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NIVERSITY IMES
Dec. 8, 2014
www.csulauniversitytimes.com
C A L I F O R N I A S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y, L O S A N G E L E S
INSIDE: ‘Throw ’em back,
LA ONDA: Niños Migrantes En la frontera PG 6
Students step on stage for the public speaking showcase PG 3
Billie jean king still widely unknown on campus PG 7
EXPLOring mexican culture through csula's Mariachi PG 2
FYE and the autry explore family trees PG 7
Holiday shopping guide PG 4
Ethical ways to wear fur for the winter PG 8
till I lose count’
Issue 207.11
Cal State L.A. Students
Protest Eric Garner Ruling
As finals approach and we start living on energy drinks, what we ignore is that these cans contain much more than a temporary energy boost. Guadalupe Garcia
Contributor Need an extra boost? Picking up an energy drink has been a common reality for many college students. Coffee won’t be cutting it in the days of projects and finals. The truth is that nothing good is inside these energy drinks. Many students consume these beverages, whether it’s for late night studying or mixing it with alcoholic drinks at social gatherings. Tony Guardado, a freshmen and Sociology major, says he began taking these drinks since high school, “I use them to keep me awake during homework or for studying.” When it comes to finals Guardado seems compelled to drink some in case he needs an extra boost and stated, “It’s definitely an option I consider.” There’s been an increasing demand for highly caffeinated ‘energy’ drinks, which include global brands like Red Bull, Monster and Rockstar. According to data from the market research firm, Euromonitor, this industry has grown from a $3.8 billion business in 1999 to a $27.5 billion industry last year. David Sandoval, student brand manager for Red Bull, says that the consumption of energy drinks will be highly craved by students during finals week. He explained, “They’re looking for something that will help them maintain focus and keep their energy at a high. It will vitalize the body and mind for the sleepless nights involving studying from dusk till dawn.” The reality is that these drinks can pose a real problem just to about anyone who drinks them. The reason is that the main ingredient located in these drinks is caffeine, which can range from 75 milligrams to over 200 milligrams per serving. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant with the ability to raise heart rate, blood pressure, and even seizures or death. According to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, energy drinks usually contain taurine and caffeine as
their main pharmacological ingredients. The amount of caffeine is up to three times higher than in other caffeinated beverages like coffee or cola. Luis Gonzales, Communications major, has experienced the side effects these energy drinks can have on your body. He says, “Once, I laid down after taking one of these drinks. Soon after, I just began to feel jittery and nauseous.” He used to drink them to help him stay up, study or work out. Now that he’s aware of the consequences, he doesn’t drink them as often. Sandoval says students will be drained from the late night studying and these drinks will seem like an easy solution. “Pressure from finals makes the necessity for energy. During times like this, students are more likely to accept a Red Bull to help them stay awake. Having a cold Red Bull will improve their endurance, alertness, concentration and reaction speed during [finals],” he added. Now, not all college students consume energy drinks for late night cramming, others actually mix them with alcoholic beverages. Another study that was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, says the practice of mixing energy drinks with alcohol has been linked to consistent high multitudes of alcohol per drinking session, and it notes that individuals who combine them underestimate their true level of impairment. This notion is labeled as ‘wide awake drunkenness’ and can lead to engagement of risky behavior. When energy drinks are mixed with alcoholic beverages, the caffeine in these drinks can disguise the depressant effects of alcohol. By masking the effects, co-ingestion of the drink can result in an increase in alcohol consumption, alcohol related complications and trauma. Other side effects of mixing energy drinks with alcoholic beverages include: dehydration because the caffeine in energy drinks is a diuretic, it forces the excretion of bodily waters. Dehydration can hinder your body’s
Protest | Photo By Marilu Bustamante
Marilu Bustamante
Contributor The words “I can’t breathe” echoed throughout the Main Walkway at Cal State L.A. on Thursday, December 4th. Student protesters came together in response to the ruling of the Eric Garner case. Garner was killed by a police officer in July 2014. The video footage of the incident was released and went viral. Garner was heard repeatedly saying, “I can’t breathe,” as he was being held in a chokehold. On Wednesday, December 3rd, a grand jury in New York City declined to indict the officer responsible for Garner’s death. Troubled by these results, students on campus gathered together in front of the Golden Eagle Statue and spoke out in solidarity with the perceived injustice. Latin American Studies major, Zamaria Xoemz said, “My brothers and sisters are being murdered and there will be no justice for as long as we live in a society that is for profit and not for [the] people.” Xoemz told a story of how her parents brought her in diapers across the border to escape poverty, fear, and violence. She later cried, “Now I have to look at my mom and say, guess what? They’re killing us on this side of ability to metabolize alcohol and will increase the toxicity. Thus, the hangover that inevitably will come the following day will be worse. Individual responses will vary among every individual after consumption of these drinks and should be treated carefully. The drinks are typically associated with stimulating properties that can increase heart rate and blood pressure, dehydrate the body, and like other stimulants prevent sleep. On
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the border too, what’s happening in Mexico is not just happening in Mexico its happening here.” Students of color make up the majority of Cal State L.A. and protester Kenya Williams said, “The faces that you see time and time again that get jammed up by the system look like you and I.” Williams spoke about micro-aggressions. “Do you know how many people come up to me on a daily basis and say ‘you are so articulate’, you see racism is so covert that they don’t even realize they’ve just looked at me and said ‘you have a black face, I don’t expect you to be intelligent’.” Students cheered, chanted, and cried. In an effort to encourage students to speak out and keep protesting, Williams said, “If we fight within those systems and we keep coming together like this we can change those systems and we can eradicate marginalization and most of all we get to continue living.” More protests will be held on Thursdays in front of the bookstore and Golden Eagle Statue. As Garner’s last words, “I can’t breathe,” continue to ring out all over the nation, Xoemz directed a question to the student body saying, “[Today] may be your last time or your last day. I ask you what would you say if this was your last breath?”
drinks are not necessarily bad for you but students shouldn’t seem them as ‘natural alternatives’ either. Claims that these energy drinks make such as, ‘improved performance and concentration’ can be misleading. Energy drinks have not been found to cause any serious side effects as of now, when used in moderation. However, when they become a staple in your everyday routine, they can open the door to a host of negative effects. Students might want to take a second before they pick up a Red Bull for that late night study jam.