went even further, requiring principals to tell parents if a student came out as other than straight.

That provision was pulled last month.)”

A safe space has been taken from students in Florida and given to those who are opposed to LGBTQ+ rights and education, making students feel unheard.

With the passing of this bill those who have strong, negative feelings about the matter might feel the freedom to act on their negative emotions.

In NBC’s article “From book bans to ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, LGBTQ kids feel ‘erased’ in the classroom,” sixteen-yearold Spencer Lyst, a member of the LGBTQ+ community told NBC about his experience at his school in Tennessee.

NBC included “Teachers have skipped over LGBTQ issues in class textbooks. Trans kids in his

state have been legally barred from competing on school sports teams that align with their gender identity. Parents have called on school officials to remove books about sexual orientation and gender identity from the county’s elementary curriculum. And while leading his school’s Pride club at a September homecoming parade, Lyst and other LGBTQ students were booed by a group of parents.”

A bill like this one causes students to feel unsafe no matter the age because if it’s happening in Florida, it can happen anywhere.

This could potentially be the start of a domino effect among states that share the same views.

The year is 2022 and hearing about something like this is almost unbelievable.

As someone who lives in California, one of the most liberal states in the country, hearing of someone skipping over LGBTQ+ issues in a history book or banning the pride flag is baffling.

It’s easy to forget the privilege those of us who live in a state like California have when it comes to these issues.

Teachers are put in an uncomfortable situation due to the signing of the bill.

Helping students and being there for them academically and emotionally is a top priority for educators.

Teachers in Florida are now forced to follow the law instead

Illustration by Vada Hepner/The Runner

of caring about their students’ emotional well-being. How do educators know that this will be the only topic of discussion they ban in classrooms?

“If they’re going after this conversation now, where does this stop? ... I’m very fearful that this law is going to just open it up for a lot more things to start being discriminated against,” said first grade teacher Paula Stephens to writer, Melissa Block in an interview for NPR.com.

The article titled “Teachers fear the chilling effect of Florida’s so-called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law,” also included: “Honestly, I feel like it’s just a blatant attack on education,” says Jorje Botello,

who has taught eighth grade American history for 19 years at Osceola Middle School in rural Okeechobee, Fla. “A lot of these bills are written by people that have never set foot in a public education classroom.”

Florida’s new bill should be concerning for everyone in America because it promotes homophobia everywhere and opens doors for other states to do the same.

In the 21st century, it is astonishing that people are still voting and signing a bill like the “Parental Rights in Education” bill.

This country needs to do better for the younger generations.

Sports

The Runner

April 6, 2022

Player Spotlight: Cameron Solberg & Milica Vukobrat

By Madalyn Powers Sports Editor Heading into their fourth year, the top duo in CSUB’s beach volleyball program right now is Cameron Solberg from Illinois and Milica Vukobrat is from Serbia.

Despite all of the highs and lows they have faced while participating in a partnership based sport, they have built a very close friendship.

That team building started way before they even stepped on

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Photo of Cameron Solberg, junior and Milica Vukobrat, junior high-fiving.

campus.

When asked why they chose CSUB’s program they both shared a common experience, the coaches’ very big interest in them.

They also have great communication skills. Solberg mentions she experienced how hardworking everyone was. As for Vukobrat, the teams reassurance, competitive program, and their family oriented program was very important to her.

“Our whole team is family and the coaches are super sup-

portive.” Vukobrat stressed.

Solberg and Vukobrat both attended CSUB ready to play both indoor and outdoor volleyball, but their main love has always been beach volleyball. Vukobrat discusses her love for the sport and why she always gravitated towards outdoor volleyball.

“I love to hit and being 5’8 you can’t do that except in outdoor.” Vukobrat states.

As for Solberg, the partnership versus team of six aspect is the biggest change for her.

Solberg emphasizes, “Beach

Photo provided by Isaac Comelli/CSUB Athletics

has always been my love, playing the ball, being able to touch the ball every time as you only have yourself and your partner to rely on.”

This season has not only been big for Solberg and Vukobrat, but also for the whole organization.

They have been the underdog, competing in the Big West with many large schools such as Pepperdine, but they have ranked top twenty for the first time ever this season.

“Our whole team embraces the challenge and have no doubts

we can beat these ranked teams.”

Solberg exclaims.

For Vukobrat, the growth between herself, their partnership but also within the program these past four years has been the best to see.

She highlighted, “ We have two more months to prove that.”

Their last game is Apr. 9 and the women couldn’t emphasize enough how amazing the atmosphere is during these games being outside with the music, chill environment, and loud cheers.

Beach volleyball coach is digging for the win

By Madalyn Powers Sports Editor For head coach Cesar Benatti the 2021-2022 beach volleyball season has been a big one.

The team accomplished a goal Benatti set years back by being a top 20 ranked team in which they accomplished when the AVCA, American Volleyball Coaches Association, were released on March 1 as number twenty.

With this season already starting off great the team itself is also doing really well with a 6 to 1 win only losing to #18 spot Pepperdine.

Benatti couldn’t stress enough, “Pepperdine has been our only loss and that was a close 3 to 2 game.

With them being 4th in the nation this has been the best season yet.”

He also couldn’t exclaim enough how proud he is of the women on the team with all of them improving every week.

For Coach Benatti, choosing to come to Cal State Bakersfield eight seasons ago was an easy one.

A photo of head coach, Cesar Benatti

Benatti had worked with Indoor Head Coach Giovana Melo before at a junior college in Nebraska when asked to come be an assistant coach here at Cal State Bakersfield.

Eight years later he is the head coach of his own beach volleyball team.

Something he never imagined.

When discussing the future of the program

Benatti emphasized the want to become a national powerhouse.

And for the first time in program history beach volleyball is completely separate from indoor.

With the program getting larger as of December 2021 Benatti solely went to coaching beach volleyball.

With that came five full time beach players and a staff with a main focus.