The Orion Vol. 72, Issue 1 by The Orion

Miller time

Dragon Dance

dog days

Basketball superstar Jazmine Miller lights up the court.

A Chico State dog club wants you do well on your exams.

see b1

see b6

Acrobats took the stage at Laxson Auditorium to perform traditional Chinese theatrics. theorion.com/arts

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26 cases of influenza confirmed Enrique Raymundo

Staff Writer

The Orion ∤ Photographs by Christine Lee

COMING HOME Senior agricultural business major, Johnny Margaretich, senior agricultural business major, Chris Putz, and senior animal science major Joe Garcia, direct water flow from a pipe so that all rows are replenished. The University Farm has had to pump water from aquifers earlier than expected this year, due to the drought. The National Weather Service recorded there was just 0.10 inches of rain this season.

Drought hits the university farm water transfer from certain regions of the state to others in order to alleviate water Asst. News Editor shortage. “As a northern California farmer, I would University Farm students and staff are like to see the water stay here,” Boles said. combating the drought this season by digging up the farm’s groundwater earlier “Because it takes our groundwater being pumped and water is being diverted to go than expected to replenish the land. January typically brings in three inches down south and I’m not a big fan of that.” Boles has been working with six students of rain, however, the statewide average precipitation this year was just 0.10 inches, on irrigating the orchards at the University Farm during winter break. There are according to the National Weather Service. about 200 acres “Even though the of trees, 350 trees are dormant, acres of row you have to keep crops, 250 acres irrigating them to of pasture, and keep the water tanine wells that ble up,” said Jeff pump water Boles, staff member from aquifers at the Chico State onto the land. Agricultural TeachOn the field, ing and Research the students diCenter. “When the Jeff Boles rect water flow trees start using the Staff member at Chico State Agricultural from the pipe water, you won’t be Teaching and Research Center by sticking flat able to put enough plastic boards water in the ground into the earth to catch up so you to divert running water towards the middle have to water them just like it’s raining.” Normally the groundwater, which re- rows of the field. “People don’t care about conserving wastocks each year during the rainy periods, ter because in some places you don’t even is used for irrigation to moisten soil in have to pay for it,” said Chris Putz, senior drier seasons like summer. But because of the lack of rain this winter, the farm has agricultural business major. “People won’t had to pump that groundwater to keep the realize how important water is until the state starts mandating water usage.” land green. Putz recommended that students take On Jan. 17, Gov. Jerry Brown declared a drought emergency in California, urging shorter showers and turn off the faucet when they don’t need to use water. He said people to reduce water usage by 20 percent. he didn’t like the idea of people having The declaration called for federal support for farmers, who remain the largest users of water, and also had provisions for » please see DROUGHT | A4 Christine Lee

People won’t realize how important water is until the state starts mandating water usage.

Flu season has arrived, and Butte County is seeing its first glimpse of the virus this year. In the first two weeks of January, there have been 26 lab-confirmed cases of H1N1 flu infections in Butte County according to the County Public Health Department, and possibly more that have gone unreported. The swine flu, or the H1N1 influenza virus, is either the same or genetically not far off from the 2009 flu virus which killed about 18,500 people worldwide, according to a 2010 report by the World Health Organization. There are a number of theories as to why it is so deadly to younger people, said Dr. Mark Lundberg, a Butte County Public Health officer. “A lot of that has to do with how the virus interacts with a healthier immune system,” Lundberg said. “Even though the body is healthier, it puts up DR. MARK a stronger immune reLUNDBERG sponse and it produces Butte County Public this more severe reacHealth tion because it’s trying to fight the infection.” There have not been any confirmed deaths in Butte County from this flu season, though there are some deaths where tests are still pending. Enloe Medical Center has seen signs of people sick with the flu, said Christina Chavira, communications specialist for Enloe Medical Center. “In the past two weeks, we have seen an increase of people coming to us with flu-like symptoms,” said Chavira. There was one case of the flu in the past few weeks where a young patient in Butte County had to be transferred because there is no pediatric intensive care unit in the county’s hospitals, Lundberg said. The flu vaccine for this season does have the H1N1 vaccine in it, anyone who takes it will be immune to this wave of illness. Anyone diagnosed with the swine flu in 2009 should get vaccinated again, as they will no longer be immune because it has been five years since the last outbreak, Lundberg said. Physicians, pharmacies, hospitals and clinics are all giving out the vaccine. “A flu shot is a great insurance,” Lundberberg said. “If they have class they want to go to, they have vacations they have planned, they have outings they have planned, and the flu will mess up those plans.” Free flu vaccinations will be given from 2 to 6 p.m. Wednesday at Enloe Outpatient Center in building C classroom A. Enrique Raymundo can be reached at

newseditor@theorion.com or @theorion_news on Twitter.

Langdon Engineering Center flood repairs complete, building open Enrique Raymundo

Staff Writter

Langdon Engineering Center is fully operational, after flooding damaged equipment and shut power down for the southern half of the campus. Estimates put the cost of repairs at a minimum of $100,000, said Joe Wills, spokesman for Chico State. Flooding affected a transformer and damaged electrical and mechanical equipment stored in the basement of Langdon Engineering Center on Jan. 6, prompting power shutdowns and forcing approximately 15 faculty and staff to relocate from the building. Yvonne Lydon is an administrative support coordinator for the Office of Civil Engineering, and had to move when the flooding affected Langdon. “The power flickered and it all went off,” Lydon said. “It was probably 10:30 in the morning, and it was probably 11 o’clock when they realized that it wasn’t coming back on.” Staff working in Langdon Engineering Center were asked to continue working in a different location. Lydon went to the office of the Dean of the College of Engineering, Computer Science and

Construction Management, which is located in the O’Connell Technology Center next door. “It was a little cumbersome because we weren’t at our desks where we have all of our materials,” Lydon said. “We could only work on what we had on our computers, so it was a little cumbersome. It took us out of our space, out of our element, but other than that it was fine.” Once critical repairs were complete, all faculty and staff would be able to use Langdon again, Wills said. Faculty and staff were able to move back into Langdon on Thursday, in time for the faculty returning from break. Insulation in the basement, which was dampened by the flooding, was replaced on Jan. 15, and the mechanical systems such as air circulation and water pumps were reactivated that same day, Wills said. The elevators were repaired late Friday. There is no word on a more accurate cost estimate at time of writing. Enrique Raymundo can be reached at

newseditor@theorion.com or @theorion_news on Twitter.

Index

The Orion ∤ Photographs by Thomas Martinez

Inside

Corrections

Sports

Weather

MORE ON

theorion.com/multimedia In a video, student veterans at Chico State share their experiences transitioning from military to college life.

New gender-inclusive restrooms welcomes everyone in the student union,” Acosta said. “If this is where we want students to congregate, News Editor we have to make it accessible for every single student that we have. We have a diverse Construction on the Bell Memorial Union’s first of three gender-inclusive rest- student body, and we weren’t servicing gender variant students.” room wrapped up Monday afternovon. Construction began over the winter The restrooms were funded by the Asbreak, or over the past four weeks, Acosta sociated Students at Chico State and cost said. around $140,000 to build, said Currently, there are a total of Kory Acosta, vice president of 19 gender inclusive bathrooms facilities and services. on campus in buildings like The intention is to accommoKendall Hall and the Student date gender-variant students Health Center, according to the who may not feel comfortable Chico State Office of Diversity using traditional gender-segreand Inclusion website. gated restrooms, Acosta said. Acosta said he considers the Acosta identifies himself as restroom’s completion to be a transgender, he said. The idea to KORY community victory. include the restroom in the BMU ACOSTA “Even though this was a part came from his personal experiAS Vice President of my campaign and I take ence interning for the Gender of Facilities and ownership of this actually Sexuality and Equity Center. Services happening, I feel like its been “I felt invalidated walking into a struggle within the feminist the women’s restroom and felt and the queer community,” unsafe walking into the men’s,” Acosta said. “There’s a lot of people who Acosta said. “That’s a reality for a lot of are excited about this. I’m really excited students.” about this.” Demand for the BMU restrooms had been ongoing for at least five years, with administrators and student union activists in Mozes Zarate can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or support of its construction, Acosta said. “We decided that there was a need for it @mzarate139 on Twitter. Mozes Zarate

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BREAKING NEWS ALL WEEK

@theorion_news

A4 |

Police

Blotter

Thursday, 2:29 p.m.: Injury at Aymer J. Hamilton Building walkway. “Faculty fell while walking outside due to cement cracks today at 8:10 a.m. Department chair advised injured to complete accident/injury reporting with University Police Department and environmental health and safety. Injured declined medical attention.” Friday, 11:49 a.m.: Suspicious subject on the east side of Mechoopda Hall. “Suspicious white male adult, bald, no shirt, rambling, kneeling down on grass, scared the student staff, has backpack and bike, multiple tattoos. Located subject, going to make contact. Subject stated he crashed his bike on Warner Street, was just stopping to gather his thoughts, moved along.” Friday, 1:52 p.m.: Bike theft outside of Holt Hall. “Taken approximately sometime Friday before 7 p.m. New bike not registered, no serial number. 2013 blue Trek BB21.” Saturday, 7:19 a.m.: Vehicle tampering and vandalism at the bus parking warehouse. “Bus has a hole in the window, caused by an unknown object. Reporting party advising that (bus was in good condition) at 4:30 p.m. yesterday. Ball bearings and marbles located in the area. Appears to have been damaged with a slingshot from outside the facility.” Sunday, 4:26 p.m.: Suspicious subject at unknown location. “Pretending to talk on (cell phone) and following reporting party closely then attempted to get in her car with her. White male adult, college age, very short blonde hair, no hat, sky blue pullover hoodie.”

Chico Police

The police blotter is a selection of information cited directly from Chico Police Department and University Police Department.

University Police

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NEWS

WedneSday, Jan. 22, 2014

Saturday, 10:59 a.m.: Subject drunk in public on the 200 block of Salem Street. “Drunk female on the corner by (Kirk’s Jewelry) asking passersbys for money and showing her breasts. Yelling and screaming at people. Female is now heading toward church on Salem Street. Female is cleaning her mess and will be on her way.” Saturday, 1:25 p.m.: Residential burglary at the Timber Creek Apartments on the 1200 block of West Fifth Street. “Subject entered the apartment while reporting party was sleeping last night. Door had been left unlocked. Wallet and laptop, pink Hewlett-Packard with stickers, Macbook Air, silver debit card, driver’s license and school I.D. card taken. IPad and Macbook belonging to roommate also taken.” Sunday, 2:40 a.m.: Fight at the Carl’s Jr. on the 2500 block of the Esplanade. “Four subjects fighting in the parking lot. Subjects in the truck were fighting with subjects in the sedan that was in the drive-through. One white male adult with the sedan had a red hat and jeans. Employee now calling, subjects in sedan became (disturbed) with her and tried to get her to give him free French fries.” Sunday, 1:10 p.m.: Disturbance on the 300 block of West Sixth Avenue. “Reporting party’s hermit roommate has been acting (disturbed) all day and yelling at the top of his lungs. Has also been beating his dog all day. Unknown if the subject is mentally disturbed or drunk. Neighbor has been asking reporting party and other roommates why the friendly pit bull is whining and the roommate is yelling. Subject is currently in his room yelling off and on. Reporting party thinks he is a danger to himself and the dog.” Sunday, 8:35 p.m.: Transient problem on the 1200 block of North Cedar Street. “Transient was in his garage when he came home. Garage was closed and locked. Reporting party reports that her boyfriend is following the subject and that they are at the corner of North Cedar Street and West Sacramento Avenue. He has a basket and bike in front of the house. Reporting party does not think he took anything.” -compiled by Nicholas Carr

Equipment stolen from Nettleton Stadium Ernesto Rivera

Managing Editor

A burglary occurred Jan. 13 at Nettleton Stadium. The suspect entered the stadium through an unlocked door and took baseball equipment, said Joe Wills, a spokesman for Chico State. Inventory and cost of damage are currently unknown although some gear was recovered. “Some gear was spotted and recovered along the bike path near Nettleton,” Wills said. “It either wasn’t something the suspect wanted to take or discarded for reasons we don’t know.” There is currently no information on a suspect, but there is a continuing investigation, Wills said. While the stadium does have cameras, as of Wednesday there are no videos or photos of the incident. The stolen equipment may be marked with Chico State or the Wildcats’ logo specific to the baseball team, Wills said. “We’d like anyone who might have any information, somebody who may have seen something or know something about the theft, to contact University Police at 898-5555,” Wills said. Ernesto Rivera can be contacted at managingeditor@theorion.com or

@ErnestoRivera on Twitter.

DROUGHT: Gov. Brown urges Californians to reduce water usage by 20 percent » continued from A1

people having lawns and bodies of water on golf courses. Shortage of water also means higher prices for meat, said senior agriculture major Johnny Margaretich. When there’s a water shortage, farmers will try to sell as much cattle as they can but keep a small herd — that small herd will later cost buyers even more money. Due to the drought, the university is having to spend more on the land and livestock, Boles said. Electricity is required to pump water from the wells and because there is no moisture in the grass for livestock to graze, hay is supplemented as feed. The farm is switching to less water intensive crops like sunflowers and vine seeds, and planting half as much corn, Boles said. Sunflowers and vine seeds are irrigated every three to four weeks, whereas corn requires it every seven to 10 days. The drought may last through the next three months, according to predictions by the National Weather Service. It’s believed that a high-pressure ridge in the atmosphere is sitting off the west coast diverting storms that would normally bring rain to northern California. Christine Lee can be reached at klee@theorion.com or

@leechris017 on Twitter.

news all week @ theorion.com

NEWS

WedneSday, Jan. 22, 2014

| A5

The Orion ∤ Photographs by Ernesto Rivera

taylor tear down The mural by John Pugh on the corner of First and Salem streets comes down as part of the final phases to tear down Taylor Hall to make way for a new arts and humanities building. Holes can be seen during the demolition of the popular mural “Academe” where a machine was brought in to preserve pieces of the mural. More than 100 people have requested pieces.

Taylor Hall’s last standing wall comes down Taylor II construction underway, slated to be completed by fall 2016 Jesse Severin

Staff Writer

The Taylor Hall tear down is going according to schedule and is already more sustainable and less disruptive than previous projects. In the past, all the rubble from a demolition site was disposed of, but the metal, concrete and other materials from the project are sorted and reused, said Joe Wills, spokesman for Chico State. The concrete, for instance, is used for roadbeds. “The demolition has gone really well,” Wills said. “The nice weather also helps.” The popular “Academe” mural was somewhat preserved by bringing in a machine to cut the wall into small chunks. Approximately 100 people have contacted Chico State asking for a piece as memento. John Pugh, the original artist and Chico State alumnus, has offered to repaint it on the new building. The new arts and humanities building is approximately a two-year project which should be completed in the fall 2016. Further demolition and construction will continue during the school year but it will not be as loud as other projects because they will be laying a foundation, not pile driving. “There will be noise and dust for sure, but we’ll get something really beautiful out of it,” Wills said. Jesse Severin can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or

@theorion_news on Twitter

English faculty voice excitement for new building, facilities Madison Holmes

Staff Writer

With the construction of Taylor Hall under way, arts and humanities professors are looking forward to new amenities and having a single location for their departments again. Currently, the English department is spread out in a variety of locations across campus. Last semester, lecturer Heather Altfeld-Fisher’s English 130 class was held in O’Connell Technology Center, which is across campus from her office in Trinity Hall. “I think the biggest benefit will be that the English department faculty will all be in the same location,” said Sandra Flake, an English professor. “It means faculty and students will have a common location and spaces they can meet in and interact in — beyond the classrooms.” New construction required English professors and staff to be uprooted Robert from their old offices and classrooms Davidson and given temporary spaces. Many English professor professors were given offices in Trinity Hall, which houses the history department, sometimes working in crowded or shared offices. “I’m most excited about the new performance spaces and classrooms for students,” said Sharon DeMeyer, the English department secretary. “And the offices for faculty who have previously been doubled and tripled up in small, windowless spaces.” Another benefit of the new building is the use of smarter technology, including classrooms with easily movable walls, chairs and projectors. “Taylor II will be wired for today’s student, who uses laptops and tablets more frequently.” said Robert Davidson, an English professor. “We need more up-to-date, modern classrooms, with the latest smart technology. It will be a good looking building that people will want to spend time in, filled with the latest technology.” Madison Holmes can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or

@theorion_news on Twitter

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WEDNESDAY, JAN. 22, 2014

Chico State’s Independent Student News Source since 1975

editorial

Landlords should not babysit boozers Underage drinking has always been a hotly discussed issue for colleges and their surrounding communities, and Chico is no exception. If anything could be said of Chico’s reputation on this topic, whether earned or not, it would likely not be positive. With that in mind, another solution has been put forward by the Chico City Council. They have put forward a social host ordinance to help regulate underage drinking in private residences within the city limits. Currently the draft is under further consideration and will not be voted upon until the spring. Mayor Scott Gruendl promised the issue will not be voted on while students were out of town over winter break. If passed, tenants and property owners alike would be held responsible for any underage drinking on their premises. Both renters and landlords could be fined for underage drinking or for giving alcohol to minors, the latter on second offense. The fines are between $250 and $1,000 for repeat offenses, with money tentatively going towards police and fire departments. On subsequent offenses, offenders might also be responsible for the cost of emergency services on such occasions. With fines imposed on both parties, this ordinance raises some questions. Would these fines be imposed on tenants who unknowingly allow underage drinking on their property? Or would these people be penalized for something that seems all too common? Whether this ordinance is a good idea or not, it should be transparent where this money will go toward. It is apparent that Chico’s police and fire departments need the funding, but people need to know where and how it would be spent. More importantly though, is this really a solution that will work? There certainly should be some action to curb underage drinking — but what effect would this social host ordinance have? If passed, it seems likely that students would see more leases with stipulations about underage drinking. However, rare is the lease agreement that truly stopped a tenant from doing whatever they wanted, let alone a teenager. All the former strays that now make their homes at non-pet friendly properties come to mind. While some property owners already perform drive-bys to enforce rules, they shouldn’t have to play babysitters in the sea of underage drinking occurring in Chico. It is unrealistic to expect landlords, who sometimes don’t live within the Chico area, to be patrolling their properties on weekends. Placing the burden on landlords does not negate the responsibility of the tenant who has a contractual obligation to behave. There should be adult consequences for adult decisions even if those choices are not the most well-thought-out ones. If you are old enough to rent a property, you should take responsibility for your actions and the possibly dozens of others you let into your home. This is where the social host ordinance seems effective. Tenants would be held responsible for underage partying at their residences one way or another. Responsibility may mean new fines imposed by the ordinance or through new lease agreements imposed by landlords hoping to recoup the expected costs of underage tenants partying. Underage drinking has always been an issue in Chico, and it will only continue as long as responsibility is shifted to other parties besides those at fault.

Underage drinking has always been an issue in Chico, and it will only continue as long as responsibility is shifted to other parties besides those at fault.

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Voice mails buzz with charm Kevin Crittenden

Opinion Columnist

Voice mails are dying. With the revolution of text messaging, many opt out of the personalized experience of leaving a recorded message. A mass transition from calling to text messaging means the voice message is losing its territory to the newer species of information exchange. Remember voice mails? They are like audio postcards. They give you a chance to rant. This is something invaluable to the neurotics among us who do not need a living ear on the other end of the line to vent. Voice messages are a chance to tell a story or a lie, make a joke or prank somebody. They are all different. They all come with a specific story, a particular set of circumstances that produced them. Text messages are not as memorable as voice mails because they are just that — text. A voice recording is more alive. By eliminating the back and forth exchange of a normal flow of conversation, the person leaving a voice mail has full liberty to be as weird as hell. The message beep, to the avid “voicemailist,” is like a track gun

to a sprinter. The director between your ears says, “Action!” and the blank space is yours to fill. I’m not talking about the professional messages you leave to potential employers or Craigslist sellers. Those are not as fun because there are too many rules to follow: names, numbers and planning get in the way. I’m talking about personal messages that span the spectrum of experience that comes with being alive in the world. There are the drunken chaos voice mail, the accidental buttdial, the “I love you” cutesy couples message, the “Hey, how are you doing?” from parents. The list does not end. A few friends of mine have had the misfortune of the unintentional leaked voicemail, the kind containing sounds not intended to leave the bedroom. Nonetheless, if you have ever saved a voice mail you understand the appeal of goodness encapsulated in audio. If you have read this far you may as well commit to a little participation. If you want voice mails to continue to be a thing, make it easy for people to leave them. Set up your voice mailbox so there’s no “robotvoice” doing your dirty work. Callers

do not want to wait for the automated voice to recite your digits in case they forgot what number they called. Plus, your voice can remind people who you are — if they can’t get a hold of you at least they get to hear your voice, if only for a few seconds. To illustrate the difference between voice messages and their textual counterparts let’s consider the following: imagine someone who just realized that they are in a hopeless situation where they will probably die. Now imagine that person is your family. Would you want your last message from a loved one to be compressed into a hollow text? All of a sudden things turned serious. Life is short. We should embrace the fullest potential, the most honest, meaningful forms of connection in our lives. Voice mails are not just more fun than texting, they are more real.

The director between your ears says, “Action!” and the blank space is yours to fill.

Kevin Crittenden can be reached at opinioneditor@theorion.com or

@theorion_news on Twitter.

Perfect programs per personality Introversion, Sensing, Thinking, Judging Zachary Phillips

Opinion Columnist

The only thing that feels worse than deciding to change your major after getting halfway through an unwanted degree is deciding not to change your major because you’ve been around campus for so long that some people are starting to mistake you for a faculty member. In hopes of simplifying the daunting task of selecting a major, I have developed a selection method that is sure to leave you satisfied from the start. By choosing a major that is compatible with your personality type, determined by a free-touse knockoff of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Test, you will quickly nestle into an academic niche that promises success and fulfillment. Your personality type is a four-letter code representing four fundamental characteristics: First is your world-view: Extroversion (E) means you focus on the outside world, while Introversion (I) means you focus on what’s within. Next is your information intake. Sensing (S) means you focus on the basics, while Intuition (N) means you see the hidden meanings underneath. Third is your decision making. If you are Feeling (F) then you make decisions based on emotions and circumstances, whereas Thinking (T) leans towards logic and reasoning. Last is your preferred structure. If you are Judging (J) then you prefer matters to be orderly and defined, whereas someone who is Perceiving (P) prefers to leave things open and ready for change. With that knowledge in hand, it’s time to find your dream major. Below are two of mankind’s most common personality types, paired with their most suitable majors.

As a member of the ISTJ type, you are quiet, orderly and responsible. You like to work independently and efficiently, and your job is never done unless it’s done right. You are practical and you feel fulfilled by solving problems through ingenuity. Engineering is the major for you. Your meticulous attention for detail will come in handy, both in the books and in the shop. You will relish the challenge of finding ingenious fixes to difficult roadblocks and your steady drive towards achieving a goal means you won’t really be fazed by spending two hours trying to solve a single math problem. You might even enjoy it in a sick, “I deserve this” sort of way.

When it comes to important life decisions, passions and interests always come first.

| EDITORIAL BOARD | Spring 2014 Editor-in-Chief Katrina Cameron Managing Editor Ernesto Rivera Art Director Liz Coffee

News Editor Mozes Zarate Opinion Editor Zachary Coyl Sports Editor Sharon Martin

thing really is a phallic symbol. Everything. Let me emphasize that this article is not meant to sway anyone into abandoning a major that they are perfectly happy with. When it comes to important life decisions, passions and interests always come first. Zachary Phillips can be reached at opinioneditor@theorion.com or

@ZachSPhillips on Twitter.

MORE ON THEORION.com/opinion Visit our website to learn about other personality types and their matching majors.

Introversion, Intuition, Thinking, Perceiving

As the proud owner of an INTP personality type, you are a theoretical thinker and love to dwell in the realm of the abstract. You love processing different ideas and opinions, but tend to fail when it comes to social interactions. Naturally, you are the perfect fit for the life of an English major. Before you write off the English major as a bore, just hear me out. As an English major myself, I have had the immense joy of spending the last five semesters sitting in the library’s darkest corners, preparing for a storm of free-response question tests. Sure, having books as your only friends can get lonely at times, but people will just disappoint you anyway. After several semesters as an English major, you may think you are starting to lose your mind, but you’re not. Every-

The Orion ∤ ILLUSTRATION by Frances Mansour

• The unsigned Orion editorial is the collaborative opinion of the editorial board.

Features Editor Risa Johnson Photo Editor Kasey Judge Video Editor Emily Bertolino

Chief Copy Editor John Riggin Public Relations Director Jessica Barber

OPINION

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WedneSday, jan. 22, 2014

Books: getting the A or saving the cash Kristina Martinez

Opinion Columnist

Trying to decide what is necessary to buy for school and what is not can be a tricky situation for college students. A textbook is always seen in the eye of the professor as "required." But is it really always necessary to buy the textbook for a passing grade? According to the National Association of College Stores, the average college student will spend about $655 on textbooks each school year. College students are often looking for ways to save money, and not buying some of your "required readings" could be one of them. The U.S. Public Interest Research Group found that a majority of students admitted to not buying at least one of their textbooks due to the prices being too high. The price of college textbooks has increased dramatically over a little more than three decades — 812 percent to be exact, according to American Enterprise Institute. As tuition and textbook prices increase it is becoming more difficult for students to be able to afford all of the materials that are "required." If you don’t want to risk not buying the

book there are plenty of ways to save money when buying, because there is nothing more annoying than spending money that does not need to be spent. There are all kinds of sites now that can help you find your textbook at a decent price, like Chegg or Amazon. The A.S. Bookstore also has fair textbook prices on used and rental textbooks. Sometimes a professor will have a book on reserve in the library for students to take out for a certain period of time throughout the semester. You could avoid buying the textbook by using the book available on reserve. You can also share the book with a fellow classmate. Both of you can pay half of the book price, which can serve as another reason to make friends in your classes, especially if the teacher only uses the book once in awhile. Usually, the professor will explain on the first day of class how often you will or will not use the textbook. By the second week of

THUMBS Thumbs up to the first week of the semester. Face it, you weren’t really being all that productive with youwwr break.

the semester, you should have a clear idea of how much you need the book. I know students who have passed courses with good grades and never bought the textbook(s) that were required. Although, there are some professors who use the "required reading" a lot and it can become necessary for you to buy the textbook in order to keep up with the course materials. Ultimately buying the "required reading" is up to you. Some students can do the homework and tests just fine without the book while others depend on the textbook for a passing grade. There are several ways to help make your textbook shopping experience an easier and cheaper one, and cheap is a word college students want to hear regarding almost anything.

Thumbs down to overpriced textbooks. I’m sure that’s not what grandma meant when she wrote “buy yourself something nice” on that holiday card.

As tuition and textbook prices increase it is becoming more difficult for students to be able to afford all of the materials that are “required.”

Thumbs up to The Orion’s new online columns on studying abroad and career advice. Two things every college student is curious about: not being here. See theorion.com/features

Thumbs down to Langdon Hall’s basement flooding during break. Who would have thought the engineering building would have engineering problems? See A1

Kristina Martinez can be reached at

opinioneditor@theorion.com or @kristinacsuc on Twitter.

Making friends that are too friendly

| A7

TALKING POINTS

Prin Mayowa

Opinion Columnist Making friends is always tough. It usually takes a lot of going out on a limb to meet new people. In college, some people swear by the idea of "The more, the merrier!" That, and the less money you’ll have to pitch in when the weekends come around. Getting a great group of friends together in college is almost as hard as assembling the Autobots. Until a person can separate their own Autobots from a sea of Decepticons, going to Sutter Dining Hall alone can make one feel like they are on the Chico State "Black List". You begin to do whatever it takes, even if that means attending school events to meet people. It always starts like this: You meet the person, and find them to be interesting, if not witty, and a little strange. You are open to being friends. Why wouldn’t you be? At first, you don’t mind the endless need for this person to make conversation with you. In fact, you are actually glad that you have a new texting buddy. Anything to make your classes go by faster. Oddly enough, things start to change. As you begin to make more friends, this person clings to you. Sending you text messages a minute before you wake up, talking to you about how they plan to get one of your inside jokes tattooed on their bicep, staying up until 3 a.m. doing who knows what, waiting to pick you up from a party so they can ask you about your night. This person even shows up at your house — and you don't remember giving

Photograph by Chelsea Jeffers

Welcome back arts section. We’ve missed you! The Orion’s arts section is back. If you did not see it this week’s issue you have no cause to worry. Your vision isn’t failing, the arts section is back online at theorion.com/arts. The Orion ∤ ILLUSTRATION by Darian Maroney

them your address. OK, awkward. Needless to say, not all of us grew up with the understanding of what personal space means to different people. It’s something one can’t teach, but something one must learn and incorporate into their life. Everyone has their limits when it comes to space. But with so many realms of “space,” that statement is insurmountably fluid. People can cross boundaries verbally just by asking about someone’s sex life or home life. Which makes sense. Some people still have a need for privacy, especially when meeting new people. As humans we are curious and can stumble over, if not blur, the lines of personal boundaries as we get to know one another. That’s the great thing about becoming close to people. Speaking of becoming closer to people, the best way to do this is by keeping their comfort level in mind.

Speaking of becoming closer to people, the best way to do this is by keeping their comfort level in mind.

If you’re a hugger, personal space may not be a problem for you. I have had my own personal share of moments where I have hung out with some acquaintances, and as the day came to an end, thought “this moment is not complete without a hug!” And all too often, as I went in for the hug, I was met with “I don’t do hugs.” This leads me to think a multitude of things. Do I smell bad? Was it that inappropriate joke I made? How did I offend? Then I learned to realize that there are people in this world who wholeheartedly would rather get punched in the stomach than receive a bear hug. I’ve grown to not only acknowledge this, but unwittingly accept it. Space is defined as a space in which one has the freedom and scope to live, think, and develop in a way that suits them. Sometimes you find your space wanting to occupy someone else’s, or even wanting to fuse with some else's. But it takes two to tango. And one to call the police. Prin Mayowa can be reached at opinioneditor@theorion.com or

@PrinSupreme on Twitter.

Turning the school blues into a funky beat Juliana Eveland

Opinion Columnist

It's January. Returning from the absent minded freedom of being home for the holidays may bring on a case of the back to school blues. A sense of nostalgia has already come on and the thought of all the hard work that lies ahead is starting to make your head spin. Although this year we have good weather on our side, a heavy class load, the stresses of getting A's and pressure of graduating on time can get you down in the early months of the year. Instead of dwelling on this, learn to love every season of your life. I'm finding more and more satisfaction in being mindful of my surroundings and how doing that shapes my mindset to focus on the positives. What helps me stay balanced throughout the semester are simply the little pleasures in life. Stopping to admire the character of a tree. Taking advantage of this beautiful January weather. Grabbing coffee downtown with a friend, or simply to people watch. It's 2014 — you have everything ahead of

yourself, but do not think of that as daunting. Think of it as a new beginning, a fresh start where you can hit the ground running. I'm working to surround myself with people who think of the start of school and consider it a time of excitement. New professors and new classmates offer a time to reinvent yourself. I love that every class starts to develop its own personality through the way students and professors interact. I form a different bond in each of my classes, making the first few weeks a stimulating experience. Maintaining this optimistic perspective keeps the intimidating pressure of school at bay. Then, for seniors, there is a whole other cause for January blues: graduation. Once you fall in love with Chico there's always the lingering feeling of ambivalence toward graduation. As freshmen, we have the whole j o u r n e y through college ahead of us. But as the seasons change and semesters go by, slowly bringing you closer to graduation, the thought of leaving becomes real, real fast. The deal with my parents who work so hard to send me to Chico State is that I graduate in four years or less. But is four years enough?

Chico is a unique chapter in all our lives. Have it be a story that you want to tell.

The Orion encourages letters to the editor and commentary from students, faculty, staff, administration and community members.

• Letters and commentaries may be delivered to The Orion, Plumas Hall Room 001. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday. Letters are also accepted by e-mail and go directly to the opinion editor at opinioneditor@theorion.com

Photograph by Ernesto Rivera

Goodbye Taylor Hall. We shall see you in two years. Demolition of Taylor Hall was completed over the winter break. Construction of Taylor II, the new Arts and Humanities Building, is expected to be completed by fall 2016. Hopefully budget problems won’t delay construction any further.

Making a Chico bucket list can ensure you make the most out of them. Chico related activities like: hiking in the Ishi Wilderness, swimming in every spot at Upper Bidwell Park, visiting the Chico Community Observatory, drinking tea at every quirky coffee house, taking a tour of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., seeing more performances at Laxson Auditorium, doing yoga at our state of the art Wildcat Recreation Center, and one thing I'm truly set on -— finding and identifying every different kind of tree in Chico. Planning simple outings such as these gives me something to look forward to on the days I need to alleviate the stresses from the first few weeks of school. Chico is a unique chapter in all our lives. Have it be a story that you want to tell. You may be homesick, unhappy with living arrangements or feeling alone, but the only person who can change that is you. What doesn't work the first time can always be fixed the second time around. Being at university means learning to learn. If you didn't do well before, the new year brings an opportunity to turn it around. Returning to school after a long break may make you feel gloomy at first, but the new year truly does mark a time for new beginnings. Use that to your advantage and turn those January blues into some funky beat you just liked on Pandora. Bring it on, 2014!

STUDY BREAK

Photobra via wikimedia

“Ride Along” Movie Review Kevin Hart stars as Ben Barber, a fast-talking security guard in the brand new comedy, “Ride Along.” Barber joins cop and soon-to-be-brotherin-law James Payton, played by Ice Cube, on a 24-hour patrol of Atlanta in order to prove himself worthy of marrying Angela, James’ sister. Taking a break from his usual stand-up act, Hart delivers his usual motormouthed silliness guaranteeing audiences will have a laugh or more throughout the movie. The strong opening for the film marks the biggest debut for a film released during Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend. -compiled by Nicole Santos

Julianna Eveland can be reached at

opinioneditor@theorion.com or @theorion_news on Twitter.

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