Tusk Magazine 2022 by Tusk Magazine

TUSK Cal State Fullerton Magazine

Spirituality | Sexuality & Gender | Black Voices | Fashion

Mission Tusk is the annual lifestyle magazine of California State University, Fullerton, one of the nation’s largest and most diverse institutions of higher education. Tusk champions inclusion by amplifying silenced voices, strengthening solidarity, and telling stories that matter to our different communities through deliberate and inclusive diction. Our dedicated team of editors, writers and designers took an uplifting and bright approach to this year’s edition with the intent to celebrate empowerment and joy. Continuing to break the rules, we hope to inspire our communities’ voices and fight for freedom colletively. Fists up! Tusks up!

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Contents

Spring 2022 | Volume 23 Tusk is produced annually by the California State University, Fullerton Department of Communications. The opinions expressed within are the responsibility of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the university, faculty, or student body. This issue was printed with Direct Connection Printing and Mailing in La Verne. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission. Published in Spring 2022.

Front End 6 8

Food 10 12 14

Three Aloe Vera Remedies for Skin and Hair This Story is SPAM

Live Your Fantasies: Requiem Coffee Four Boba Drinks in Fullerton Drunken Cake Pops

Spirituality 16 20 22 24

Mindfulness Step into the Dark Side: Shadow Work Energy Cleansing: Based on our Cultures Cancer Strengthened My Faith

Sex & Gender 28 32 34 36 38

Asexuality in a Sex Obsessed Society What the Douche? Grindr Exploring Bisexuality While in a Relationship Before Your Gynecology Exam

Black Voices 41 44 46 48

Black Voices Introduction Black Voices: Angela Davis on Campus Poem: A Letter, A Plea, A Place To Breathe Black Voices: Ross Blanton

Student Life 52 62 64 68

Dress to Express Intersectionality Climb Over the Language Barrier Cut Excess Energy Consumption

Back End 70 71 72 74 2

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Five Spots To Decompress on Campus Music For Thought Fragrance Recs. Based on Your College We Asked CSUF Students One Question

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Staff Editorial Managing Editor

Annisa Charles

Copy Chief

Stepheny Gehrig

Copy Editors Crystal Bender Ryann Kirk Writers Teresa Abby Samantha Aguilar Ross Blanton Camille Capili Annisa Charles Nylene Garcia Stepheny Gehrig Chloe Hong Katie Kennedy Ryann Kirk Jordan Lunasco Alejandro Mora Lauren Nadal Alyssa Ortiz Nicole Trinidad Isaac

Outreach & Social Outreach Manager

Garrett Pyatt

Social Media Hailee Abate Jesse Zolinski Event Planning Samantha Aguilar Caleena Sugiharto

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Art Creative Director Jordan Lunasco Art Director Candace Castillo Photo Director

Elyssa Ruiz

Designers Allison Nishi Nicole Eltagonde Liam Aquininog Emma Rowell Photographers Gianna Horvath Alan Robles Vanessa Castaneda

Web and Video Multimedia Director Nicole Trinidad Multimedia Kiana Raymondo Chole Hong Vanessa Castaneda Advisor

Dr. Chelsea Reynolds

Letter From The Staff Tusk Magazine has produced its 23rd edition with the intent to make hard conversations easier and to provide a creative outlet for those of us who have struggled with the weight of the world for the past two years. Our team created this edition with the hopes that you, the reader, will not only find joy but also be reminded you aren’t alone in whatever you’re facing right now. The Tusk Staff is a diverse group, just like our CSUF campus, and we wanted our diversity to shine through this 2022 edition. From Black voices being amplified to creating LGBTQ+ safe spaces in our content, we want this magazine to be inclusive, uplifting and to continue disturbing the status quo. COVID-19 is still in our lives, which has created some challenges for our staff, but nothing we couldn’t overcome. Tusk fosters a strong sense of community, so when a staffer is struggling, we all pitch in to help. Through these trying times, we have all had to be each other’s cheerleaders. Grief and emotional exhaustion have not stopped this staff from putting their full heart into this edition, and we hope you appreciate our hard work. With Love, Annisa Charles, Managing Editor Jordan Lunasco, Creative Director

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Aloe Vera Remedies for Skin & Hair As college students, we don’t have hundreds to spend at the spa. Here are three ways you can use this backyard plant for your beauty routines. STORY: Alex Mora & Stepheny Gehrig PHOTO: Elyssa Ruiz DESIGN: Emma Rowell

How To Cut An Aloe Vera Plant

To cut a leaf of the aloe, use a knife or scissors, cut a leaf from the plant and peel away one side of the leaf’s green outer layer. If done correctly, the gel will be exposed.

A Natural Face Mask

Aloe vera also works wonders on hair! Aloe vera contains vitamins A, C and E, which help promote healthy and shiny hair!

Apply and rub the aloe vera gel all over your hair and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Honestly, the first thing we notice in people is their faces. Especially in school, students communicate with each other on a day-to-day basis, meaning that your face is constantly on display. To combat this, you can use aloe vera as skincare. Aloe vera leaves skin feeling soft and clean, especially when used as a facial mask.

After, wash it off and feel your hair come back to life.

Mix one tablespoon of the gel of the aloe vera leaf with two tablespoons of honey and apply to your skin for five to 10 minutes or use it as an overnight mask. To remove it, just use water and pat your skin dry.

First and second-degree burns are superficial burns that affect the skin surface. Aloe vera can heal and speed up the recovery from burns.

With aloe, you can say goodbye to chemical-filled facial masks from the store that leave your skin rough and dry. Your skin will feel soft and clean after this organic mask.

Hair

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Heals Wounds and Burns

As well as benefiting your skin, According to the Iranian Journal of Medical Sciences, aloe vera can treat first and second-degree burns as well as chronic wounds.

For chronic wounds, like pressure and diabetic ulcers, aloe vera can help reduce the pain and bleeding. Simply apply the gel directly onto the burn or wound and leave it on SK throughout the day. TU

“Say goodbye to chemical-filled facial masks from the store.”

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This Article is SPAM Bring your SPAM to glam! Story: Jordan Lunasco Photo: Gianna Horvath Design: Nicole Eltagonde

I never understood the American palette. Growing up Guamanian, Filipino and Mexican, I’d find myself questioned or bullied for bringing SPAM for lunch. I never thought twice about eating SPAM since we would eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It shocked me to hear kids say, “Ew! What is that?” SPAM grew popular during the Great Depression because it was cheap, had a long shelf life and didn’t need to be refrigerated. SPAM was sent overseas to feed the troops and slowly seeped into local cultures. Whether you love it or have never had it, here are some recipes from different cultures to switch up your mealtime routine.

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SPAM Kelaguen: Guam • 1 can SPAM • 2 large lemons • ½ cup grated coconut • 1 Thai chili chopped • ½ cup green onions chopped • ½ cup of cilantro chopped Slice SPAM into six pieces. Grill the slices until golden brown. Chop into small diced pieces. Add SPAM into a bowl. Add lemon juice, peppers, cilantro, green onions, and grated coconut. Mix well and enjoy! Pro Tip: Eat with tortilla chips. It’s like a ceviche...but cheaper. Serves: 4-5 people

SPAM Musubi: Hawaii • 1 can SPAM • ¼ cup oyster sauce • ¼ cup soy sauce • ½ cup sugar • Nori • 6 cups cooked sushi rice • Musubi mold Slice SPAM into 8-10 slices. In a bowl, mix together both sauces and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add spam and marinade to a ziplock and marinate for 15 minutes. Fry SPAM until crispy. Place a strip of nori on a cutting board. Add rice to a musubi mold, and place the rice on the nori. Pack the rice using the mold, and add cooked SPAM on top. Wrap the nori around like you are wrapping a cute package. Eat it while it’s hot! Pro Tip: Save the marinade and use her as a dipping sauce. Serves: 8-10 people

Macaroni and SPAM Soup with Fried Egg: Hong Kong • Elbow pasta • 1 can SPAM • 2 eggs • 2 teaspoons wonton soup base mix • 1 tablespoon canola oil • ¼ teaspoon sesame oil • Green onion Cook the pasta as per directions. Strain and set aside. Cut SPAM into cubes and fry until crispy. In a pot, bring about 3 ½ cups water to a boil and add the wonton mix. In a pan, add canola oil and fry the eggs sunny side up. Taste the soup for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Divide the cooked pasta into bowls, and pour soup base over pasta. Top with SPAM and eggs. Garnish with sesame oil and green onions. Pro Tip: Add veggies to make it fancy. Serves: 2-3 people

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Live Your Fantasies: Escape into Requiem Coffee Requiem Coffee is located at 280 S. Clementine St., Anaheim, CA 92805. STORY: Jordan Lunacso PHOTO: Courtesy of Requiem Coffee DESIGN: Allison Nishi

When you walk through the doors at Requiem Coffee, you are stepping into your imagination. Requiem is a coffee shop that celebrates fantasy and different subcultures in our community. The environment is similar to a convention, where you would cosplay and celebrate different games and franchises. Requiem separates their 2,500 square feet of space into four different sections. There is a fairy forest, a castle fortress, a steampunk coffee bar and a sci-fi gaming area. Each section grants you a euphoric sense of escapism and acceptance. Whether you are studying, working, meeting with friends or just looking for a place to escape reality, Requiem is the place for you. The interior and assets inside were designed and executed by a resident artist named Heather Hermann. The art pieces on the wall and some of the furniture items were all made through the imagination of Kris Irons, Hermann and Hermann’s ex-boyfriend.

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Irons, the owner of Requiem, described the inspiration behind the four areas within Requiem. Irons drew inspiration from Disneyland — instead of combining the spaces, Irons isolated them. Requiem emphasizes the importance of acceptance. They are LGBTQ+ owned, operated and staffed. They offer a safe space to be exactly the person you want to be and step away from who you have been or who society is telling you to be. Irons said, “There is a big overlap between people who seek fantasy and escapism, and people who want to be who they want to be. We are a very welcoming and inviting place. We offer a space for people to seek escapism and acceptance.”

Requiem offers coffee, tea, drinks and food. Be sure to stock up before going on your adventure. They offer magical flavors and blends to give you the dose of pick-me-up powers. Have a taste of fantasy one cup at a time.

The teas contain a magical infusion of organic and otherworldly blends to excite your senses and your palette. There are bold flavors and spellbinding brews to give you that extra boost to tackle your adventure. They are certified organic and blended with care. Requiem understands the importance of stats. They offer mana, health and stamina potion lemonades to fully restore those bars, which are made fresh daily. Don’t forget to upgrade to the greater potion to give you that extra boost of alcohol to get you to the end. Their food is simple, but fuels and satisfies the hungriest adventurer and their party. Entrees are made daily using fresh local ingredients and a touch of magic. They also serve one-time offerings or special event items. These can include bento boxes or themed dishes.

Solo, Duo, or Flex?

One of the most beloved features of Requiem is the communication cones. Whether you are introverted or extroverted, take advantage of these cones by placing them at the end of the table. The cones will do the talking for you! The green cone is a great way to make new friends or talk to new people. The red cone means you would like some peace and time to yourself.

Fairy Forest

The fairy forest was inspired by the Legend of Zelda and the Lord of the Rings. This forest contains a majestic tree with beautiful flowers flowing down from its branches. You may sit along the base of the tree on mushrooms to read your favorite fairy tale or meet with friends.

Castle Fortress

Drawing inspiration from Final Fantasy and “The Dark Crystal,” the castle fortress takes you to a place you thought you would never go. It is equipped with a big castle table and a throne. This area is perfect for a game of Magic: The Gathering or Dungeons and Dragons. The throne is fit for the winner or for the gamemaster.

Sci-Fi Gaming Area

Immerse yourself into a sci-fi universe by sitting in the sci-fi gaming area. Inspired by “Tron,” Mass Effect and Portal, this section is equipped with TVs to play the latest video game -- he options are out of this world in this area.

Steampunk Coffee Bar

Order your magical potions or magical morsels at the steampunk coffee bar. This section is inspired by the Bioshock franchise and Final Fantasy 7. The coffee bar offers special limited time offerings, so it is constantly changing. TU SK

Four Tea-licious Boba Drinks to Try Out in Fullerton Craving the satisfaction of a sweet beverage? Missing that familiar, chewy tapioca swirling around in sugary goodness? Quench your thirst — here, we discover four of the best boba drinks no matter what bubble tea consumer you are. And the best part? They’re all close by in Fullerton. STORY: Camille Capili PHOTO: Elyssa Ruiz DESIGN: Allison Nishi

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Mung Bean Milk Tea 7 Leaves A uniquely delicious milk tea is just across the street—yes, it’s that close. The green-colored Mung Bean Milk Tea at 7 Leaves, only a short walk away from campus, contains strong pandan notes with a jasmine tea base. This drink is a very popular choice for those who enjoy the grassy vanilla flavors without any overpowering sweetness. Adding some honey boba here (or any topping, really) will do the trick.

505 N State College Blvd, Fullerton, CA 92831 Ph: 714-869-3347

Tareo Smoothie Sweet Boba Co.

Matcha Brûlée Latte Sunright Tea Studio

Peach Green Tea with Aloe VeraR&B Tea

Are you a taro fan? Maybe there’s a chance you like Oreos, too? The Tareo smoothie, where you can find a little way further down Fullerton at Sweet Boba Co, combines the best of both worlds to create a tasty, taro-themed take on a cookies-and-cream smoothie. Taro’s mild, nutty taste will have you wanting sip after sip—there is also an extra-large size option just in case you want a little more of this promising blended drink.

Starting off strong, we call all matcha lovers to attention—this drink is not just any ordinary matcha latte. This drink incorporates a caramel brûlée perfect for your sweet tooth and uses oat milk as its dairy option. Add boba (regular or honey, your pick!) for just 65 cents, and you can’t go wrong.

Located near Fullerton College, the Peach Green Tea from R&B Tea is a refreshing option for those who want to specifically enjoy a fruit tea. This green-tea based drink also includes aloe vera as a topping—if you so desire, add boba, and you’ve got the most rejuvenating summer drink. Just peachy.

109 W Orangethorpe Ave, Fullerton, CA 92832

207 E Orangethorpe Ave, Anaheim, CA 92801

410 E Chapman Ave Suite B, Fullerton, CA 92832

Ph: 714-213-8911

Ph: 714-519-3588

Ph: 657-500-8108

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Get Buzzed off Cake Pops Ditch the cocktail and get buzzed off cake pops instead. STORY: Samantha Aguilar PHOTO: Elyssa Ruiz DESIGN: Candace Castillo

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The Birth of Drunken Cake Pops

Owners Sara Aleman and Zoila Navales came up with the idea in 2013 during a business meeting in Portland, Oregon. With no background in baking, some understanding in business, $300 to their name and determination, Drunken Cake Pops was born.

“We told ourselves that if we can work this hard for someone else, then why can’t we do it for us? So we did, and here we are,” Aleman said. Their main location in Rancho Cucamonga features 10 different cake pop flavors inspired by popular cocktail drinks. The cake pops can be purchased individually or in bundles. Some of their more popular flavors include German chocolate whiskey, lemon drop martini, birthday cake shot, red wine velvet and Monique’s pink champagne.

The Science Behind the Dessert

Developing these flavors wasn’t easy, Aleman explained. “There were a lot of mess-ups,” Aleman said, “We started with like 20 flavors and tried a base recipe. Once we nailed that, we had to figure out which alcohol to use, flavored or straight, batter or frosting, it was crazy.” Aleman explained that a solid cake batter base is all it takes to turn any flavor into a great tasting, alcohol-infused cake pop. But, like every great recipe, there is a secret behind ensuring a balanced flavor and the presence of alcohol. “That’s the million-dollar super-secret question that is asked often but never answered,” she said. Baking with alcohol is a science that depends on a few factors–– the temperature the pastry is being cooked at and the surface area of the cooking pan. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a batter with alcohol not stirred into the mixture can retain 45% alcohol if baked for 25 minutes. Mixing alcohol into

the batter, however, then decreases the retention. When alcohol is stirred into a mixture and baked for 30 minutes, it will only retain 35% of the alcohol and reduce the longer it’s baked. The cake pops retain so much alcohol that customers must be at least 21 years old to purchase them. “There should not be enough to get you drunk, but the flavor is definitely pronounced. Some say it gets them going, I think it might be the excitement,” Navales said.

Beyond the Druken Cake Pops

Don’t worry if you’re under 21; they’ve got something for you too! Their virgin selection is just as unique, including flavors such as mudslide, Shirley Temple and red velvet.

menu to eventually have an adult dessert bar offering more alcoholic desserts, like milkshakes, rootbeer floats and more! You can find Drunken Cake Pops located at 12385 S. Main Street Suite 1040, Rancho Cucamonga, or at various events and festivals throughout Southern California. If you’re not in the area, don’t worry, you can still enjoy these desserts! Drunken Cake Pops ships nationally. You can order straight from their website www.drunkencakepops.com. Let’s have some fun with cake pops!

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Additionally, they offer a selection of other items that collaborate between them and other small local businesses. Their coffee beans come from Amend and Revise, a local roastery in Redlands that creates a custom coffee blend for their shop. Their ice cream also comes from Scoops on Tap, and their cookie shots come from Dirty Cookie. For those looking for keto-friendly, vegan and diabetic-friendly options, they’ve got you covered! “We try to put as much effort in our keto stuff as our regular items,” Navales said. “We want to still offer fun and innovative things for our keto or vegan friends.” Just when you thought that it couldn’t get any better, their drunken cake pops are only about a third of the price of a drink you’d pay for at the bar. Starting at $32 for a box of six cake pops, their vast, unique cake pop-menu includes something for everyone! Aleman and Navales are working on expanding their shops and their

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Mindfulness in the Here and Now and Nowhere Else STORY: Camille Capili PHOTO: Gianna Horvath DESIGNER: Liam Aquininog

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In the library, a student sits and opens their planner to examine their schedule for the week: each day is packed to the brim–– work shifts, exams and errands needing to be completed. The anxiety begins to set in. It’s not just this week — it’s the next one, the one after and the one following that as well. The flow of school, work and obligations is nonstop; rinse and repeat, with the only end in sight being the short breaks that come to pass. Next thing you know, life has passed by in the blink of an eye. In a moment of realization, it makes us feel remorseful for the time we missed—those few weeks or months, now in the past. While going through the motions, it feels as if we barely exist within the flow of time. The long-standing question remains: how can we steady the pace of life despite its quickening rate? A solution to this dilemma reveals itself in simple psychology: the practice of mindfulness. It’s commonly used in stress-relief practices and plays an integral role in lifestyles aiming to reduce stress and develop a deeper, intimate sense of what it means to be present.

Mindfulness 101

Understanding the concrete definition of mindfulness can be somewhat unclear; it’s not well known, and at the same time, it doesn’t sound like a new concept either. But, what does mindfulness entail?

Mindfulness is directed toward a relaxed type of alertness, emphasizing a focus on a person, task or situation without any burdening thoughts of the past or future. The origin of mindfulness dates to ancient Buddhist philosophy from around a couple thousand years ago, meaning the technique itself has not just recently arisen; instead, it has been in use for centuries before it was introduced into the Western mainstream. Various mindfulness-based therapies, coaching and exercises have been developed over time to create a more effective implementation in day-to-day life. There’s no question why mindfulness is emphasized in modern medicine, psychology and psychiatry. With mindfulness becoming more universally known, its rise in popularity can be explained by the conditions we live in. Our environments and situations can produce stress levels, feeling almost unlivable, notably with the addition of experiencing COVID-19. Because of this, mindfulness has accomplished a process addressing some of the mental hardships, such as anxiety and depression, that have increased throughout our lives. Especially in recent times, those of us seeking alleviation from unpleasant feelings use this relaxation mechanism to regulate emotions at an improved level.

In its entirety, mindfulness is a type of meditation that aims to decrease suffering. Mindfulness is rooted in training the mind to think in the present — to increase our awareness without paying attention to the suffering — which manifests as problems, worries or judgments. Dr. Julie Meisels, an experienced clinical psychologist in the Counseling and Psychological Services at CSUF, articulates the objective, “(T)o think in a curious, open and productive way, deliberately paying attention to our attention.” tusk

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“Reduce stress, enhance performance and gain awareness.”

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1, 2, 3, Breathe

It’s a powerful means to reduce stress, enhance performance and gain awareness in our minds; the key here is that this exercise can help anyone because anyone can do it. Even in events that don’t bring about negative or difficult emotions, the advantages of this stress-reducing method are valuable as it shows improvement in mood, levels of happiness and overall well-being.

Now we know a bit of this interesting notion, let’s get to what we’ve been waiting for: how does one practice mindfulness? Several strategies are convenient to begin a mindful journey. 1. Mindfulness is meditation — breathing exercises are a wonderful place to start. According to mindful. org, breathing mindfully means expanding our breaths to calm our parasympathetic nervous systems, the bodily response that causes us to feel anxious or on edge. Connecting with our bodies by inhaling and exhaling in a slow, measured manner is the key to maximizing this exercise.

3. Because the mind and body are interconnected, doing yoga and stretching can give you a break by allowing physical movement to loosen stiff muscles and increase energy and concentration levels. When you sit in the library and flip the pages of your planner to see the incredible amount of work that needs to be done and the deadlines and the worries that come with them, remember to stop for a moment. Breathe. Feel the air flowing in and out of your body. What does the air smell like? What are you doing right now as you read this? What sensations do you have while doing them? Remember this feeling. Understand the idea that right now, as you read this, you exist; you are alive and that’s beautiful in itself. TU SK

2. Walking meditation is another mindful method. Next time you go for a walk, think about the sensations of your movements as you take each stride with purpose. Be unhurried with your pace; observe your surroundings, feel the soles of your feet touch the ground with each step. Doing this will let you experience the full benefits of mindful walking.

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Step into the Dark Side: Shadow Work

Everyone around you, from your annoying coworker to your sweet neighbor, has a dark side. Commonly referred to as the “shadow” by experts, tapping into and accepting this repressed side of yourself can be vital to your personal development. STORY: Chloe Hong PHOTO: Gianna Horvath DESIGN: Emma Rowell

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Everyone around you, from your annoying coworker to your sweet neighbor, has a dark side. Tapping into and accepting this repressed side of yourself, commonly referred to as the shadow, can be vital to your personal development. Coined by psychologist Carl Jung, “shadow self” refers to aspects of ourselves that we choose to repress — often due to guilt or shame. However, these parts of ourselves aren’t necessarily evil or harmful as the term might insinuate. Shadow work is a psychological practice where you try to get in touch with your shadow. However, shadow work can be incredibly difficult and painful. If you have suffered through immense pain and trauma, consulting a therapist or expert to safely guide you through the process is advised.

Meditation.

Use meditation to focus on difficult emotions, negative thought patterns, unresolved fears and more. By acknowledging these parts of yourself without judgment, you’re better able to bring these hidden parts of yourself into consciousness. Ignoring a problem is a temporary solution. Only through facing our problems head-on can we make progress towards healing and peace. By embracing both the light and dark parts of ourselves, we can learn to embrace all parts of ourselves. Shadow work can help people become more fulfilled, complete and balanced. Additionally, if you’re interested in learning more about shadow work, @elevatedbyem on TikTok has shared multiple shadow work prompts that can help you get started.

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Here are three shadow work exercises to help you lead a more authentic life.

Journal your thoughts and feelings

Writing down your thoughts and feelings can help you understand your subconscious mind. You may begin to notice emotional or behavioral patterns, allowing you to move through life with enhanced awareness.

Think about people that bother you.

Thoroughly examine what bothers you about these people and why. When we aren’t in touch with our shadow selves, we’re prone to projection. Often what we dislike in others, we dislike in ourselves. Jung put it best when he said, “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.”

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Energy Cleansing Based on our Cultures Protect yourself from the Mal de Ojo. STORY: Alyssa Ortiz PHOTO: Gianna Horvath DESIGN: Liam Aquininog

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Do you ever feel like things aren’t going your way? Do you ever feel like someone is praying on your downfall? You might be experiencing some bad energy surrounding you or someone is using Mal De Ojo on you. Here are three different cultural ways to cleanse, heal or protect your aura so that you no longer feel the bad energy.

Limpia con Huevo

Growing up in a Latinx household means you wear a red bracelet your entire life on your wrist to protect yourself from Mal De Ojo, but what happens when it’s already cursed on you? Mal De Ojo, named differently across cultures, is the evil eye. It is focused on envy and curses and could potentially make someone very sick. Across many cultures, it’s a popular practice to cleanse the energies of people or homes.

“In Filipino culture, the art of Pausok, or fumigation, is performed to chase off bad energy when you move into a new home.”

In Latinx culture, we have the limpia con huevo, also known as the egg cleanse. All you need to do is rub the egg on yourself in circular motions and all the bad energies and dirty auras will be removed. After the cleanse, you crack the egg open in a cup or bowl of water and read the egg. If you see black, you likely have been cursed. Then, you must flush the egg down the toilet as soon as possible.

Pausok

In Filipino culture, the art of Pausok, or fumigation, is practiced commonly when you move into a new home. A priest or shaman will walk around and wave incense in each room. This fumigation is performed to chase off bad energy and negative spirits surrounding a person. Along with the incense, the priest or shaman performing the ritual will also recite chants or prayers to aid the ceremony.

Feng Shui

In Chinese rituals, Feng Shui has been passed down through generational knowledge. Firstly remove the trapped negative energy throughout the house by opening doors, windows and boxes — basically open everything that is closed. Sprinkle salt in each room or scrub it on the walls to get rid of bad energy. In a pinch, a salt lamp will do. You can also throw rice around the perimeters of the room, starting at the door and moving clockwise, to prevent the energies from seeping in. TU SK

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Cancer Strengthened My Faith In a dark time, Communications major Lauren Nadal saw the light. STORY: Lauren Nadal PHOTO: Gianna Horvath DESIGN: Emma Rowell

I never expected to be diagnosed with Stage 2 Hodgkins Lymphoma at the age of 19. I was a typical college student who became a cancer patient with the hopes of surviving and dreams of living another day. My life completely changed on August 13, 2019. I was going into my sophomore year of college. I looked and felt healthy. I was moving into an apartment with friends, and I was excited to reunite with my sorority sisters. That all changed when I felt a lump on the right side of my neck. For a while, I was in shock. I was so angry at God. I resented Him for it. I simply couldn’t accept this change in my life. Even when I informed friends and family about my illness, it still didn’t feel real to me. I began chemotherapy on August 26, 2019 at City of Hope.

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The more treatment I received, the weaker I became and the harder it was to stay alive. With the unbearable side effects of chemo — the excruciating migraines, nausea, fever, chills, weak bones, low immune system, hair loss, pale skin and constant pain — I was absolutely depressed. I lost all confidence in myself. My new look was wearing a head wrap and a breathing mask with a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC)line, which is a long thin tube in my arm that is connected to a pole of chemo bags which is pumping cancer-destroying medicine into my veins. I was very insecure before all of this, but for the first time how I felt on the inside had caught up to how I looked on the outside. I felt anything but beautiful. Cancer took over my identity. Cancer also took my independence. My mom stopped teaching to be with me every day, and be my caretaker in and out of the hospital. My dad kept working, but took several days off and adjusted his schedule to fit in with the weeks I had chemo or doctor visits. It was hard for my younger brother to understand and cope with this. He never wanted me to see him cry. I will never forget the time when he surprised me in my hospital room with his hair shaved, as he saw how hard it was for me to lose my hair. Although treatment was hard, God wove blessings into the journey. The little things in life that I never noticed, I began to adore. Just being able to walk and feel the fresh air on my face, I became immensely grateful. My experience with cancer gave me a new profound love for God, my life and those around me. I had just gone through a traumatic experience that most 19-year-olds don’t typically go through. My take on life, friendships and school changed for the better. It’s easy to take health for granted, but I couldn’t be more thankful to just be alive. tusk

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“Every step of the way, my family was always there for me and never made me feel like I was going to fight this battle alone.”

After rounds of chemotherapy, PICC line cleanings, oncologist visits, support groups, PET scans–– which measures changes in metabolic or biochemical changes in tissues and organs–– and endless amounts of medicine, I finally finished treatment. I rang the bell on November 19, 2019. Ringing the bell symbolized the end of my cancer treatment. I still remember the feeling I had – nurses and doctors cheering me on, my family smiling and crying tears of joy. I felt so loved by everyone around me. For the first time, I accepted myself as a survivor and was no longer ashamed or embarrassed of how I looked. The numerous doctor appointments showed me how important it is to spend every day like it’s my last, to cherish every moment and appreciate the beauty of God’s creation. I thought the hard part of cancer was over when I finished treatment, but the transition back to real life was harder.

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My doctor advised me to take the whole year off and process what I went through — but I missed school, I missed my friends, I missed the old me. I would have done everything and anything to get back to that.

When we spoke about our faith, she saw the broken relationship I had with God. She invited me to a Bible study with other sorority sisters. After being hesitant and afraid, I finally went. I just knew I had to fix my relationship with God.

Coming back to campus, I was no longer the same Lauren. With time, I learned to embrace the “new” Lauren.

Through endless prayer, Bible study, attending mass and Catholic retreats I began to heal from my heartache with the Lord. I opened myself up to Him again and listened. Ever since then, I have felt so complete.

In the months following treatment, my outlook changed and my faith did as well. Although I was still in a bad place and confused as to why God had put me through all that suffering, deep down I knew He would find His way back into my heart. I believe God puts people into our lives for a reason. He did that when I met my best friend. I met her my first day back on campus–– I was so insecure and was hiding behind my wig. I didn’t know it at the time, but the Lord had sent me an angel that day. Through our sorority, our friendship grew.

Suffering is not God’s plan for any of His precious creations. God revealed to me that I was called to help other patients with cancer and shed light on such a dark time in their lives. I have been inspired by so many other cancer survivors, built a family of doctors and nurses at City of Hope, and helped others cope with cancer. While I was being strong and courageous, the Lord was with me all along. TU SK

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SPIRITUALITY

Asexuality in a Sex-Obsessed Society There’s nothing wrong with you if you don’t want sex. STORY: Ryann Kirk PHOTO: Gianna Horvath DESIGN: Allison Nishi

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“You just need to find the right dick to change you.” I was told this at 17 by a guy I barely knew because I didn’t want to have sex with him. For the longest time, I knew I wasn’t interested in having sex. I never really saw people in that type of way and the thought of having sex physically disgusted me. Everyone I told about my feelings simply told me I’d grow out of it, that I was just too young or that I hadn’t found the right person yet. But, here I am years later having experienced multiple relationships, and a lot of self-realization, and I still feel exactly the same. Despite knowing for so long about my lack of sexual attraction, it wasn’t until high school that I realized there was a word for it.

What is Asexuality?

While sexuality is already a spectrum, asexuality has a spectrum itself. So while asexual can mean one thing for one individual, it also serves as an umbrella term for many other identities, therefore the definition can vary from person to person.

The most commonly known definition of asexuality is the lack of sexual attraction. Many associate this with not wanting sex at all or a non-existent sex drive, but that isn’t necessarily true. Asexuality is a spectrum, and that means there are many different types of asexual people, so there can be some who are sex-repulsed and never want sex while others may have a high sex drive and are OK with having sex. According to a William’s Institute study, around 1.7% of people identify as asexual. While that may seem like a small amount, it equates to over 75 million people. Along with that, out of a sample of 40,000 LGBTQ youth, the Trevor Project found that 10% of them identified as asexual or on the ace spectrum.

Backlash

This wide spectrum of asexuality can make it so hard for non-asexual people to understand. Many people can’t fathom the idea of not wanting sex or not thinking about it, and different ways that people identify with asexuality adds to the confusion. The amount of times I’ve had to explain myself is too high, and that’s something that most asexual people have to deal with since the world is so uneducated about it. “It’s definitely all over the spectrum when it comes to the type of people you like, how stressful or not stressful it is, but it’s a constant because of how unknown the whole identity is as a whole,” said Nicole Allen, a 21-year-old aspiring author. “You get the strangest encounters due to just ill-informed people that could be saved if they had more open talks or more education in schools about it.”

“Many associate asexuality with not wanting sex at all or a non-existent sex drive, but that isn’t necessarily true.”

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Lack of Knowledge

This lack of education not only hinders both non-asexual and asexual people. Since it is not a commonly known sexual identity, many asexual people don’t discover themselves until much later in life. Even if they know deep down that something is different about them, they don’t have any idea why, and that makes it harder to find a label that suits them. Teresa Abbey, a fifth-year communications major, explained she didn’t fully identify as asexual until recently because she didn’t know about it until a year ago. She said, “It doesn’t help that when all I have to help me is Google. It’s not like any friends or family are going to understand because all they say is ‘You just have to find the right person.’ So you’re like, ‘You know, maybe I don’t know.’” The fact that our society is extremely sex-focused does not help our case. Everywhere you look you can find sex — in movies, TV, books, video games, school and even casual conversations. In fact, society is so sex forward that for the longest time asexuality was classified as a disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) instead of a recognized sexual identity. In 2013, the DSM-5 added in a clause under Female Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder and Male Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder that states if the person identifies as asexual, the diagnoses do not apply. Even with that addition, there lies the implication that asexual people are lacking or somehow damaged because they don’t experience sexual attraction. The fact that asexuality is even in the DSM shows that many have considered it a disorder.

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There’s more to life than sex

The hypersexualization in our society makes the existence of asexual people baffling to others. We’re taught that humans are sexual beings, yet that is evidently not true. There is so much more to relationships than sex, and there are other ways of being intimate. “Usually, people these days think sex is a priority and they see it as something that they need, they should have it, and to me as someone who is asexual, I don’t care for it. I don’t have a connection to it. I don’t want it. So, I tend to just find things that are much better than sex, like going out for a picnic, or making a cake or watching a movie. There are better things than doing the nasty,” said Salem Rivera, a former art major.

The Impact on Relationships and Mental Health

Always hearing how important sex is in relationships and how no one would want to date me if I didn’t want to fuck them led to terrible body image and mental health issues. I constantly felt like something was wrong with me and that I needed to be fixed. Whenever I got into a new relationship, I resigned myself to just letting it happen cause otherwise, they wouldn’t stay with me. I told myself to just get drunk beforehand so I wouldn’t really process it or to be OK with my partner cheating on me. I’ve told countless of my potential partners that they can have someone on the side to be sexually satisfied.

After looking on asexual forums, this is something many people struggle with. On Reddit or The Asexuality Visibility and Education Network, there are countless posts asking for advice on how to get through with doing it. It was seeing these posts that made the realization sink in that sex was an inevitability unless I got lucky and found another asexual person to date. Many times, relationships will be strained because the other person wants something more than what the asexual person can give. “If it’s somebody I’m talking to, like romantic-wise, like they want to try to become something more, some people would be like ‘OK, that’s fine I respect what you identify as.’ The other half tends to call me boring or say I just haven’t found the right person, I haven’t had the ‘good one’ there’s really no in-between, they’re either supportive or assholes,” Rivera explained.

Acceptance

One big solace towards being asexual is the acceptance the LGBTQ+ community has for us. Most other LGBTQ+ people accept asexuals into their communities with open arms, and while there are some people who don’t recognize asexuality as a legitimate identity, that number is far outweighed by the ones who do accept us. Despite all the challenges there are with being asexual, it’s who we are and nothing is going to change that. Just like other LGBTQ+ identities are becoming more and more wellknown, it’s time for asexuality to be talked about. The severe lack of asexual representation and education is detrimental to us all, and it’s important for society to relearn the importance of sex in everyone’s lives. To any other asexual people reading this, you’re not alone in your experiences. There’s a whole community of people out there who know exactly how you feel, and if they don’t, they’re willing to be there for you. And if you aren’t asexual and had never heard about it before now, maybe it’s time to do some digging so you can realize that sex is not universal. TU SK

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What the Douche? “Man I just shitted on ’em.”

STORY: Jordan Lunasco PHOTO: Elyssa Ruiz DESIGN: Candace Castillo

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One of the biggest fears when engaging in anal sex is the first lyrics sung in Nicki Minaj’s “Did It On’em”. To help alleviate this fear, take advantage of anal douching.

First of all, What is an Anal Douche?

An anal douche is a car wash for your rectum. It is a tool for removing any fecal bits. Ever so gently, the anal douche forces liquid into the lower rectum. This then stimulates bowel movement for optimal cleanliness.

Why Douche?

Douching is not a requirement for buttplay, but it makes you more confident about anal. Give yourself an hour or two before anal to douche.

Quick Guide to Anal Douching Step 1: Prepare for the douche Familiarize yourself with the douche and with your body. Find somewhere in your home to do it. (Typically the bathroom) Step 2: Lube it up Ensure the douche is clean and fill the bulb with lukewarm water or saline only. Apply a generous amount of lube to the nozzle and your rectum. Step 3: Get comfy Find a comfortable position. Whether it is being on all fours or laying on your side, find what position works best for you.

Find Your Type

Step 4: Clean it out Insert the nozzle and start cleaning. This process should not be painful. Repeat to your liking or until the water runs clear.

Bulb Style

Step 5: Clean that douche Clean the douche when you’re done. Mild soap and water will get the job done. Let it air dry.

There are several different types of douches. Find which one suits you best. Consists of a bulb, which is made from silicone or rubber with a nozzle. The nozzles come in different lengths and styles. This gives you full control of your douching process.

Douche it up and go play with your mind at ease. TU SK

Shower Kit

Allows you to assemble a douche directly to your shower hose. The water goes straight from the home pipes straight into your rectum. Be careful to not let the water get too hot.

Water Bag

Has a bag of liquid that is hung at a raised place. Gravity pulls the liquid down from the bag into a pipe that goes into your rectum. This douche has the ability to carry many liters, so you do not have to refill it as often as a bulb douche.

Disposable Douches

Similar to the bulb, these tend to be smaller and more compact. They can be packed in your luggage for on-thego cleaning. These disposables are good to have on hand for that weekend getaway with your favorite person.

Bidet

The bidet is great if you are looking for a quick clean. It rinses the outside of the rectum. It helps to reduce toilet paper waste also. If you are in a quick pinch and need a quick clean the bidet is for you.

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SEX & GENDER

A Quick Guide to Grindr Hookups Tips to ensure that the tip goes in as smooth or rough (if you're into that) as possible. STORY: Jordan Lunacso PHOTO: Elyssa Ruiz DESIGN: Allison Nishi

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In the LGBTQ+ world, Grindr is the app where a person can hookup with whoever they want and no others can say anything about it. Grindr is an online “dating” application for gay, bi, trans, and queer people. Dating is in quotes, because it is primarily an app for hooking up. You can exchange a few words, send some pictures, and go to a stranger’s house to have sex. A lot of users show up to each other’s houses without actually knowing what the other looks like. This is the opposite of what your parents have told you growing up. Some may consider this randomness arousing. You can call it a Grindr blind box;. sShow up to their house, and you don’t know exactly what you’re getting until you get it. That’s the best part of it, meeting up with. I have met up with randoms on Grindr. We do the deed, and then call it a night. You don’t owe this individual anything. There is nothing wrong with having anonymous sex with people you meet on Grindr. Here’s how to assessaccess your risks when meeting with your sneaky links like this. Here are 10 tips to help you be more comfortable and safe when you go to meet your hookup.

1. Learn the Grindr Glossary

5. Take a Picture of their License Plate

Someone may message you saying “DTF?” No this does not mean if you want to go to downtown Fullerton. It is important to understand some hookup lingo in case any of these terms are brought up to you.

I just heard this tip recently. If you are going to their house or meeting somewhere public, take a picture of their license plate and send it to a friend. This could be valuable information if anything happens to you.

DTF? - Down to Fuck PnP - Party and Play (Drugs & Sex) Into? - Not your interests, but your kinks Safe - Taking all the safety precautions during play: Condoms, PrEP, etc. DL - Downlow or closeted NPNC - No Pic, No Chat Host - Having a private place to invite people over. Can’t host - Unable to have anyone over, might live with parents or roommates. Hung - A big dick

6. Talk about what you Expect to do During the Hookup

2. Pics are a Must

Tell him you need to see that face. It should be no issue to be able to get multiple face pictures. If all he is sending is pictures of his dick, that is a definite red flag. It takes seconds to take a face picture. This is the bare minimum. If “HungDaddy69” can not take a face picture, then you probably shouldn’t meet up.

3. Avoid Nude Pictures with Face

You may not know exactly who these nude photos may get sent to. Avoid that conflict by ensuring your nude pictures do not show have any of your face.

4. Share your Location with a Friend

If you have access to Grindr on your phone, you probably have access to sharing your location with a friend. Be sure to communicate with your friends where you are going for a hookup. If your friend is going on a hookup, be supportive and encourage them to share their location to ensure their safety.

Ask the appropriate questions. Find out what most excites you and the other party. Let them know if you want to chat before jumping into action. Some may want to PnP or only do oral. Avoid going to a hookup without explicitly talking about what you both plan to do.

7. Think with the Right Head.

If you are not feeling it mentally, you should leave. You may have agreed to do all of these exciting things before meeting up, but that doesn’t mean you should to let the wrong head take advantage of your actions. Walking out of the hookup is completely valid and should not be second- guessed.

8. Ask to Meet in a Public Place First

It may not be a date, but you can at least meet them outside of their place or at a local business. This can be a gauge for you to determine if you feel comfortable going into their home.

9. There is No Rush

If you are nervous about your sneaky link, there is no rush. Grindr offers a voice message or video option, feel free to try out your options beforehand meeting. Don’t let anyone manipulate you into doing something you are not 100% comfortable with.

10. Follow your Gut

Always follow your gut. If something is off about his messages, do not meet up with him. Even if nothing he has said seems wrong, but your gut is giving you bad vibes, then it might be best to stay at home. There are plenty of men in the Grindr sea. It is not worth risking anything for a hookup. TU SK

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Exploring Bisexuality In a Relationship Just because you’re monogamous doesn’t mean you’re straight.

STORY: Nicole Trinidad PHOTO: Elyssa Ruiz DESIGN: Nicole Eltagonde

Advice that I wish I had been given when I first started exploring my bisexuality is that feeling comfortable with your sexual orientation is like a journal that changes over time. It took years of overcoming societal expectations and failed relationships, yet I’m still on that path of understanding and self-acceptance. It didn’t take long for me to realize that being in a relationship doesn’t secure a label on my sexuality. It’s very common for people in relationships to still not know what they identify with. Here’s some advice for those who have had or are currently having those doubts.

Self-Reflection/Weighing Your Values Navigating sexual orientation is different for everyone. It goes beyond just what gender you have feelings for, but also how you are attracted to them. It’s important to consider your boundaries and desires. What does discovering your sexuality mean to you?

For Eden Sather, a senior psychology major at CSUF, being open to change with your sexuality from partner to partner is normal and should be welcomed. “I think somebody who really is bisexual will come to their own conclusion like, ‘I might be in a heteronormative, or I might be in a lesbian presenting relationship right now. But I still like this other gender,’” explained Sather. 36

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Sather also shares that not only is she bisexual, she also realized she no longer desires to be in monogamous relationships. Bisexuality brought her awareness that she doesn’t want to be in just one relationship for the rest of her life, but instead ethically be in multiple. So for those still navigating who they like, it’s important to ask: Do I need to be romantically or sexually involved with others to feel secure with my sexuality? How do I feel in queer environments? What issues do I have in understanding my identity? Answering these questions shows how you stand in your relationship and can help you feel most satisfied overall.

To Change or Not To Change

While this time of exploration and discovery is for you and you alone, you also need to consider your partner. After evaluating what’s most important for you and your needs in the relationship and then slowly introducing the topic to your partner, you should also provide your partner the same reassurance and love you would want back. Nat Betancourt Arellano, the CSUF’s LGBT Queer Resource Center coordinator, explained that when they discovered their sexuality, they made it clear when they opened up to their partner that nothing had to change. “Nothing changes other than I am now telling you and I am now being vulnerable with myself that yes, I am attracted to women, but I don’t want things to change,” said Betancourt Arellano. Betancourt Arellano also admits that not everyone thinks like them, and some do want change in other sexual or romantic relationships. That’s something to consider when weighing what’s important and discussing boundaries with your partner. They said that it’s hard to discuss such topics when some people will not be OK with that and may continue to label bisexuals as being cheaters because of their worldviews and values. But they believe at the end of the day, it’s important to question how much you are willing to minimize yourself for someone else.

Support On Campus

Communicating With Your Partner

This is a no-brainer — a strong relationship is built on communication and having an equal level of understanding. It’s nerve-wracking to tell your partner something so personal that it could easily tip the balance of the relationship, so what’s the best way to go about it? Tara Suwinyattichaiporn, a sexual communication professor at Cal State Fullerton, says the first step is taking it slow. She talks about employing empathetic communication. That’s where you put yourself in your partner’s shoes and consider how they would feel hearing their partner reveal something about themselves they didn’t anticipate. It’s important to prime it with patience and honesty. It’s natural for your partner to be upset or

react negatively because it’s new, and they might not understand. So taking your time, even if it’s hard to deal with at first, is the best way to approach it while being empathetic about their needs. “At the end of the day, you have to honor your authenticity and pursue that,” Suwinyattichaiporn said. “You’re curious, you have to pursue it.”

Betancourt Arellano shares that the center is always there to facilitate open conversations, ideas, and community for those looking for support. While there are no designated bisexual support groups on campus, most people utilizing the center identify as bisexual. Some other great ways to find community on campus are by attending their QT 101 series workshops where they educate on topics such as gender roles and polyamory and reach out on the center’s Instagram (@lgbtq.csuf), Twitter (@lgbtqcsuf) and discord server. Understanding your identity and what makes you you can be tricky. You may feel like there are a set of expectations to follow, but that is not the case. The main takeaway is that people have different ideologies, and there are no rights or wrongs. Your wants are valid and matter just as much as your partner’s. TU SK

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What to Expect at your First Gynec({})logy Appointment And wtf is a speculum?! STORY: Stepheny Gehrig PHOTO: Elyssa Ruiz and Gianna Horvath DESIGN: Liam Aquininog

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We all know that vaginal health is important, yet coming vagina to face with a gynecologist is probably the most terrifying experience. I just had my first gynecology appointment and pap smear in October 2020, and here’s what you can expect for your first visit.

The Rundown

Your appointment will start like a regular check-up. A nurse will greet you, take down your height, weight, and blood pressure, if you’re sexually active, when your last period was and if you are on any medication. The nurse will then give you a gown and a long cloth to cover and ask you to undress, wear the gown and use the long cloth to cover yourself. Your doctor will talk you through everything and answer all your questions for your first visit. My doctor was very understanding, and I told her that I am terrified of getting checkups and shots. She went over what I should expect, what tools she would use and said she would talk me through the entire procedure.

The Tools

The doctor inserts a speculum to widen the vaginal canal so other tools can be used to do these checks. A speculum is about three inches long and either metal or plastic — the plastic ones are more comfortable because they aren’t as cold as the metal ones. Most vagina-owners said that they felt more pressure than pain. The pressure of the speculum feels like a large but mild cramp. Your doctor will use a few different tools to grab some samples during the procedure. Mine used three different tools — a soft brush, a plastic spatula and a swab. The doctor will insert these tools one at a time and gently swirl them around to collect the samples. It felt uncomfortable and like a zip tie scratching the roof of your mouth, but with an added pinch. It wasn’t painful, just very uncomfortable.

The Emotions

Many people with vaginas put off seeing a gynecologist, even when they age into it. The typical age to start seeing one is at 21, but if you’re sexually active, doctors advise a visit to ensure that you’re safe and healthy. Since it’s such a taboo topic, and not many people divulge what happens during the procedure, putting off scheduling an appointment. “I have been putting off going to the gyno for a long time. I have never been one to go to the doctor even for regular checkups. I am afraid that it will hurt,” said Kassie Vickers, a fifth-year political science major. “All of the knowledge I have on it has come from school, the internet or stories I have heard from friends.”

The Advice

“I felt good about myself,” said Gess Gomez, a third-year linguistics major. “I feel like from now on. I’ll feel more comfortable doing another pap smear. Once you have experienced something and it went well, I feel like you’ll be comfortable doing it again.” Gomez said that before the appointment, you should take a shower to help yourself be more confident. She said that since she feels more comfortable with a woman doctor, she asks for one and added that you should ask for a doctor with who you feel most comfortable at your appointment. The doctors are here to help you feel safe and stay healthy; although this procedure is daunting, you’ll feel fierce after going through it. “Everything’s going to go OK,” Gomez said reassuringly. TU SK

Make a morning appointment and go before you have breakfast — the pressure from the speculum might make you feel like you’ll poop on the doctor. Listening to music that pumps you up can also help boost your confidence heading into the appointment. Keeping an open dialogue with the nurse and the doctor in the room helped me understand what was being put into my body and know that the procedure was going well. Gomez said she mentally prepares by focusing on the fact that the doctors only care about your health. She shared that staying focused on your breathing and asking questions can be a good way to ease your nerves. “They told me step by step what they were going to do,” Gomez said. “Even if I had questions, I would ask them. I am a little bit shy, but if I want to know something, it’s better to ask.” Experiencing this for the first time without previous knowledge of what would happen was very overwhelming. I didn’t know how to cope, from the anticipation of a 30-minute wait in the lobby to the adrenaline rush of ending the fifteen-minute procedure. I started crying afterward because it was a lot to take in.

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Black Voices STORY: Annisa Charles PHOTO: Gianna Horvath DESIGN: Candace Castillo

Racism didn’t start in June 2020. It didn’t start with George Floyd. It didn’t start once we all had recording devices in our pockets. It started hundreds of years ago, and it has continued to fester and live on, affecting so many of us. Living in fear of those who should protect us, of those who should be our friends, of those who we call our neighbors shouldn’t be a life to live. Yet, many of us have to endure that life simply for being Black. The Civil Rights movement has truly never ended, and Angela Davis reminds us of that with every step she takes in her activism. Homes are destroyed and Black children are forced to become adults sooner than they should, as Ross Blanton had to endure. Reminding ourselves to not forget what and who we are fighting for— how we can even forget to continue fighting for ourselves. It can be exhausting, but well needed to be able to see change, as Isaac shows us. Keeping a space for Black voices in our magazine is important to continue educating and enlightening those who don’t know what it means to endure violence simply for being Black. For being denied jobs because of their skin. For being subjected to deep-rooted racism in their schools or places of work. For having to live their life in fear of it being ended too soon at the hands of another due to blatant hate towards Black individuals. Tusk continues Black Voices to give Black individuals a place to feel heard and accepted. TU SK

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SPRING 2022 35 tusk BLACK VOICES 41

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BLACK VOICES

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BLACK VOICES

From Zoom Bombs to Bomb Threats: Angela Davis Returns to CSUF The Civil Rights icon continues to fight against the same systems 50 years later. STORY: Tusk Staff PHOTO: Elyssa Ruiz & Gianna Horvath DESIGN: Emma Rowell

This year marked 50 years since the celebrated Black feminist scholar Angela Davis first spoke at California State University Fullerton. While closing her 1972 speech, Davis told the audience that eliminating racism would be “a direct function of our ability to struggle vigorously.” She described two possible futures: One where “freedom, justice, equality, abundance, dignity, and happiness belongs to all,” and another in which racism is allowed to fester and grow. “Which path are we going to take?” Davis asked, “that is up to us.” It seems clear that CSUF has chosen the second option. In Orange County, white supremacy is alive and well. On Feb. 24, 2022, the date of Davis’s anticipated 50th-anniversary return to campus, an unknown threat forced the Titan Student Union closed. Our reporters witnessed a police sweep, complete with dogs sniffing for explosives. Students, faculty, and community members gathered outside in the cold and asked each other what was happening.

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After more than an hour, Davis took the stage to a small crowd. “So much has changed, and at the same time, we are engaging with the very same issues, the same problems that have occupied our attention over the last five decades,” Davis said, referring to the explosives threat that delayed her presentation. The incident was so familiar that it reminded the Tusk staff of a 2021 event hosted by ASI’s Social Justice and Equity Commision. The virtual retrospective, “Angela Davis Tried To Warn Us,” in which Davis’s 1972 speech was played for a live audience, was also delayed because of Zoom bombing. “I think delaying the event was intentional, because of the political state of the event itself,” said Bethany Whittaker, former President of the CSUF Black Student Union, of the 2022 incident. “It is kind of discouraging, but I do know that my community, the Black community, is really excited to hear Angela Davis speak. This little hiccup is not going to deter that.”

Here’s what CSUF community members had to say about Angela Davis before her event. “She is a civil rights icon. She has been so momentous in creating change, especially in California for Black youth, and Black women. I think she has some really good ideas for prison abolition. I really want to go into criminal justice and that is why I really wanted to attend the event.” - Liane Brown, sociology major. “It is a blessing that Angela Davis can come to this campus and speak to us. I feel like a lot of anti-Black sentiments have been expressed at CSUF, not only within the past few years, but throughout the history of this institution. We demand change. The Black community demands change. Every person of color demands change.” - Tatiana Tate, music major. “The more that people study her work, which is backed by a lot of other critical scholars, the more we can start to dream of new possibilities.” - Dr. Mei-Ling Malone, Lecturer in SK African American Studies. TU

“So much has changed, and at the same time, we are engaging with the very same issues, the same problems that have occupied our attention over the last five decades.” tusk

BLACK VOICES

A Letter, A Plea, A Place To Breathe

A CSUF poet explores race in a time of protest. STORY: Isaac PHOTO: Gianna Horvath DESIGN: Candace Castillo

Cogs In the midst of all this, I often wonder where I exist. Its clear that I cannot exist within the world I once knew, the world that demanded of me labor and life-long servitude, but Im not sure I can call this home either. Because even though this space is healing and restorative and transformative and liberating. Though this space is radical and honest and finally voices all that I’ve held in, they don’t let me live here. I can’t take up home here relax or exist here I’m forced to work and live up to the work to be seen as the charicature they know But this was never meant to be a performing act. This feels all to familiar to what I thought we were dismantling. And though I’ve grown to resent this place it can’t be worse than the world I once knew. But if youre reading this, maybe you could tell me why the ivory tower feels as cold as the shackles of the world I once knew.

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BLACK VOICES

TU SK

Hey you,

Remember last year when you were going hard for Black Lives Matter? Remember when we marched in the streets or posted black squares or dedicated our Instagram stories and Twitter threads to the movement together? At the very least, do you remember the feeling of shock and disgust you had watching the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd? Because I do. And I also remember your promise that this wouldn’t happen again. The promise that you would do something this time. You told me that “you were going to learn this time” or “this time you wouldn’t be silent” You ended your Amazon prime, and supported Black-owned businesses, and put BLM in your bio, and corrected your one racist uncle, and unfollowed those racist friends, and told all of us that you were a committed ally. And then you stopped. You see, you may not remember this Hell, you may not remember me. I’m simply your conscience AKA your humanity AKA a Black student on this campus who watched you do all this. Like everyone else, I watched you perform this past year and I must say, you gave an admirable performance truly an Oscar-worthy presentation and for a second you almost had me convinced but I’ve seen this act before. Because it’s a year later almost 500 days since they murdered George Floyd almost 600 days since they murdered Breonna Taylor nearly the same for Ahmaud Arbery but even worse Its been over 2,000 days since they

murdered Sandra Bland Over 2,600 days since they murdered Eric Garner Over 3,400 days since they murdered Trayvon Martin Over 24,000 days since they murdered Emmet Till Almost 56,000 days since we became citizens Over 146,000 days since we were first dragged here, enslaved. All those days, and you gave up. You realized it wasn’t easy, so you gave up It wasn’t really convenient, so you gave up There was no anti-racist ballot box, so you gave up It required you got creative, so you gave up It meant you surrendered your privilege, so you gave up No candidate, booklist, or Twitter thread to spread, so you gave up You gave up on us So the next time we come back around to this, The next time you post BLM or ACAB or want to defund or abolish, the next time you say All Black Lives Matter or show off the Black-owned business you “love”, the next time a Black kid is shot or a Black parent is murdered or a Black elder is beaten the next time they try to lynch us again Just remember we’ve already been down this road And this time, your acting better come with an encore

Concious

I won’t lie to you the weight of carrying your conscioussness is pretty heavy. It’s almost as if I can feel all your ignorance. your misconceptions, your misinformation. It must be angering to know the education system failed you. To think you spent so much of your life in this system that supplimented education with indoctrination. And now that you notice, theres this overwhelming urge to almost abandon the pursuit of what might be true in favor of the comfort of what you know to be false your bleached history, your casual racism. Because the sheer weight of this truth is almost too much to handle. Don’t worry, I’m well versed in this feeling. You see, the weight of the world as you’ve learned to see it was lighter, not because the world was simpler but because you never saw all of it. Your privilege is strong but apparently not strong enough to protect you Your defensiveness, your guilt from the weight of the world as it truly is. What’s truly spectacular about this revelation of yours is that some of us have just been living here So welcome home I guess. Although, I must tell you, this isn’t home for you. You may remember all that talk you gave about “anti-racism” felt kind of nice to say it post it claim it Guess you never really unpacked it. your resentment, your education Well now that you’ve joined me here in identifying that the world is bigger than your privilege lets hope you do something about it Because its important and lives are on the line here hell, my life is on the line here but if nothing else, at least do it because the weight of presence here is to heavy to carry. TU SK

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Black in America: My Journey is Far From Complete STORY: Ross Blanton PHOTO: Gianna Horvath DESIGN: Allison Nishi

I came into this world as a baby who never cried. Instead, I stared and observed everything around me. Even now as a 24-yearold Black man, I never cry around others. I don’t have that luxury. Being Black in America often means that we’re not afforded the same luxuries as everyone else. From slave shackles to prison cells, our light is boxed in, and our reach is limited.

Origin

My mother, Brenda, was born anraised in Gary, Indiana, once the home of Black prosperity and the Jackson 5. Myfather, Ronald, was born in Oakland California, the city that my grandparents and many other Black people fled to during the first and second Great Migration. Both of my parents faced hardships throughout their lives. By the time my mother was 16, she had lost both of her parents and has been working ever since to provide for her three younger siblings. My father had his own demons to deal with. He never explicitly told me, but it was my understanding that his father was hard on him, and that they had a strained relationship until my grandfather passed away in 1993. My grandmother was the sweetest little woman you could ever meet. She hailed from Little Rock, Arkansas. Now that I’m older, I regret not spending more time with her, or learning more about her life while she was here. I was born and raised in Hayward, California, just 15 minutes southeast of Oakland. Hayward is a special place

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to me. It always represented what the Bay Area looked like. It was a melting pot of poverty, real diversity, middle class people and hard workers. Hayward is where I met all of my childhood friends. It was the city where my parents found each other and got married. It’s the only place that I’ll ever truly call home. We had a nuclear family: a mother, a father, two children and a dog. The hard work my parents put in provided me with a real childhood. That was all but taken away from me on Oct. 5, 2010. Away from me on October 5th, 2010.

Loss

I wasn’t supposed to be here. Everything that I’ve lost on that day should have sealed my fate. On that day, my childhood was ripped away from me, along with my happiness. Everything that gave me joy disappeared. So there I sat, heart racing, gasping for air and tears running down my cheeks. My head was lower than it had ever been before.

“I was born and raised in Hayward, just 15 minutes southeast of Oakland.” For the first time in my life, I felt alone in this world. I had never known pain until that day. That day was the day of my father’s funeral. That day lead to many more painful days which has shaped so much of my last 11 years on this earth. I was just 13 at the time, still innocent enough to not know the faults and failures of society, yet old enough to realize that I would have to raise myself. My mother could only do so much She was now a single, widowed and a mother of two teenage Black boys. She was always the breadwinner in our family, and she worked long hours to continue to provide after my father passed. There wasn’t a day from age 13 to 20 where I wasn’t on the losing side. Losing faith in God. Losing faith in my so-called friends. Losing faith in myself. Then losing faith in family.

Trauma

I mentioned earlier that we were a family of four. The last of the four was my mom’s other son. The word brother/brudder means something to me. It means that through thick and thin you will be there for me whenever and that you can hold yourself accountable tusk

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“I know that if I don’t do some self-healing of my own, this trauma will consume me.”

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for your actions. As if the loss of my father wasn’t enough, I then lost my sibling to laced drugs in 2013. I was 15 at the time and in my sophomore year at San Lorenzo High School. He was 17 going on 18 in his senior year of high school with a promising future. Prior to that point, he was someone I looked up to. He was someone who I leaned on. Someone who I learned from. That day in September 2013, he left my life as he was beating the shit out of me for reasons I still don’t understand to this day. The next year he stressedmy mom out to the point where she had to be taken to the hospital for a cardiac event. I’m not traumatized from the times he popped my car tire, nor from the time he broke into my room and smashed my personal belongings. I’m traumatized from the multiple times he put his hands on my mother, always because she would refuse to give him more money to spend on drugs. I wish it didn’t take a toll on me. I wish that I didn’t feel like I had to pick up the pieces every time. I wish I didn’t lock myself away in a box in my own home over the last eight years because I could never forgive myself if he caused my mother harm . I wish that this pain would stop following me, but I know that if I don’t do some healing of my own, this trauma will consume me.

Recovery

There are still days where I can’t breathe. I still find myself crying to sleep because I have no one to turn to, and I’m alright with that. I’m quite alright with the fact that no one will fill the hole that was left in my heart from losing my father. More importantly, I’m alright with letting go of my trauma, which is a necessary step in my recovery. My path is far from ordinary. My journey is far from complete. My life is far from perfect, but my story shows that you can pull yourself out of any situation, even if you don’t have a support system. TU SK

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Dress to EXPRESS And for NO ONE else. STORY: Annisa Charles & Jordan Lunasco PHOTO: Elyssa Ruiz, Gianna Horvath, & Alan Bautista DESIGN: Candace Castillo

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Empowered by our clothing, hairstyles and makeup. Ethereal with the way we hold ourselves. Euphoric in the way our outward expressions make us feel. tusk

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Fashion is everything from that scarf you can’t part with... 54

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...to the size of your hoops

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... to the patterns and fabrics you choose.

Fashion is everything you display to the world, saying “this is me.” 58

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Intersectionality:

what is it & how do we use it to our advantage? Do you identify with more than one identity? Are you involved in more than one group or culture? STORY: Alyssa Ortiz PHOTO: Gianna Horvath DESIGN: Emma Rowell

Intersectionality is the understanding that certain aspects of a person’s social and political identities combine to create different modes of discrimination and privilege. It used to be synonymous with the lower class, but now it’s an incredible asset to take back the privilege that we were denied. Coined by Kimberlé W. Crenshaw in 1989, intersectionality was initially used to describe activism for women of color. Truly, the most marginalized groups deal with intersectionality the worst because these groups aren’t considered the norm. Identifying with more than one group deals with more discrimination. Many activists since then have tried to use the term to describe even broader ideas with even more identities intersecting. You’re not just gay, or Black or a woman, but you are a gay, Black woman — a combined level of cultures or groups you identify with. For myself, the complex idea of intersectionality is rooted in being a Latinx woman, in which I aspire to work in a male-dominated field. For me, many people I surround myself with are marginalized groups of people who identify with more than one culture or group. I grew up in a white-dominated city, despite going to diverse schools in my younger years. Representation of women, whether people of color or LGBTQ+, wasn’t prominent growing up and it was clear that we were oppressed.

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As I got older, I began to realize that this was power. It’s powerful to identify with multiple groups. Jacob Fry, a fourth-year communications major with a concentration in entertainment and tourism at CSUF, says he identifies more with his Filipino side and the LGBTQ+ community. “I’ve felt marginalized in both of those groups. I remember feeling like an impostor in Filipino clubs in high school because of my skin color or that I didn’t speak the language. It kind of makes you feel like you’re missing out by not being fully one identity,” Fry said. He says he understood intersectionality late in high school and early in college. He began to learn about his identities and struggled to be confident in who he was. Fry is proud of his multiple identities now, but it took time to get there. “There’s so much to learn and understand, and it makes me proud because it’s who I am,” Fry said. “I get to be apart and relate with so many different groups and people because I understand struggles more than most because of the multiple identities I come from.” He notes progress has occurred for both the Filipino culture and the LGBTQ+ communities.

“Get in touch with your cultures and communities that you feel connected to… It’s important to be proud of who you are, it’s how you become happier,” Fry said. “Just because I understand my identities doesn’t mean other people do. I believe we’re going upwards in the right direction.” Liam Conway, a fourth-year cinema and television arts major, identifies with mostly his Latinx side from his mom and the LGBTQ+ community. “I don’t feel like there’s a lot of Latinx representation in LGBTQ+ community, so I like having the intersectionality so it can teach both cultures about the other,” Conway said. “There’s a lot of toxic masculinity in the Latinx culture, known as Machismo; it’s really hard being criticized by my own family for not being masculine enough.” Conway mentions the benefits of his intersectionality. “The trauma that I’ve seen and been through, it’s led me to become funnier and more empathic as a person. I get to see more stories from people. I can help other people on both sides, like teaching my Latinx family about queer culture, and teaching my queer friends about my grandma and her traditions — it’s nice to do.”

He believes that there isn’t a lot of representation in cinema and television. He explains that there is more representation than there used to be, but there can be a substantial amount of progress to be made and that he hopes to help be the change. “I’m proud of my communities, and I can’t wait to make them proud of me,” Conway said. Like Fry, Conway says that they think progress is being made in understanding intersectionality. However, he says that the older generations are where oppression comes from. “It’s a stereotype, but it’s something I’ve personally seen with my friends and on the news. There’s going to be more representation in the future,” Conway said. “We’re not as marginalized, but there’s room for improvement.” Rooted in marginalization, intersectionality has become prominent in the current generations with multiple mixed communities and cultures. This is a step forward in bringing power to our identities and helping everyone be proud of who they are. You’re not just one thing. You are far more than just that. “I’m very proud to be in these multiple identities,” Conway said. TU SK

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How Students Climb Over The Language Barrier When English isn’t your mother tongue. STORY: Nicole Trinidad PHOTO: Gianna Horvath DESIGN: Liam Aquininog

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For me, growing up in America with two Asian immigrant parents means that I was supposed to achieve their American dream. They probably didn’t anticipate I wouldn’t speak their native language. Even now I continue to navigate my racial identities. For many Asian American children, it is easy to feel shamed by family for not embracing your heritage enough, and by American communities for not assimilating enough. If you need some solace with your mixed identities, this is for you. Here are some Asian-American students who feel the same way.

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Derrick Chong, Japanese Major Derrick Chong, a fifth-year Japanese major, is half Filipino on his mom’s side and half Chinese from his dad’s side. Growing up, he said he identified more with his Filipino culture than his Chinese culture as his dad is not heavily in touch with his culture. His mother, who immigrated from the Philippines, instilled her values and morals in Chong by exposing him to what she experienced such as taking him to a Catholic church, Seafood City — a Filipino supermarket chain and Jollibee — a Filipino food chain. However, as a kid, Chong said he did not have an interest in learning the language or culture and slowly grew out of it. Chong said at one point he felt like he didn’t want to be a part of Filipino culture and just wanted to be seen as American. “I would say my American culture is more valued to me just on the basis of that’s pretty much what turned me into what I am, like more than any of the other cultures that I’m supposed to be from my ethnicity,” Chong said. Growing up in a suburban area with a lack of Asian population made him comfortable with having his own community that doesn’t revolve around his ethnicity. Only when he noticed other Filipino groups and their interactions did he become aware of the distance in his culture. “I do kind of feel like, ‘Did I miss out on something by kind of rejecting it early on?’ But, either way, I’m not the person that likes to look back too much because it’s something that can’t be changed and either way I still have my own group and my own way and culture of fitting in,” Chong said.

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Melanie Nguyen, Business Major

Janelle Viste, Computer Science

Melanie Nguyen, a Vietnamese fourth-year business marketing major who was born and raised in America, said her parents immigrated from Vietnam to America when they were teenagers. Nguyen actually spoke Vietnamese as her primary language to interact with her family and babysitter before starting education.

Janelle Viste is a Filipino thirdyear computer science major whose parents are immigrants from the Philippines. Growing up, their parents valued assimilating them to American culture, more than teaching their native language.

The area she grew up in did not have a large Asian population either, unlike the neighboring city. The distance to get there was short enough for needed supplies and the communities were closely connected, but it was still far enough for her to not be able to relate to that Asian community. “I didn’t want to be different from the kids that I went to school with. So, when I was in elementary school and in middle school, I was really insecure about being Vietnamese,” Nguyen said. Since attending Cal State Fullerton, she has noticed that the Vietnamese students on campus who grew up together from different communities are very close-knit and she said she feels isolated from that. Nguyen commented on the difficulties of her cultural background, being not only Asian but specifically Asian American. She describes it as being an imposter in both categories, not being Asian enough to fit in with Asians or not being American enough to fit in with other Americans. However, she also mentions how there is value in both perspectives. Being the middleman allows her to learn and teach others. “Having the two perspectives, brings up different conversations and brings up different ways where we can connect and gain knowledge from each other, where one person’s experience is not superior to another person’s,” Nguyen said. Now that she has accepted her cultural identity, she thinks about how her experience will affect her own kids someday. She hopes to teach the next generation what it means to be Vietnamese and that it is OK to be different.

It also was not easy for them to learn their language living in an area with a small Asian population. With Viste’s speech impediment and America’s xenophobia on other ethnicities, learning the language was treated as a hindrance. It wasn’t until high school that Viste saw a bigger Asian community and got more involved with their culture. But learning was not easy. “It’s just difficult because when I wanted to start learning more about my culture, it felt like I was an outsider looking in,” Viste said. They often feel like they don’t get to have an opinion about Filipino culture because they don’t speak the language and are not a “real Filipino.” Learning more of the language has caused them to have an internal battle of pride and embarrassment over not already knowing it. However, not knowing the language has not stopped them from seeking to understand more about Filipino culture, its history and current events happening as other ways to be involved. For Viste, whether they know the language or not, Filipino culture is who they are and who they are surrounded by. The language barrier for many people is exactly what it sounds like — a barrier between a person and their culture or their connection to others. But regardless of the added social stigma or how close you are to your roots, it doesn’t change who you are. “No one can ever take away your heritage, your culture. Regardless of whether or not you know how to speak the language,” Viste said. “You are your ethnicity, like I am Filipino. And no one can take that away from me.” TU SK

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Reduce Excess Energy Consumption Don’t get tied up with high utility bills this summer. STORY: Camille Capili PHOTO: Elyssa Ruiz DESIGN: Allison Nishi & Candace Castillo

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In recent years, the danger of climate change has become more apparent. Impact caused by humans has proved to be disruptive to the balance of nature. Energy consumption usually requires nonrenewable resources, which cause several adverse effects to our natural world: water, air, thermal pollution and global warming. Because of the cost to acquire it, energy is a valuable resource that asks for our mindfulness upon usage; the goal is to keep the Earth as green as possible. Here are three alternative everyday choices anyone can make to impact the environment positively.

1. Learn to love LED

LED lights are an energy-efficient light bulb that operates on a few watts of energy. Compared to traditional light bulbs, LED lights can save more electricity and last longer. The lights also remain cool, so they don’t heat up the way old-fashioned lights do — lowering the risk for breakage and flammability. Interestingly, incandescent lights have about 90% of their energy lost as heat instead, which means energy and money are wasted. What can we do about this? Make the switch to LED. The US Department of Energy states that the average household saves about $225 in energy costs per year by using LEDs — think of the number of foodie trips you could have with that money!

If it’s particularly blistering on one summer day, try using a fan or keeping the windows open to let air circulate. Go to your local mall where you can count on the AC to be running, and that way, you can get your steps in, too. If it’s getting a little chilly in December, don’t forget to layer up and find your warmest sweater before switching any thermostat switches. A little bit of cold won’t hurt. It’ll just make the hot cocoa taste that much better!

3. Surprise, vampires ARE real

Don’t be an energy vampire. What’s an energy vampire? Well, first, let me ask you this: in your house, how many electrical appliances do you have plugged in that you aren’t using, like your toaster, electric fan or desk lamp?

Here’s the problem: any electronics plugged in, even when turned off, still leech energy. Energy still leaks, and because it’s not being used, it’s being wasted. This is what we call vampire energy. Vampire energy costs U.S. households an average of $100 per year, according to the US Department of Energy — that’s a whole $100 that could’ve gone to rent! When your phone reaches 100% battery, consider unplugging the charger so that you don’t let this monster degrade the environment or take up your electricity bill. TU SK

2. Don’t go crazy with the AC

Excess usage of your heating and AC hurts the environment due to the sheer amount of energy needed to power them. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, air conditioning costs homeowners about $29 billion annually.

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Five Spots to Decompress on Campus On a campus of 40,000 students, where should you go when you need a moment to yourself? STORY: Stepheny Gehrig PHOTO: Elyssa Ruiz DESIGN: Nicole Eltagonde

Bad days can plague our lives at the worst of times, especially as college students, and being away from your bed can make it even worse. Visiting places where you can space out, bawl or even recharge can help better your day and boost your mood. Knowing the best places to process your day and emotions at Cal State Fullerton can provide a little solace during a hectic day.

Daydreaming

Daydreaming can be the best way to avoid the harshness of reality, and the Arboretum, located near the Anderson Family Field, is a terrific area to let your mind wander. With paths to hike, a lake to reminisce by and a plethora of trees to sit under, students are provided with beautiful sceneries that will fuel many imaginations. Maybe you can find a friend or two with the turtles and ducks that frequent the lake.

Quiet Crying Session

One of my favorite places to have a good cry is in the 7th-floor bathrooms of College Park. The building is out of the way for most students — well, for non-communications majors — so there’s less foot traffic than bathrooms on the main campus. This makes the 7th-floor bathrooms a secluded hideaway when a good silent cry is needed.

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Theatrical Crying

Now, if you’re looking to have a good theatrical cry — with all the works: sobs, wailing and snot — the all-gender bathrooms, located on the southside of the Pollak Library, are the hub. Complete with full-length doors (so shoes can’t be identified) and walls you can dramatically slide down, these bathrooms will have you winning an Oscar for the best breakdown. Although there are more passersby, these bathrooms provide maximum privacy.

Power Nap

Pollak shines again with a perfect spot to nap; the third floor or the quiet floor is the best to catch a quick 20-minute snooze. Furnished with cubicles, comfy chairs and little desks, the third floor is an oasis for students when they need a break.

Deep Sleep

Another one of my favorite spots to knock out is at the Titan Student Union. On the way over to the mammoth, you can find little cushioned chairs in the hallway that are just the right size to kick your legs over the armrest and recharge for an hour. TU SK

Music for Thought Girl, put your records on. Tell me your favorite study song. STORY: Katie Kennedy PHOTO: Gianna Horvath DESIGN: Liam Aquininog

What should you listen to while you are studying? Experts say any music with little to no lyrics is best. Beethoven, Bach and Mozart are excellent choices for concentrating. Low-fi hip-hop and electronic dance music, or EDM, are other options for a night of studying. No matter what music you enjoy, it is likely beneficial to you and your studying habits. Here are five ways music can help you cram for your next exam.

Memorization

Music can help with memorization. According to a 2015 Harvard article, the part of the brain associated with memory is activated while listening to music. Two recent studies found higher test scores for those that spent time listening to music.

Mood

Music puts you in a better mood. According to the Atlanta Institute of Music and Media, a United Kingdom study found music served as a mood boost for those with dementia. Music can also cause the brain to release dopamine. “Research has found that when a subject listens to music that gives them the chills, it triggers a release of dopamine to the brain,” according to an SCL Health article.

Brain Function

Music can increase brain function. According to a USA Today article, “Background music may enhance performance on cognitive tasks.” A past study showed that more test questions were answered correctly while listening to music.

Test Anxiety

If you’re stressed about the exam you’re studying for, try listening to music to ease your mind. Music can cause relief of test anxiety. The USA Today article also stated that one study found music’s effect on anxiety is like the equivalent of getting a massage. Another study found people who listened to calming music while undergoing surgery had lower blood pressure.

Focus

Music can help with focusing. A Stanford study found that “music engages the areas of the brain involved with paying attention.” The research team used brain images of people listening to “short symphonies” and found that music can help with an essential study technique, categorizing information. TU SK

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Perfume Genius: Choose a Fragrance By Your Major STORY: Chloe Hong PHOTO: Elyssa Ruiz DESIGN: Nicole Eltagonde

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Whether you’re majoring in arts or business, selecting a signature scent can be a great way to show people the real you on and off-campus. Here are some fragrance recommendations based on your CSUF college.

College of the Arts

You need a fragrance that will highlight your whimsical sensibilities as a creative. You’re someone who likes thinking outside the box. These unique scents will set you apart from the rest with notes that invoke a heart-pounding adventure. Try: TokyoMilk Wild Whims Parfum or Imaginary Authors O, Unknown!

College of Business & Economics

As someone who understands money, you can appreciate the value of a good investment. Splurge on a scent that matches your expensive taste, and revel in luxury. Try: Gucci Bloom or Creed Aventus

College of Communications

Successful communications majors utilize their people skills and intuitive nature to great effect. You’re someone who understands the power of a good first impression. Purchase a pleasing fragrance to seal the deal.

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Engineering and computer science majors like to make things happen. Pick a smart and practical fragrance that will soothe you while you puzzle over problems. Try: Yardley English Lavender or Manscaped Refined Cologne

College of Health and Human Development

Health and human development majors are concerned with the well-being of others. They should choose a fresh and clean scent that complements but doesn’t distract.

Try: Fresh Fresh Life or L’Artisan Parfumeur Au Bord de L’Eau

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

You’re interested in the world around you.

Pick a fragrance with universally beloved notes, like vanilla. Bonus points if your fragrance has a bit of history.

Try: Elizabeth Arden Red Door or Tubereuse Mona di Orio

Try: Chanel No. 5 Parfum or Calvin Klein Eternity

College of Education

College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Professional yet warm, people majoring in education should pick a scent that matches their desire to teach.

You seek to understand what constitutes the world around us.

Fresh fragrances with apple notes work wonders to put students at ease, while the sweetness keeps people alert in the classroom.

Pick a fragrance that reflects the natural world, whether it contains notes of wood, patchouli, or vetiver.

Try: Dkny Be Delicious or Demeter Golden Delicious

Try: Skylar Willow Woods or Rain Demeter Fragrance TU SK

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We Asked CSUF Students One Question Life as a college student is often a time of confusion, self-doubt, transformation and faking it ‘til you make it. Ironically, in a world full of quick connections, people seem to feel more isolated now than ever before. STORY: Chloe Hong PHOTO: Elyssa Ruiz DESIGN: Emma Rowell

“What’s the most important life lesson you’ve learned so far?” The Answers

“Whether it’s at work or at a club, you should be yourself. I don’t want to fit myself into any stereotypes or categories.” -Brandon Dugas “Everyone walks a different path. I have always been bombarded with opinions on things I should change about myself…This ultimately taught me to value my voice above the voices of others… Their path is theirs, not mine.” -Alex Hernandez “Everything in life is fluid. The metaphor I use is driving. It might seem scary because you don’t know what’s going to happen, but in those moments, I know I’m in control of what path I take and what choices I make. That’s what it feels like to trust yourself. In life, whenever you make a decision, the world isn’t going to end. It’s just going to change.” -Melanie Ngyuen

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“Everything happens for a reason. Life is too short for regrets. No matter what decisions we make in life, it will all work out in some way, shape, or form. Be brave and make confident decisions!” -Layla Elefante “Know your value. Life is going to have more doors open for you than closed, and it might be tempting to settle, but do not settle. If you know what you’re worth then you can say no confidently, and know something better is coming.” -Jessica Nordell “It’s not my job to fix other people. I want to be there for others as much as I can, but it is also important that I am there for myself as well. It’s a wonderful thing to be able to support your friends and family, and know that loving them and being present for them is good enough!” -Marissa Mandoki

“Even if you fail, you have to keep trying. Failing something is a first attempt in learning something new. It’s all a part of the process and a natural part of success.” -Jayden Tedtaotao TU SK

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Join Tusk We’re always looking for skilledwriters editors, designers, photographers, web producers, multimedia editors, and event planners. Two COMM courses are responsible for creating Tusk. Students gain valuable experience working in niche publishing while producing evergreen stories without hard news pegs. If you join Tusk, you can expect to develop a professional portfolio that will help you land a job in the magazine industry and beyond. Participation in Tusk requires advisor approval. Please e-mail Dr. Chelsea Reynolds at chreynolds@fullerton.edu for an application.

Advanced Magazine Article Writing: COMM 437 (Fall) Learn how to create engaging editorial content for magazines, from best-of-lists and reviews, to features and profiles, you’ll cultivate writing skills and flex your creativity as you learn about the magazine industry and report on the CSUF community.

Magazine Editing and Production: COMM 434 (Spring) Gain Valuable hands-on experience in this magazine production course. Whether you are a designer, photographer, videographer, editor, or even an event planner, we have a place for you in producing our web content and annual print magazine.

Models Liane Brown Thaies Milla Quezada-Deda Sammie Hughes Leejae Aquininog Hannah Jang Katie Swenson Mikaela Kozelchik Lauren Nadal Alexa Kovacs Gianna Horvath Jorge Amador Gonzalez William Henry Fitzpatrick Malena Weiseth Elijah McCoy Liam Aquininog Tony Vera Eliana Flores Jordan Lunasco Emma Rowell Caleb Weiseth Bennett Hawkins

Funding California State University, Fullerton Department of Communications and Instructionally Related Activities Fee (IRA)

tusk

SPRING 2022

tusk

SPRING 2022 77

tuskmagazine.org

Tusk Magazine 2022

Articles inside

We Asked CSUF Students One Question

Music For Thought

Five Spots To Decompress on Campus

Cut Excess Energy Consumption

Fragrance Recs. Based on Your College

Climb Over the Language Barrier

Intersectionality

Black Voices: Ross Blanton

Grindr

Black Voices Introduction

Poem: A Letter, A Plea, A Place To Breathe

Exploring Bisexuality While in a Relationship 38 Before Your Gynecology Exam

What the Douche?

Black Voices: Angela Davis on Campus

Asexuality in a Sex Obsessed Society

Mindfulness

Three Aloe Vera Remedies for Skin and Hair

Cancer Strengthened My Faith

Energy Cleansing: Based on our Cultures

Drunken Cake Pops

This Story is SPAM

Live Your Fantasies: Requiem Coffee

Step into the Dark Side: Shadow Work