Spartan Daily Vol. 162 No. 20

By Gabriel Evans CONTRIBUTOR

A chemical fire broke out in San José on 700 S. Daniel Way, just off Interstate 880 inside a one-story home Saturday evening.

Emergency Response Manager Isaac Olguin said San José Fire Department first responders were called to the scene when an electrical pole fell into the house.

“This was a detached garage fire that occurred in the back of the home,” Olguin said.

The smoke that engulfed the duplex was visible from I-880.

Olguin said there was no serious damage to the structure of the building,

but there was heavy smoke damage and a strong odor from the fire.

“The residents living there will have to be placed somewhere else,” Olguin said.

Olguin said first responders were able to extinguish a good portion of the fire because of the way the fire was angled.

He said first responders could not tell why the electrical pole fell down at the time.

He said the homeowner used the detached garage as a storage for his business.

“He had various chemical materials, propane tanks, torching tanks, the fire took a long time to put out,” said Fire Captain Luis Alanis. San José resident Nick

Cassarino said he was working on Mission Peak when the fire broke out.

Cassarino said he was unable to tell where the fire was coming from when he saw it from a distance.

“I was at 2,600 feet, so I could see it,” Cassarino said. “I thought it was in Campbell,” he said. “Can’t tell when you’re on a mountaintop.”

Alanis said first responders received the call around 3:22 p.m. in the afternoon.

“We had approximately 17 fire trucks on the scene and about 50 personnel,”

He said no injuries were reported on the scene.

“Even the cats that were in the living area got out okay, no fatalities,” Olguin said.

Fair begins Global Spartan Month

By Nikita Bankar SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Month is all about celebrating international education and exchange throughout the month of March, and provides individuals with a chance to learn about new cultures, according to the same site.

Lined up in front of the music building and next to The Arch of Dignity, Equality and Justice were various blue tents where organizations gave students information for study abroad opportunities.

Representatives passed out flyers, free stickers, pins and candy to promote experiences students could have all around the world.

Dan Brook, retired SJSU sociology professor and program director of Hands on Thailand said study abroad teaches students in an experiential, fun way.

Hands on Thailand is a FacultyLed Program based in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The program is organized to provide opportunities for students to experience personal exploration, growth, and development in Chiang Mai, according to SJSU Study Abroad and Away.

Brook said oftentimes individuals have only ever seen one piece of our world, and that studying abroad allows for discoveries in a new, unique location.

“You get to immerse yourself in the culture for three weeks, surrounded by positive, friendly people,” Brook said. “This experience really teaches you things that you can’t get from a classroom, book or movie.”

He also said that it is a monumental blessing and honor to have students contribute to Thailand through their volunteerism and communityengaged learning, facilitating their enjoyment, bonding, exploration, discovery and growth, according to his Wordpress website.

In front of the art building and

along the entrance of the Central Classroom Building, groups of students promoted their clubs.

Of these clubs was Society of Advancement for Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), where club members were selling snacks and sharing the benefits of their club with event attendees.

SACNAS is dedicated to fostering the success of Latinx and Indigenous students in attaining advanced degrees, careers and positions of leadership in STEM, according to its Instagram.

Dalia Cruz, forensic biology junior and club member, said the club’s main purpose is to create a community for those who may need a safe space, and represent various ethnicities.

“We want to let people know that there are other people like them,” Cruz said. “We also don’t only want to invite people from one major, but we are interested in having various majors combined to just create a place where they can share their experiences and values.”

Cruz said she loves events like these because she enjoys seeing people from different backgrounds.

She also said the event has given their club a chance to build a network and guide individuals in a direction that will be most beneficial to them.

“It’s been really fun to share our culture with people, and to talk to people,” Cruz said. “There are so many international students here, and I’ve loved meeting people from different places.”

Next to the line of enthusiastic club members and volunteers encouraging students to spin a rainbow-tinted wheel to win prizes was a Spartan Eats tent, where a step-by-step tutorial for a pineapple-fusion drink was being demonstrated.

Students eagerly lined up to get a hold of paper cups filled with samples of the yellow drink, made of fresh orange, romaine lettuce, pineapple and a special ingredient — one purple onion.

Volunteers poured various samples of another beverage, Chinese tea, into detailed glass cups in front of the Student Union. They wore vibrant, embroidered outfits to highlight part of their culture, and to share parts of themselves with the SJSU campus.

International Student & Scholar

Services (ISS) employee Keri Toma stood next to the tea station, and said the fair is not only about the number of students that SJSU brings, but it is what the school is specifically doing to support those students while they attend.

“It’s what we are doing to get them engaged in the community,” Toma said. “I think it is really important that students are given the opportunity to discover themselves in new locations.”

Toma said connecting students with opportunities to study abroad is something she believes SJSU does quite well.

She also said the fair is an opportunity to showcase the diversity our campus has.“It’s not only our international students, but it is also our U.S. students who are very diverse,” Toma said. “Just bringing that to campus and highlighting the different cultures out here is beautiful.”

SJSU students honor Ramadan

By Kaya Henkes-Power STAFF WRITER

Global Connections hosted an online event on Monday discussing Ramadan's spiritual elements and practices on the first day of the holy month.

Ramadan is a religious holiday that lasts from 29 to 30 days and is considered to be the holiest month of the year for Muslims, according to a webpage by the Islamic Networks Group.

Global Connections are weekly events aimed to connect students from different places to explore cultural topics, according to the San José State website.

Ramadan begins with the sighting of a crescent moon over Mecca during the ninth month of the lunar calendar, according to an Associated Press article.

“I will invite everybody to share their knowledge because as I said, ‘I’m by no means an expert on this,’ ” said Saima Bhatti, a postdoctoral resident at SJSU Student Wellness Center.

Bhatti said she was born and raised in Pakistan, but lived in Kuwait for some time, exposing her to contrasting cultures and to different experiences during Ramadan.

She said there are two denominations of Muslims, the Sunni and Shia, two Islamic sectors that have slightly different beliefs and practices.

“Sunni’s following Prophet Muhammad consider him as the prophet,” Bhatti said. “Whereas the Shiites have more significance for Ali, who was son in law of Prophet Muhammad.”

Fasting is a part of the Five Pillars of Islam, or the five key practices that Muslims should fulfill within their lifetime, according to a webpage for

Islamic Relief Worldwide.

The Five Pillars of Islam include Shahada (faith), Salah (prayer), Zakat Al-Fitr (act of giving), Sawm (fasting) and Hajj (pilgrimage), according to the same website.

Bhatti said before the fasting, people will have Suhur (Suhoor), a meal or snack people eat before the fajr, the morning prayer.

Fasting is mandatory for adult men and women along with children above the age of nine, according to Bhatti.

Bhatti said exemption from fasting is acceptable for those who are sick, have health issues, are pregnant, lactating or menstruating.

“They (people who are exempt from fasting) could actually help someone give more in charity or take food to the fasting people who are in need,” Bhatti said.

Bhatti said along with not eating or drinking other prohibited activities are smoking, substance use, extensive media consumption, gossip and sexual activities.

Marwa Abbas, a manager for SJSU’s International Gateways, said the first couple of days of Ramadan are the hardest.

“I’m so addicted to my coffee in the morning, it can be very difficult,” Abbas said. “But I think as time goes (on) it gets better.”

Bhatti said fasting is not only a cleansing process for both the body and spirit, but also a way to relate to the experience of people who do not have access to food or water.

She also said reading the Quran more often during Ramadan, praying five times a day and donating to charity at the end of the month all make up the religious aspect of Ramadan and Zakat al-Fitrah, according to Bhatti.

Zakat al-Fitrah is a charitable donation to participate in Eid al-Fitr, according to Islamic Relief.

Eid al-Fitr commemorates the end of Ramadan where there is a community-wide prayer in the morning followed by meals with friends and family, according to Brandeis University.

“Fajr, which is the morning prayer, Dour (is) the early afternoon prayer, Asr (is) the late afternoon prayer,” Bhatti said. “Maghrib (is) at sunset and Isha is the night prayer.”

Individuals will break their fast with a meal referred to as Iftar (Eftari or Iftor) following the Maghrib prayer, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

People can also participate in Taraweeh prayer, a voluntary prayer performed after the Isha, according to Islamic Relief Canada.

Bhatti said the last 10 days of

Ramadan are significant as the Quran was completed during those days.

She said during these 10 days, known as the Laylat-ul-Qadr, individuals will pray on every odd night (March 21, March 23, March 25, March 27 and March 29).

“If you see Muslim students or Muslim faculty [during] those last 10 days, if they feel a little tired or more worn down,” Bhatti said. “That’s the reason they’ve been up late.” Bhatti said some cultural considerations people should keep in mind are not to offer individuals participating in Ramadan food or water, and do not eat or drink in front of them during periods of fasting.

Keri Toma, SJSU’s international

programs manager and communication specialist, said the MOSAIC Cross Cultural Center will have a resource page for Ramadan.

Students will be able to access Iftars available to them, prayer rooms, extended hours for Spartan Eats and Halal Shack according to Toma.

She said there will also be meals available for purchase for Suhur.

“Other students would show up and eat with them,” Abbas said, “I thought it was pretty cool, they’re kind of saying, ‘You’re not by yourself, we’re going to come support and eat with you.’ ”

Follow Kaya on Instagram @kayuh.h

KAYA HENKES-POWER AND MELANY GUTIERREZ | SPARTAN DAILY

Students who enjoy video games and were looking for a bit of nostalgia found themselves in the San José State Student Union Ballroom for a Super Smash Bros. tournament esports showcase on Monday.

Spartan Esports hosted the showcase tournament and allowed 64 people to participate while others watched. The event staff set up snacks, drinks and gaming systems with a limited number of controllers. Many student participants brought their own controllers.

The Esports team made separate seating arrangements for those playing in the gaming tournament with designated referees and set up large projectors of competitors playing for those who wanted to watch.

“This is at least my third Esports showcase and this has been going on for a while now,” Douglas Mccoeur, current president for the esports organization, said. Prizes were also awarded to the top five winners and special prize giveaways were given to attendees who were watching the event. The first place winner got a Meta Quest 3 Virtual Reality headset, the runner up won a Nintendo Switch and the third place winner got the Nintendo Switch Lite, according to a post on the team’s Instagram.

“It’s basically double elimination and everyone starts on the winner’s side,” Matthew Go, member of the SJSU Esports organization, said. “If they lose once they go to the loser’s bracket and if you lose again you’re out.”

As for the students attending, prize giveaways, such as a Mario pipeshaped mug, a Yoshi neon light and stuffed animals, were randomly given

people to come out and participate in,” Gardiner said. “Strut yourself, show your skill and come out and have a good time.”

Mccoeur said as fun as

It’s a fun event for people to come out and participate in. Strut yourself, show your skill and come out and have a good time.

Theodore Gardiner Geology junior

away according to a post on the Spartan Esports’ Instagram.

Geology junior Theodore Gardiner was the coordinator for the Super Smash Bros. tournament as they headed into elimination rounds.

“It’s a fun event for

the events are, there is still a level of competition involved, especially for those who are already a part of the Esports organization.

“We are currently predicting that all of our specialty players who make the Esports team will make the pools so

the top 16 will definitely be interesting,” Mccoeur said. Broadcasters, live streamers and referees at the event made sure everyone was situated at the correct station when the tournament began.

Jordan Sunglao, business management senior and team operations lead, said he is in charge of overseeing the Esports team as a whole and they have 12 different teams with over 100 players that compete in different video games.

Sungalo said SJSU has been the top competing public school in Esports so it can be difficult for people to make the team. “We focus more on the competitive side most of the time so it’s nice to have a place where everyone at the school can come and play together,” Sungalo

said. Sungalo said some people perceive video games as an activity to do alone, but he personally sees value in the gaming community.

“I’d say the event is pretty significant because most people that play video games are inside by themselves a lot so it's nice to have a community where you can see the same person playing your favorite video game so you can play together,” Sungalo said. Psychology senior Matthew Go said he stumbled upon the Esports Smash Bros. event when he first transferred to SJSU.

“I was actually searching for an Esports team for Smash Bros and they held the same tournament a year and a half ago,” Go said. “I really enjoyed it so

then after that I joined.”

Sungalo said Super Smash Bros. has been the only video game event that’s been played at this event, but the organization is looking to host more events like this in the future.

Sungalo also said that the only time they haven’t planned this event was during COVID-19.

“We’re hoping this tournament could be the gateway for the school to give us a little more funding,” Sungalo said. “They did give us the funding for this. We have about $2,000 in the prize pool so we’re looking forward to having more events with bigger prizes.”

Follow Jonathan on X (formerly Twitter) @jonathancanas_

JONATHAN CANAS | SPARTAN DAILY Student attendees compete in a Super Smash Bros. tournament on Monday afternoon in the Student Union Ballroom while others hang out.

Students attend Latin jazz festival

By Melissa Alejandres STAFF WRITER

The San José State School of Music and Dance hosted a Latin Jazz Ensemble Concert in the Music Building on Monday night. The stage had over 15 musicians including drummers, singers, pianists, and much more.

Latin jazz consists of music rhythms that are mixed with instruments including Spanish Caribbean jazz, Cuban, and Latin American music according to What is Latin Jazz by Jazz Observer website.

Jeffrey Lewis, conductor and coordinator of the Latin Jazz Ensemble led the hour-long concert followed by the cheerful crowd’s applause.

The lead Latin jazz singer Angela Lopez stood out on the stage in her bright pink outfit. She sang over 5 songs including Cuban songs dedicated to the Latinos in the audience.

The stage lights shined bright on each musician

and the walls reflected it like marbles. The audience was a full house of people dancing and taking photos. The audience was so engaged that they got up to dance.

One couple really got the crowd’s attention while a man spun his partner around to the beat

Correction

On Thursday, March 7, the Spartan Daily published a story with a photo cutline that was wrongly credited.

The story intended to credit SJSU athletics.

of the music. The sound of the music was upbeat and friendly to anyone who may want to dance.

It was almost impossible for me not to dance. Latin jazz just makes you want to get up and dance.

I resonated a lot with the concert's great performance. As a Mexican American, music is one of the biggest traditions we use to bond with friends and family. Since I can remember, I’ve always loved to dance anything from salsa, cumbia, and the traditional dance of Mexico “Banda”.

who wanted to enjoy the music.

Not only were adults and young adults enjoying the music but there was a

encouraging the entire crowd.

“Come on, I see you guys in the crowd wanting to dance.

The stage lights shined bright on each musician and the walls reflected it like marbles. The audience was a full house of people dancing and taking photos.

culture, but anyone from any culture can resonate with the music.

I mean, there was a guy in the doorway hitting some pretty great dance moves. There were also people in their seats dancing or bobbing their heads.

Lopez said a few words of encouragement in Spanish to the Latino folks in the crowd.

Even though his specialty was not singing, Jeffrey Lewis got up and started singing with the lead singer.

The crowd was enjoying the music so much but unfortunately, the concert had to come to an end.

Lopez said to the crowd that the last song was for everyone and they should get up one more time to dance.

She ended the night with the song ‘Amor Mio No Te Vayas’ which translates in English to ‘My Love, Don’t Go’.

It is a song by Gilberto Santa Rosa, a Puerto Rican bandleader and singer known for his romantic salsa music.

For the rest of the night, everyone kept singing the chorus, “Amor mio no te vayas.’ ”

It was rewarding to see people wanting to get up and feel the music. From students, teachers, parents, and anyone else

child with his mom who ran into the crowd as soon as a Cuban song went on. Angela Lopez kept

Come up!” Lopez said. Not only did the concert encourage Hispanic people to embrace their

The Spartan Daily regrets this error. Follow Melissa on Instagram @mel_72a

Are you an early bird or a night owl?

Early rising isn’ t just for the birds.

While the night owls snooze their fourth alarm, the early birds have already checked off their to-do lists for the day.

My daily routine consists of taking a warm unrushed shower, brushing my teeth, making a nice warm cup of coffee or potentially going to my nearest Philz Coffee. After drinking my productivity juice, I complete more house chores like unloading the dishwasher, vacuuming underneath the couch or wiping down the mascara stains from any mirrors.

May I add that Philz at 5 a.m. is legitimately empty, with no line or crowd, it’s just you and the barista. The night owls would never know how truly rewarding that feels, they’d be lucky to have to wait just 30 minutes for their order by the time they roll out of bed to head there in the early afternoon or mid-day.

Oftentimes, when I go to Philz during their busy hours, my off-menu medium Iced Ether Hazelnut House Way Honey Drizzle drink is poorly executed. This is not the case during the early morning hours, the baristas make my drink exactly how my taste buds dream of it.

PSA to all the night owls out there, commuting in the early morning not only allows you to see the beautiful sunrise, but you also rarely have to deal with sitting in traffic, which in my book is a win-win.

When all those tasks are checked off my to-do list, I can move on to self-care, which usually consists of some retail therapy.

As a huge Hello Kitty lover, the stores that

carry Sanrio items are open at 9 a.m.

Sanrio is the official home to all Hello Kitty items.

No. 1, I’m inside the store by opening time. I’m getting first picks on which Hello Kitty plates I want from the Easter collection.

The night owls would never be able to get their hands on these items! They're too busy dreaming about them! No. 2, I’m enjoying my scenic drive to the store jamming out to Fantasia’s song “When I See U” and crossing my fingers I'll find some unpassable Sanrio items at the next location.

Most of the time, the second store never disappoints and I can resume my early morning playlist jams on my drive back home.

By the time the clock hits 11 a.m., I’m home and watering my house plants as I call my mom on FaceTime for our daily chats.

is no way I would be able to get to work on time or feel remotely productive and satisfied with my time usage of a 24-hour day. Following a consistent morning routine can promote better time management and organization.

I believe having a structured start to the day can lead to increased efficiency and from personal experience, reduced stress.

As a college student, I have undergone many moments of high stress, but giving myself time to start my day, check off my to-do list, and spend a little self-care time truly helps me not crash or burn out.

According to an article by Sleep Foundation, those who stay up late tend to perform worse in the morning at both physical and mental tasks.

While partying late at night and becoming besties with the bartenders for free drinks

Giving myself time to start my day, check off my to-do list, and spend a little self-care time truly helps me not crash or burn out.

My mom lives in Boston so working around her schedule and mine, with our 3 hour time difference, would not be possible if I were sleeping in till midday, that is just another reason why being an early bird benefits me.

I know some of you may be thinking, “Do you not have class? Work?”

To answer this question, yes, I have class Monday through Thursday and work from 9 p.m. to 5 p.m. on certain days of the week.

My classes do not start until 1:30 p.m., which gives me plenty of time to mentally prepare for the mental crisis college brings to a 22-year-old.

As for my work schedule, if I were not an early bird, there

on a Tuesday night used to be in my daily plans, I can no longer afford those hangovers or the sleep deprivation that being a night owl brought upon me. Get out of bed and enjoy the most peaceful time of the day. You’ll regret wasting these precious hours when schedules change, kids are born or whatever else life has in store for you.

Night owls are more at peace.

While early birds may think they’re getting more done during the day, night owls are stealthily moving in silence and plotting while you are tucked in bed.

I’m not the only one who struggles to get out of bed when my blaring alarm shouts at me, hitting the snooze button and ugh-ing at the light coming through the slits of my blinds.

Waking up is the worst part of my daily routine.

If I either need to have a coffee pot rigged to start pouring the moment my alarm starts, or I could just get a few more hours of quality beauty sleep, I’d gladly take the latter.

If I ever have trouble falling or staying asleep, sleeping-in is a better bet of getting enough sleep for the night than a bedtime.

As a certified snoozer, I also get entertaining dreams that feel like watching a movie that my brain made just for me.

As we sleep, the REM portion of our sleep cycle becomes longer, and we’re more able to remember those dreams, according to an article in Business Insider’s Science section.

REM is the phase known as rapid eye movement sleep, and follows our deepest sleep cycle, according to the same article.

Most of our most vivid, narrative dreams happen at this stage, especially after 4 to 6 sleep cycles. That’s why it's more likely you’ll remember a dream that happened when you’re close to waking up than one that happened right

after you went to bed.

It begs the question: do early birds even understand the heaven that is sleeping for a night owl?

I take my sleep extremely seriously.

My bed is my safe space. A fluffy, dark blue comforter speckled with constellations lays on top of my 2-inch thick memory foam pad so that every night I am sinking into a cloud.

Not to flex, but with memory foam cooling pillows and a dozen plushies, who would want to face the dreary

like my entire city isn’t in as much of the rush that the pressure of daytime brings.

Another reason is that once I am awake, I much prefer the fresh coolness of the evening. The sun isn’t sucking out my energy, especially in California during summer, where it can get up to 105 degrees in some places.

When I stay up at night to work for school or personal projects, I’m more at peace knowing my friends and family are winding down and won’t need me.

Instead of forcing myself out of bed when I know I’ll be tired, I wake up well-rested at midday and shift the rest of my day into the night.

morning?

Not to mention having to step onto my cold-tothe-touch bathroom tile floors, or face the 6 a.m. chill before the sun melts away the clouds from the night.

According to the National Institutes of Health, adolescent circadian phases become relatively delayed, which drives them to stay awake later in the evening and to sleep later in the morning.

As teenagers, we also develop a resistance to sleep pressure, according to the same article.

In my experience, most teenagers, college students, and young adults are night owls, but it really depends on the schedule you build for yourself.

On weekdays, my classes don’t start until 1:30 p.m., and I don’t get off work until around 12:30 a.m. So, instead of forcing myself out of bed when I know I’ll be tired, I wake up wellrested at midday and shift the rest of my day into the night.

In the late afternoon or early evening, it feels

The night is my unapologetic me-time. It also motivates me to know I’m grinding while other people are dreaming.

On the weekends, what young adult is socializing with their friends or enjoying their youth when the roosters are cawing?

Finally, after your whole day is over, you don’t need to stress about getting to bed at a certain time and ruining the next day if you don’t.

Nighttime is forgiving when you’re a night owl because you always have enough time for a longer night routine: skincare, vitamins or reading your favorite book. Plus you can lay back during your mornings if that’s just not your thing.

Night owls just know the true meaning of ‘carpe diem’. Seize the night.

ILLUSTRATION BY CIA CASTRO CARBAJAL

Maya Benmokhtar OPINION EDITOR

Julia Chie PRODUCTION EDITOR