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ARONNE CHAN / THE HIGHLANDER
Tying the Knot: What’s the cost? News
THE AVERAGE WEDDING IN THE U.S. COSTS BETWEEN $28,779 TO $35,175.
SENNA OMAR Editor-in-Chief
Marketed as the “happiest day of your life,” weddings have also earned the reputation as some of the most costly events in someone’s life. According to the Wedding Report, pricing for these ceremonies averages anywhere between $28,779 to $35,175, depending on the location, number of guests and contracted vendors.
Similar studies by The Knot revealed that the 2023 average cost of a wedding in the United States was $35,000, a $5,000 increase from their 2022 study. Researchers attributed this to nationwide inflation, leading to an increase in prices in the whole wedding industry.
Despite the high average costs of weddings, three in four couples reported spending less than $20,000 on their weddings, and historically the median price of a wedding has hovered between $10,000 to $15,000.
Both The Knot and the Wedding Report agree that location and the number of guests are the largest price determinants of wedding planning. Weddings located in Los Angeles (LA) and New York showed significantly higher prices than those in more rural towns and states.
According to The Knot, New Jersey is the most expensive state to have a wedding in, averaging at $55,000. Weddings in California average
at $41,000, with prices increasing in major cities like LA, where wedding prices average between $62,948 and $76,936.
The cost per-wedding guest in 2023 was approximately $304, an increase from the $256 average in 2022. According to The Knot, guests are the biggest factors in determining how much a couple will spend on a wedding — essentially the more guests the more expensive the event. Weddings with one to 50 guests cost on average $16,700 while weddings with 200 people attending typically cost around $60,800.
Although averages paint a picture of what couples can typically expect to spend on a wedding, according to The Knot, final pricing is typically dependent on the “guest count, number and types of venues, length of the wedding, types of service, number of vendors, etc.”
Couples typically hire an average of 14 vendors for their wedding day; the more vendors hired, the more a couple can look to spend on their big day.
An internal study of nearly 10,00 couples by The Knot found that the average cost of a wedding venue in 2023 was $12,800 — meaning, couples typically devote 40 percent of their overall
wedding budget to the venue. Pricing of the venue is dependent on location as well as add-ons offered by the venue that could increase the cost of the venue but decrease overall wedding costs.
The Wedding Report had similar findings, showing that the average price of a venue for a wedding with 100 to 150 guests is $13,039 to $15,937.
Food and beverages are often some of the most important parts of planning a wedding. Pricing of food depends on the route or company couples choose to take, however, the Knot study found that the average price of catering was $86 per guest. The more guests at a ceremony, the more expensive food will be.
Many couples choose to have music at their reception, and pricing is dependent on the options they choose. Although each live band has their own rates, typically a live wedding band costs an average of $4,300. For a cheaper option, many couples may opt to use a DJ — the average price of booking a wedding DJ is $1,700.
Most newly weds see photographers as a must have for the big day. Wedding photographer pricing typically depends on the vendor and services offered, with the general price of wedding photographers landing
at around $2,900.
While photographers capture stills, a lot of couples also look to document their wedding day on film. Videography is the eighth highest wedding expense, averaging at $2,300.
Whether they be decorative, or a part of the bridal bouquet, flowers are another big ticket expense couples can look forward to spending on their wedding. The Knot found that the average price of wedding florists in 2023 was $2,800.
Additional expenses couples can expect to incur when planning their wedding include:
Wedding cake: averaging at $540
Event planners: averaging at $2,100
Wedding rings: averaging at $5,500
Couples attire: averaging at $2,000
Hair and makeup: averaging at $500
Event rentals: averaging at $2,000
Lighting and decorations: averaging at $1,900
Transportation: averaging at $1,100
Invitations: averaging at $530
Wedding favors: averaging at $450
All pricing is average, which can be skewed by a small amount of extremely high or extremely low values. Pricing for each service is dependent on the rates of
“Viva la Raza!”
PROTESTERS GATHERED AT UCR TO ADVOCATE FOR IMMIGRANT RIGHTS.
Hundreds of protestors came together in solidarity to advocate for immigrant rights on the University of California, Riverside’s (UCR) campus on Feb. 3, 2025. Plans for organization regarding the protest circulated on various social media platforms such as Reddit and Snapchat days before the event, and ended up garnering enough attention for various students to show up in support.
The protest sparked up with an opening statement in which a few dozen people rallied, “Say it loud, say it clear! Immigrants are welcome here!” Various individuals held up signs with statements such as “Viva la Raza!” and “School is for Education not Deportation.” The crowd then departed to go around campus and continue gathering support for their cause.
As they made their rounds around the Highlander Union Building (HUB), Hinderaker Hall, the front of the Student Success Center (SSC) and even back towards Life Sciences, students would pop their heads out of classes and join in on the protest. Various organizations independent of the protest also came in support. One such organization gathered signatures for a “Petition to Fair and Just Immigration,” in which they “urge[d] all UCR academic faculty to uphold the demands, or therefore negotiate with representatives, on behalf of students here in UCR for greater protections urging California leaders, and pressuring Senate and House representatives to hear the UC student’s demands.”
With the protest being an entirely communitybased effort, there was no singular organization or individual arranging the event. Rather, various people took initiative at different parts of the protest to lead and guide the crowd in their chants and mission of spreading awareness to UCR’s community about issues that the nation is facing in regards to immigration. During the duration of the protest, student
representatives and leaders from Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlan (MECHA), Providing Opportunities, Dreams, and Education in Riverside (PODER) and Associated Students of UCR (ASUCR) External were present. These representatives guided the crowd along to ensure they adhered to UCR’s policies and to make sure the protest would not get shut down.
As the protest came to a close, the crowd congregated around the Bell Tower for closing remarks. One student representative shared, “We want to thank y’all for coming out. We appreciate your collaboration in this movimiento again. We want to make it clear that we did not organize this y’all did.”
Leah, one of the individuals who stepped up during the protest, took the time to remind the crowd that “[this is] just the start! This better not be the end.” She further remarked, “I love seeing everybody here” and she urged everyone to remember “what you’re protesting for.”
One of the main points that was repeated throughout the entirety of the protest is that people were not out there fighting only for themselves, but also for those around them and their families. Another speaker towards the end of the protest exclaimed, “This country doesn’t promise the American dream I believe in” and that “America was built on the back of immigrants.” The final speaker concluded the gathering by reminding the crowd to “show them who the real patriots are.”
Before dispersing for the day, one last chant echoed throughout the gathering space, with a small group of students leading it in the center asking, “Who is the resistancia?” and the crowd responded with “We are the resistancia!” At the end of the protest, part of the group continued to the front of the UC Police Department in order to peacefully hold up signs and spread awareness to those driving past the front of campus.
Levi, a first-year pre-business major, came out to the protest for a multitude of reasons. They shared, “I have a lot of friends who are supporting this and I have relatives who have gone through stuff regarding this, so I wanted to come out and support. I think undocumented students deserve the right to be here, they came out here for a chance, and they deserve that chance. Just because someone’s bias and discrimination comes into play, that doesn’t mean that they don’t deserve an equal chance.”
Another anonymous student shared that they were out protesting in representation of their “undocumented, hard-working parents.” They shared that their parents immigrated to the United States gave them the chance to come study at college, and that they are spreading the word for undocumented rights in place of those who are unable to do so themselves.
MATA ELANGOVAN Managing Editor
DANIELA CRUZ / THE HIGHLANDER
Outreach, planning, and connections: the beginnings of a SASC at UCR
Progress towards the creation of a South Asian Student Center at UCR.
After pushes from the University of California, Riverside’s (UCR) South Asian community, the Associated Students of UCR (ASUCR) officially acknowledged the need for a South Asian Student Center (SASC) on campus. This year, steps have been taken to begin the process of creating this affinity space to represent the South Asian population on UCR’s campus, providing them with specialized services and staffing.
Organizations, such as UCR’s South Asian Federation (SAF), have been working in collaboration with ASUCR to draft a proposal to present to administration. This proposal is meant to be “data-driven,” presenting the administrators with quantitative and qualitative demand for the center.
Vice President of Finance Cooper Kumar explained one of the ways organizers such as himself, College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) Senator Vinisha Lalli, CNAS Senator Jeevan Rao and many more have attempted to develop such a proposal. By sending out a survey last year, they were able to inquire if students would be interested in such a center and what
they would like to see once created.
As of Feb. 9, the survey currently has 300 responses and counting as ASUCR and SAF continue their joint tabling sessions. Kumar explained that during the winter quarter is when the project plans to do most of its outreach efforts. They are attempting to gather up to 500-600 responses to gather as much data as possible and present a strong proposal to administration.
Kumar described how fall quarter’s efforts centered around “planning and administration measures” saying that “we were kind of structuring in what way we wanted to conduct our data collection methods, conduct our project overall, in general, which included promoting the survey very frequently.” He noted that one of their most significant influences in planning was Middle Eastern Student Center Director Gina Waneis, who explained to him the lengthy process of creating the Middle Eastern Student Center (MESC) at UCR. She emphasized heavily that it took a great deal of advocacy over 10 years for the creation of a Middle Eastern Student Center to come to fruition.
Outreach, however, not only
refers to tabling and contacting students but also within administration. Kumar further elaborated, “We’re looking to outreach to number one, Tony Jimenez. He’s the Associate Dean of Students, or student affairs. He’s one of the admin officials that more directly oversees Costo Hall, second one we’re looking at targeting our outreach with the APSP director Billy Caganap. We want to gain further insights into how South Asian students are currently represented in these spaces, and what that infrastructure, and I guess usage of those resources looks like right now. And then finally, we want to reach out to a lot of the faculty and staff that may potentially be in support of such a center, particularly those in the Ethnic Studies Department, just again, to kind of ramp up what level we’re at with our advocacy and gain that like more because more structured support, because they’re kind of like admin or admin as they’re there. It’s beyond students. We want to make this very collaborative.”
These connections would “expand the advocacy base” of the causes as well as strengthen rela-
tions with administration and faculty. Kumar, Lalli and others plan to use spring quarter to gather student testimonials to add to the proposal pushing its overall presentation likely to fall quarter 2025. CNAS Senator Lalli described joint centers such as South Asian and Middle Eastern Student Centers in schools like UC Berkeley and UC San Diego.
According to survey responses, though students of South Asian heritage are hoping for programs such as cultural events and mental health resources, they have expressed the most need for a physical space on campus that represents their identity. Lalli explains that this is because they are “bundled up between two different centers right now. I think having their own center, like, focusing on our community issues is very important too, because we have different stuff in our community that we go through.” She explained further that having a physical space on campus often emboldens and empowers students to advocate for issues concerning their community, such as microaggressions regarding skin color, food and image.
SANJANA THATTE/ THE HIGHLANDER
SANJANA THATTE News Editor
Physiology and demography: ethnicity and health in college students
The 3E study has come to UCR to understand how student backgrounds relate to physical health during their time in university
SANJANA THATTE
News Editor
The Economic and Educational Contributions to Emerging Adults’ Cardiometabolic Health (3E) Study was created to understand the “social determinants of cardio metabolic health in college students.” Initiated in 2023 by Dr. Allison Cohen — Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and Associate Professor of Psychology at Fordham University — this study particularly examines the cardio-health of Hispanic students’ throughout their time in college.
To understand the factors impacting the physical health of students, the study examines socioeconomic status, race, gender, family, background, education, as well as aspects of everyday lives such as work-life balance and mental health. Once registered for the study, students are given a survey to fill out all of their demographic information, and then visit the lab to measure “physical parameters” such as body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, blood pressure and heart rate. Once student data is logged, they are invited back again after another six months to a year
to collect the same information and take the survey again. Depending on if the students continue their assessments after their first sessions, the study could measure students’ health over the course of their undergraduate career.
UC Riverside (UCR), because of their high Hispanic student population has become a location for the study. Dr. Robert Ream — a dean for the School of Education — currently oversees the project at the UCR location. Initially conducted in Northern California, the 3E study was conducted in California State University, East Bay for the same reason. The 3E study has managed to gather some preliminary results on this target demographic, finding further evidence supporting that Latina women are at higher risk for developing eating disorders in college.
Omisha Sangani, an undergraduate researcher, explains that one of the biggest misunderstandings about a study like the 3E study is that things “aren’t as simple as they seem, and we really have to look into all of these factors.” She explains that many within
the 3E study are trying to do sub-studies involving talking more with the students and asking them to explain their experiences to avoid assumptions regarding the data.
Though research done by the 3E study has yet to be fully analyzed, one of the early buffers against poor physiological and mental health that the 3E study has identified is having a mentor. Sangani explains that students who reported being very satisfied with their mentors were also significantly correlated with reduced anxiety, stress and depression. Interpersonal relationships and having a sense of community are known to increase a sense of mental well-being, and because of this, the 3E study gives those who participate in the study the opportunity to be mentored by a graduate student.
Sangani explains that the institutional impacts of the study’s research will likely have to do with establishing more mentoring programs in universities as well as making resources for different demographics, such as first generation students more accessible.
COURTESY OF 3E STUDY
Executive Director looks to future of ASUCR
New initiatives for training, leadership development and growth for the
2025 to 2026
academic year.
DINARA GODAGE Assistant News Editor
At the sixth Associated Students of the University of California Riverside (ASUCR) Senate meeting, Executive Director (ED) Asha Nettle gave her winter quarter report and two senate legislations were passed.
ED Nettle began her report detailing new student leader initiatives. During this upcoming summer, she plans to unveil student development outcomes to the next generation of ASUCR student staff.
For the upcoming academic year, ED Nettles seeks to include a variation in the summer training by hosting a retreat and online and in-person training. Additionally, she plans to obtain badges for students to use on LinkedIn after completing various trainings, such as the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Peer Educator Training and Leadership Circle.
She then moves on to the operations report. Going forward, ASUCR will transition to utilizing JotForm rather than DocuSign and Google Form to keep a seamless single platform. They will be testing this out internally during this winter quarter, then to expand further by using it with some select student groups in the spring quarter of 2025. Finally, she hopes to expand it to have upcoming ASUCR student staff be fully trained on it during the summer.
Following this, ED Nettles moved to the fi-
nances portion of the report. Previously, there had been two requests for special reserve funds, however, the professional staff were able to retract the second request and be under budget with the first request.
This fund will be utilized for refurbishing the ASUCR office. With a focus on accessibility and student use, the new components of the office will be the Senate lounge, Student Conference table, the front desk and Accounting suite. ED Nettles is still awaiting the delivery schedule.
A previous reserve request that has now been completed is the purchase of a new ASUCR golf cart.
Looking to the future, ED Nettles hopes to increase the use of special reserve funds and announces that student organizations have the highest allocations and expenses thus far.
Her final segment of the report focused on strategic planning and assessment. Her first goal is to elevate the student experience, specifically by “develop[ing] and refin[ing] opportunities for campus-wide student engagement through ASUCR programs and services.”
She hopes to accomplish this by focusing the planning for a diverse community and increasing the sense of belonging, promoting student engagement, having an inclusive recruitment method for getting students involved and
“promot[ing] civic and democratic engagement and social responsibility.”
Another goal for the upcoming terms is to increase and strengthen the ASUCR brand. She believes that by doing this, there can be increased strength in the role of student government on campus, help build relationships with campus partners that could lead to collaborations, build overall brand awareness and sustain organizational sustainability and longevity.
Along with this report, a Senate Resolution and Senate Bill were both approved. The Senate Resolution, SR-W25-002, addresses the inauguration. The resolution entails various new policies and ideas of the Trump Administration and explains how these policies impact the UCR community.
The Senate Bill, SB-F24-002, was from the previous quarter and is about making the Executive Fellowship Director (EFD) position a stipend position. This motion was approved by the Senate 15-0-0, so now EFD Ian Tjan will be provided a stipend of $90 a month.
The following Senators were excused from attending: College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Senator Keaton Bunker, School of Business Senator Dhruv Patel and School of Public Policy Senator Sofia Jimenez.
Trump’s meeting with Netanyahu proves that the Nakba never ended
Displacement and genocide
SENNA OMAR Editor-in-Chief
Every day Palestinians witness the American government finance their death and displacement; further shrinking their homeland. Since 1917, powerful white politicians in power have orchestrated the mass displacement and death of hundreds of millions of Palestinian men, women and children at the expense of American taxpayers.
During his first foreign meeting of his second term, President Donald J. Trump held a press conference with war criminal and genocidal maniac Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This conference was in the backdrop of a Bidennegotiated ceasefire agreement that ended over 470 days of consecutive bombing, killing and displacement of Palestinians from their homes.
With Netanyahu — called “Bibi” during the press conference by his friend, President Trump — by his side, Trump has proposed a shameful plan to kick all of the Palestinians out of Gaza into neighboring Arab countries and turn Gaza into vacation homes.
Bibi is currently wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes committed against Palestinians. But alas, the President does not recognize the ICC’s authority and believes that the over 46,000 Palestinian men, women and children murdered by Israel are not proof enough for the crimes Israel has committed.
At the beginning of the conference, President Trump boasted a list of so-called wins he orchestrated between the United States (U.S.) and Israel during his previous term. From naming Jerusalem (al-Quds) — one of the oldest Palestinian cities — as the capital of Israel, to recognizing “Israel sovereignty over the Syrian Golan Heights,” President Trump really could not do enough for his pal Bibi.
In fact, Bibi praised Trump, calling him the “greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House,” a statement that has proven true. One of many so-called accolades for Israel that Bibi bragged about was Trump’s withdrawal from the United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA) — a UN organization specifically designed to aid Palestinian refugees. During his second term in office, Trump has done nothing
are on the dime of the American taxpayer.
but continue to grow his laundry list of atrocities against Palestinian and minority communities alike, further solidifying his allegiance to Israel.
Trump’s proposal to “clean out” Gaza, and move the over two million Palestinians to neighboring countries like Egypt or Jordan is clearly a fast track effort to ethnically cleanse Gaza. Calling Gaza a “demolition site,” President Trump largely ignored his country’s extreme involvement and aid in financing this genocide. The destruction and death in Gaza would not have been possible without the U.S. $17.9 billion in military aid to Israel.
Israel’s entire occupation of Palestine is illegal under international law. Their egregious and continuous violations of international law are not only encouraged, but also funded by U.S. lawmakers. Every single American presidential administration has stood ten toes down in support of the ethnic cleansing and genocide of Palestinians — what a shame it is to be American.
Trump’s Gaza takeover is just the latest of many plans by imperialist powers to further control Palestine, but the will of the people has proven more powerful than the colonizer. Palestinians have demonstrated their resilience, and with every attempt to steal their land, they will come back standing deeper in their roots.
Gazans will rebuild their homes on their land and no one — not Bibi Netanyahu nor President Trump — have the right to take their homes away. Over 60 percent of the Gazan population are refugees from other Palestinian cities displaced in 1948 or 1967. Whether it be generational or first-hand, this would be the fourth time that this section of the Palestinian population has experienced displacement and ethnic cleansing.
If Trump is successful, the explosion of over 2 million Palestinian men, women and children to neighboring countries who do not want them will largely resemble the first Nakba. The Nakba — which translates to “catastrophe” — refers to the mass displacement and refugedom of millions of Palestinians between 1947 to 1948 by Zionists, who forcibly seized approximately 80 percent of all Palestinian land.
Every day, Israel steals more and more land
from Palestinians living under occupation to expand their hundreds of Jewish-exclusive colonies. Palestinians are continuously subjected to more military violence, settler violence, home demolition, arbitrary arrests, displacement and death.
Palestinians do not even have the right to free movement in their own homeland, and are forced to obtain permits from Israel and go through hundreds of checkpoints to travel anywhere. Attempting to cross these checkpoints is usually a laborious affair, incurring extremely long lines, overpacked waiting rooms and abuse from the Israeli border police. This system of apartheid — segregation on the basis of race — is designed to make life for Palestinians as difficult and unbearable as possible.
It is disgraceful that the U.S. government plans to continue the cycle of mass displacement of Palestinians. Relocating all of Gaza’s population to neighboring Arab countries would be a clear win for white supremacy and colonialism, demonstrating just how much the world, voters and especially American lawmakers have failed the Palestinian people.
As Israel continues to oppress and dispossess Palestinians, it is clear that the Nakba did not end in 1948.
From the river to the sea, in this lifetime Palestine will be free.
ADELIA URENA/ THE HIGHLANDER
UCR students share their thoughts on Valentine’s Day
FROM ROMANTIC GESTURES TO ABSOLUTE DISINTEREST, UCR STUDENTS GIVE THEIR TAKES ON WHAT CELEBRATING VALENTINE’S DAY MEANS TO THEM.
Love it or hate it, Valentine’s Day is one of the most talked-about holidays of the year. Despite being the month of love, February can be filled with miscommunication and mixed emotions.
Everyone has different expectations for their Valen-
tine’s Day. While some may have fun-filled Galentines or romantic dates, others might spend the entire month dreading the arrival of this celebration and sighing with relief when it passes.
This February, the Highlander decided to speak with
the University of California, Riverside (UCR) students about their expectations for Valentine’s Day and what this celebration should truly entail.
Who should be expected to plan and pay for Valentine’s Day?
The man. I kinda like the idea of switching off each year because not everyone is dating a man but I think if you’re dating a man, the man should pay.”
August Warmerdam, Education, Second year (she/her)
I think it already is [recognizing friendship and self-love]. I think it depends on the person and how they choose to celebrate it. I do celebrate Valentine’s Day with my friends and we do a Galentine’s so I think it’s just up to the individual.”
In my opinion, I think the man would pay but it depends on the type of relationship. In my relationship, I’m the one [who pays].”
In my relationship, me and my boyfriend kind of split it, but he does more of the planning. If there’s ever a time to pay or do anything special for him, I will always do that.”
I think it could be both [about romantic and self-love]. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. It’s really based on how you choose to go about it. I think Valentine’s Day is a day of love. So whether you love your boyfriend or your significant other, your friends or you love your parents, it really is a day to show love — which should be everyday.”
My ideal way of spending Valentine’s Day is spending it with my best friend because it’s her birthday on Valentine’s Day. I think she is the embodiment of love so every Valentine’s Day, whether I’m single or with someone, it’s her day.”
Honestly, I love sunsets so anywhere that has a sunset is my ideal Valentine’s Day. So if that day has a beautiful sunset I would want to celebrate at the beach, even though I don’t like beaches. I only go for the view. Just a nice view and a picnic, with flowers, and the little question asking to be my Valentine. I mean I would like the question to be asked before but if it happens that would be nice. And definitely some good food because I’m a foodie.”
Should Valentine’s Day be more inclusive and recognize friendship and self-love? What’s your ideal way to spend Valentine’s
Yes, Valentine’s Day can and should be more inclusive because I feel like at this point it’s just a day to celebrate love in general as opposed to celebrating couples or love between romantic partners. It’s always nice to show your love to those you care about such as yourself and your friends. I feel like it’s a good reminder to … not be so materialistic [about] expressing your love, but knowing that you can express your love in many different ways … and to many different individuals, including yourself.”
My ideal Valentine’s Day is to stay inside and not talk to anyone.”
■ H
Jennifer Ibarra, Education and Liberal Studies, Fourth year (she/her)
Alfred Ohanyan, Economics, Third year (he/him)
Neenah Sy, Biology, Fourth year (she/her)
Rishitha Krishnakumar, Biochemistry and Neuroscience, Third year (she/her)
Waha Suhir, Pre-Business, First year (she/her)
Leila Haidar, Biology, Third year (she/her)
Lissette Castro Merida, Latin American Studies and Education, Fourth year (she/her
David Campos, Mathematics, Fourth year (he/him)
Rising to prominence over the last few years, situationships have taken the modern dating world by storm. First coined in 2017 by Carina Hsieh, a social media influencer, she described situationships as “a hookup with emotional benefits” — a distinct definition from other relationship labels like “friends with benefits” or a “hookup.” Now, with how noncommittal a situationship is, boundaries remain unclear as to whether or not you take your not so special someone out for Valentine’s Day.
Modern dating culture, for lack of better words, seems rather dull and disappointing to me. As a child, I read stories such as “Redwall” and “The Mistmantle Chronicles,” basking in the idea of a romance that is pure-hearted, gentle and built on mutual respect. I wanted love that was not overly dramatic or passionate, but rather sweet and natural, with a foundation lying in deep friendship and shared values. However, I would be sheltered to say that finding an idealistic love such as this is simple in today’s society.
No matter who I meet, and no matter what relationships I bear witness to, I seldom find a bond like the ones in the stories from my childhood. With dating apps and hookup culture becoming more and more common, romance often feels more transactional rather
This Valentine’s Day, Bring Back Courting
Hookup culture and dating apps have killed romance.
than focusing on an emotional connection. In discussions with my peers, it often seems like there is a checklist of character traits someone must possess before they consider going on a date with them.
This is disappointing to me as I cannot imagine a relationship that is not built on the foundation of a friendship. While I understand not everyone is looking for a long-term committed relationship, I do not understand why they choose to rush into things without looking for compatibility. This is where situationships begin to look a little tricky to me since these relationships often have an underlying layer of emotional attachment to the other person that is not addressed, often out of fear of making it too serious as a result.
MAIN ST
think should accompany this open communication is the act of courting — the complete opposite of what a situationship is. Courting is about serious commitment, emphasizing oldfashioned values like respect and patience and often having conversations to determine long-term compatibility. While traditional courtship models have a heteropatriarchal lens attached to them, they can be easily adjusted to the modern era. For instance, having close friends and loved ones play a guiding role in the relationship is a practical courtship tradition. But to adapt this practice to modern times, family and friends can provide meaningful advice rather than throwing an iron-clad fist.
long-term connection, but are too afraid of losing the meager relationship that they have with their person of interest. Clearly, there is safety to be found in the vague and unknown. And just maybe, there might be something thrilling about being in the whole “will they, won’t they?” dynamic.
However, it seems to be crashing and burning during Valentine’s season. The thrill found in stolen moments and deep conversations without the weight of commitment on shoulders now transform into unspoken expectations. The best thing to do for this holiday is to establish boundaries and expectations.
One component that should be prioritized in any relationship — whether it be a friendship, situationship or romantic relationship — is communication. This is the backbone of any healthy relationship, and without communication comes misunderstandings, resentment and emotional build-up. Even hook-ups and friends with benefits can profit from open communication, as it can help prevent unnecessary arguments and resolve conflicts before they escalate.
ORANGE ST
Emotions are fragile. It is important to take care not only of your partner’s needs and emotional well-being, but also your own. Courting is one of the best methods to test that pushpull dynamism that people look for in relationships. Taking the time to truly look into someone’s character and values helps minimize the risk of emotional hurt while also providing you the time to consider if this is someone you would want to get into a romantic relationship with.
Something that I personally
This is what I think is missing from most situationships. Most people in my life who are in a situationship are seeking that
A situationship may be a lowstakes kind of thing from the outside, but it can easily lead to hurt feelings. This Valentine’s, hit up your situationship and ask the horrible, horrible question of “What are we?” Figuring out where you stand in your relationship will lead to deeper introspection for yourself and your relationships. Maybe the other person does not want something long-term and just wants to have fun and you don’t want that type of relationship. Maybe it all works out in the end and the two of you want the same thing. But, you never know until you share your expectations and establish an open line of communication.
MATA ELANGOVAN Managing Editor
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Features Scotty-Scopes:
All you need is love
Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22): Strength
It takes courage and strength to show your emotions. I know it might be scary, but people will appreciate you sharing what you feel.
Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19): Five of Swords
Ask yourself if winning this fight or maintaining a healthy relationship is more worth it to you. If it’s the first, maybe re-evaluate. And if it’s the second, focus on making amends and letting go of resentment.
Aries (March 21 – April 19): Three of Pentacles
You don’t have to go through this life alone, Aries. Let the people in your life who care about you love you to the fullest extent that they are willing to give.
Cancer (June 21 – July 22): The Emperor
You’re taking on too dominant of a role in your relationship. Sit back and see what side your partner will show you if you aren’t the one always reaching out first.
PREDICTIONS FOR YOUR VALENTINE’S DAY.
Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21): The Devil
Scorpio, don’t get too attached to your specific idea of what you think this Valentine’s Day “should” look like. All that matters is spending time with the one you love.
Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18): Eight of Wands
Think about how deep your love is, Aquarius. You like to move at a fast pace in all aspects of your life, but make sure that you’re not moving so fast that you miss what’s right in front of you.
Taurus (April 20 – May 20): Ace of
You clearly missed a wonderful opportunity. Your lack of foresight and chillness about the matter has seriously cost you, so do everything you can to get them back.
Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22): Eight of Pentacles
You have mastered how to show affection in every love language, Leo. Use your skills and really woo who you want this Valentine’s Day.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22 – Dec. 21):
Don’t let your ego get in the way of your romantic relationships. It’s awesome that you are filled with self confidence and want to be recognized publicly, but make sure you’re lifting up your loved one, too.
Pisces (Feb. 19 – March 20):
Your emotions are as dry as the Sahara Desert. You need to focus on connecting to the loved ones around you, because if you don’t reciprocate their energy, one day they’ll stop giving it to you.
Gemini (May 21 – June 20): Three of Wands
You’re playing it small, Gemini. The person you’re after is looking for a grand show of affection, so don’t disappoint them.
Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22):
Be creative in how you express love this holiday. Don’t be confined to only expressing romantic love; make sure you’re showing love platonically, too.
Six of Wands
The Well
Pentacles
The Artist
NATALIE DAHL Features Editor
VALENTINE’S GRAMS
J. I’ve been dying to admit this to you for forever, and I’m tired of being subtle.
Within the silence of your absence, your presence lingers with love. Your gentle voice is a constant reminder of the solace I find in you. With you, everything feels alive, infinite, and complete. This Valentine’s Day, I hold our love even closer. My gratitude continues to grow endlessly—for the love we share and the days ahead. Loving you is my constant,
Hibeautiful.Youtrulyhavethe best it could have been. WithoutyouIdon’tknowwhereI would be: my heart goes out to you every single day. There is no person I would rather be with than you. Love u lici.
Hola hola! Feliz dia del amor y la amistad quiero que sepas que aprecio todo tu trabajo y tu esfuerzo <3 Gracias por estar alli en cada momento que te necesito :,) siempre me escuchas.. me encanta hacerte reir jaja. Cuando me gradúe de UCR vamos a seguir gozando de la vida y a echarle ganas! Eres lo MAXIMO :) Te quiero de hasta la luna y para tras… muah
i love you, honey <3
To my my dearest sister ��,I know you read the issues so hopefully this message reaches you. Happy Valentines, to all three of our sister love and to you especially as our oldest, without you I wouldn’t have had an idea of what a good role model is to our youngest sister and have the same strength in life that we do now. Stay strong, remember you’re loved and move forward we know you can do it.
Happy Valentine’s Day pookie ! Thank you for these amaz- ing 3 years here at UCR I couldn’t have gotten up to here without you. I can’t wait for the next few years
To my Mami, My forever val entine. I love you endlessly and for forever. You will always have my heart and I will always have yours. Love, your Isabella.
No matter your words, like the tide, I return // We’re parted for now, in time, we fix broken parts // Rere ascends in your warmth, a beacon guiding me on // One day we’ll stand again iA, hearts healed, promises fulfilled - rere
Gabriel!HappyValentinesDay thingYoumeaneveryto me - Alicia Rosales
Hi Jake! I just wanted to say how proud I am of you and all of your hard work and accomplishments. I love you!! <3 - Tori M
Thoughtful Izze Darling Dearest, you have become a constant source of love, light, and wisdom in my life. You are a big nerd. I’m so proud of you for working so hard every day and I love that we share a stupid sense of humor despite how smart you are. Uhhhh what else… hmmmpphh…. I love you. Meow meow meow. This is the end of my very important message.
- Charlie Swain My precious and patient Pabloshko, our connection feels older and deeper than this lifetime, mysterious. It
- Cinthia M
NORM’S NOOK SPOTLIGHT
Philip Brett Memorial Peace Garden
A taste of tranquility and a serene ambiance doesn’t go without mentioning the Philip Brett Memorial Peace Garden, also recognized as the Japanese Memorial Garden. The University of California, Riverside (UCR) caters much of its time acknowledging the impact of many of its esteemed faculty members, one of which is musician and Music Department Professor, Philip Brett. Brett’s 10-year presence, from 1991 to 2001, at UCR delivered a decade of impact to the Music Department; he converged LGBTQ+ studies and musicology, and further being a major contributor to the creation of the Arts Building as the Associate Dean of the Arts. Given his extensive dedication to UCR’s community of students and faculty, and his love for gardening, the Music Department dedicated a Japanese style garden in his honor. The garden takes after
a traditional Japanese dry garden, featuring a wooden bench, bamboo garden, a small stone temple and stone tiles that invite you into the garden itself. The garden is made to capture the image of a waterfall and a stream, a design made to honor the music programs’ ever-prospering presence for generations.
STUDENT POLL
QUESTION: What is something that will never fail to make you feel loved, no matter the day?
Answer our weekly question on the Highlander Instagram for the opportunity to get featured in the next issue!
When someone says,
GABRIELA GALVAN
Assistant Features Editor
Carlie S.
GRAPHICS BY LAYNA LAPIKAS / THE HIGHLANDER
STAR-CROSSED LOVERS
33. ____ Jacobs
37. “Pride and Prejudice” hand flexer
38. Take five
40. “Thanks a ___!”
41. Kendrick’s rival
42. Swiss peak
43. Muse of love poetry
45. Time zone of ball drop
46. “The Wild _____”
48. “Pride and Prejudice” rain walker
49. Australian professional wrestler ____ Ripley
51. Romanian money unit
52. Old-fashioned types
53. Hawaiian garland
55. Delhi dress
57. Ph.D.’s next hurdle
By Natalie Features
61. Speak in riddles, past tense
66. Unfasten by the removal of pegs
67. “Titanic” door hogger
69. You might see it on Disney’s the Matterhorn
70. Gawk (at)
71. Graphical user interface feature
72. “Holy mackerel!”
73. French and English band instruments
74. Engagement ring supplement
75. “Star Wars” “I know” sayer
Down
1. Pool exercise
2. Radiate
3. Itty-bitty bit
4. Of a pale greyish colour
5. Make a solemn request
6. Vineyard fruit
7. European Economic Community, abbr.
8. Dick Van ____
9. Puppeteer _____ Lewis
10. Cheerleader’s prop
11. Pomegranate seed
12. Pasta sauce brand
13. Toil wearily
21. More nimble
23. Length x width, for a rectangle
25. Fraught with danger
ANSWERS (DON’T PEEK!)
27. Milk dispenser
28. Little Women’s _____
Sisters, if they lived in a wetland
29. Chatter on and on
30. Something you hope you don’t give your crush
32. Cried
34. Dazzle
35. Posh
36. Overwhelms with sweetness
38. ____ Ruth
39. A raised, overgrown scar that forms after an injury or skin trauma
44. 18-wheeler
47. A short vaudeville number performed as an encore
50. Old-fashioned adjective meaning “alternate”
52. “You’ve got a ______ in me!”
54. Borders
56. Unlawful firing?
57. Word on a door
58. “I’m ___ your tricks!”
59. Trade punches
60. MTV show where celebrities say “Welcome to my ____!”
62. Colorful salon supplies
63. Danish toy company
64. And others, for short
65. A mischievous trick or prank
68. Legend of Zelda: ___ rina of Time ■ H ■ H
COURTESY OF PEXELS
Fall in love with Yemeni Coffee
WITH VALENTINE’S DAY RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, HERE IS THE PERFECT LATENIGHT DATE SPOT!
On Friday, Feb. 7, people from across the Inland Empire congregated in front of Qamaria in University Village Plaza for the Yemeni coffee
Sheeba Coffee: 4/5
Jerusalem Roastery, the celebration united everyone in high spirits, holding their fragrant coffees in hand. One of the big points of appeal for Qamaria is their emphasis on community. Rather than buying individual drinks, Qamaria menu items offer communal options, providing the opportunity to share a large kettle of coffee or tea with a group of people and create conversations. Cultivating a gathering space where students can come study, family can go out for a casual outing or friends can hang out and catch up and for lovers to share a slice of cake. Not to mention, they open early in the morning at 8 a.m. seven days a week, and close at 11 p.m. on all days except for Friday and Saturday where they close at midnight, making
A small, single serving of Sheeba coffee is priced at just $5.00, making it one of the more affordable items on the menu. Part of Qamaria’s specialty drinks menu which they make using traditional methods, the sheeba coffee is made from qishir, a Yemeni coffee blend, and spiced with ginger and cardamom. Unlike the other drinks on the menu, this coffee contains no milk and no cream, giving it a more silky texture. The drink itself is very, very hot, so be careful as you go in for a sip of this aromatic, spiced coffee, or you might burn your tongue.
Iced Qamaria Latte: 3/5
Priced at $7.50, this drink – made with a double shot of espresso and milk, spiced with cardamom and cinnamon – may be a bit on
it perfect for a late-night after-class hangout.
From day one of their soft opening back in November of 2024, Qamaria has been the busiest business in University Village. From the outside, the shop looks like a machine with millions of moving parts, from the studying students lining the window seats, to the large team of baristas handcrafting each beverage, while also making sure the space stays clean and inviting for the revolving door of guests.
Despite heavy traffic to the establishment, compared to other local coffee shops, Qamaria stands out as the cleanest. It might also be the loudest, though not entirely to a fault; the traditional Arab music sets the space to a cozy tone — especially for Arab-American students that might be feeling a bit homesick.
sweet coffees, this iced beverage is one the best sweet coffees that Riverside has to offer. The spices brought the right amount of aromatic sweetness without being like many other lattes, which can be summed up as diabetes in a cup.
On the other hand, during the colder seasons, the hot version of this latte is the bees-knees. I think the steamed-milk version makes it to where this drink is less sweet than its iced counterpart, which might be because adding ice can water a drink down, incentivizing the barista to make the sweetness/flavor stronger.
Iced Pistachio Latte: 3/5
Recommended by the cashier, the iced pistachio latte is created with a double shot of espresso and milk, with a healthy serving of pistachio sauce smeared on the bottom. At $8.50, it is one of the more expensive items on the menu, but from looking around Qamaria, this drink seems to be a strong fan-favorite.
Friendliness permeates through the air, as baristas occasionally walk around and ask guests how they’re doing, and if they need anything — something you’re not going to get at your local Starbucks. The guests themselves are in high spirits towards each other, with many open to sharing tables and seating sections, making Qamaria a place to make new friends, too.
One of the most important aspects of Qamaria is that it is creating a necessary “third space” for the local Riverside community. In the future, we can imagine this place becoming a local standard for meetings, student organizations and even a central stop on a tour of Riverside.
Now, here is a review of some of their most popular menu items.
Qamaria is probably the only place in Riverside to get an authentic, high quality pistachio latte, as the flavoring comes from a strong pistachio cream, rather than a questionable – and probably syntheticallyflavored – syrup, such as what is served at other coffee establishments. Although it’s popular, this beverage did not live up to expectations. If you aren’t a fan of the strength of speciality drinks, give this one a try. But if you aren’t a fan of nuttiness in your coffee, stay far away from this drink.
Saffron Milk Cake: 4/5
One of Qamaria’s unique flavors, the saffron milk cake stands out as the perfect sweet treat to accompany one of the menu’s stronger drinks. For the uninitiated, saffron’s flavor is a little bit sweet and a little bit floral, though much less
add a little pizzazz to the overall presentation of the cake.
The caramel milk cake, gorgeous in presentation and taste, is one of many cake options at Qamaria. The topping features a light, airy frosting with a beautiful design, and the cake itself is decadent and milky with the slightest hint of caramel. While some may expect an overwhelming caramel taste like many other commercialized caramel-flavored treats, this milk cake keeps it mild, perfect for a stronger coffee or even another sweet drink. This generous cake slice can easily feed two people, so bring your buddy over and feast away on this milk cake!
Caramel Milk Cake: 4/5
Old-fashioned romance
TRY BRINGING A FRESH TAKE ON MODERN VALENTINE’S DAY BY EXPLORING THE VINTAGE TRADITIONS THAT ONCE WERE AT THE HEART OF THIS CELEBRATION OF LOVE.
NOLA PERIFEL Staff Writer
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it is time to explore creative ways to declare your love to the person who has caught your attention, or to remind your partner of your love for them. Here are a few vintage Valentine’s Day traditions that were all the rage many years ago.
A very popular gift to offer to your partner is one that originates from the Victorian era. Puzzle purses certainly showed just how much people cared about their loved ones. This project consisted of making an unfoldable origami craft with a love note on each section of the folded paper. The recipient would unfold the gift and at every piece of the puzzle uncovered, a heartfelt note was revealed. These gifts —
often beautifully decorated with draw ings — were cherished as keepsakes, representing how much time, love and effort was put into each thoughtful word and fold.
Another Valentine’s tradition was gifting violets to your loved one. This was a Victorian tradition before roses became the popular Valentine’s Day flowers. These flowers were said to be crushed and used as ink to write love letters to partners, and thus became a staple of the holiday. Violets represent love, faithfulness and even fertility and also became a popular gift for newlyweds.
The next Victorian tradition consisted of giving the woman that caught your eye a single glove as a declaration
of love or interest in the receiver of the gift. If she wore the single glove on Easter, it meant that she was interested in the person who gave her the glove. Usually, it went as far as a marriage proposal and if the woman reciprocated her suitor’s love, she would wear the glove and accept to marry him. Originating in Wales, “love spoons” are a sweet Valentine’s tradition that require giving your loved one a wooden spoon carved with intricate designs and symbols of love. If you received a spoon that had a heart symbol, it represented passion, love and adoration. If you received a spoon with a carved chain, it meant that the person giving the spoon wished to be together forever. On other spoons, a dragon meant
protection, a flower meant affection and a horseshoe meant luck. These spoons are now easy to buy as souvenirs from Wales but are also given as wedding gifts and birthday presents. Finally, something which has not completely gone out of style, is crafting handmade cards. Many peoples’ tradition of choice was to hand make beautiful cards for their partners which contained love letters and poems and were beautifully decorated. Because cards like this were not sold in stores, people would make their own using materials such as fabrics and ribbon for texture and colorful ink and dried flowers.
Today’s Forecast: Sunny with a chance of growth.
From a fellow introvert who has often struggled with this, I’d like to think I’ve gotten better at it over time — at least enough for me to share some insight on this question. Before going out to approach anyone, it’s important to recognize that confidence starts with how you perceive yourself. This in no way indicates that you don’t already do that; it’s simply a starting point before stepping out with the intention to mingle.
Moments of confidence come and go, and it mainly depends on your mindset. It’s unstable to rely on fleeting emotions if you want to elevate your confidence. You’ll make more progress by creating a streak of self-care habits, raising your selfesteem with the amount of work you’re willing to spend on mindset. Working on building confidence doesn’t mean changing who you are; it’s about looking after yourself and feeling internal validation in your voice and actions. This trust won’t
be built overnight, so another key aspect of confidence is giving in to your delusional way of thinking. A close match to that is the main character energy that switches on when you listen to any song from the “Brat” album.
Now, when going out to approach people, it’s easier to interact with individuals you might frequently be around. That can range from any classes you’re enrolled in, joining student organizations, finding an off-campus organization, or finding an online space to communicate. College is only one stage of your life, so keep in mind that you can create these opportunities anywhere you decide to go.
I’ve had my fair share of “approach” anxiety when having to talk to someone, and I promise it only gets better through repetition. Sadly, there isn’t a magic pill to make things easier at first, but I promise it gets better over time. Confidence gets easier the more you practice and it’s
not as complex as you might feel. If you’re making a conscious effort, then a conversation can be initiated with a question, a compliment or an observation.
You have to be your own wingman, keep your intent clear, and, if you have to, voice affirmations to keep you locked in on going through with your actions. There are short-term interactions and long-term relationships, and you need to keep that in mind. Don’t be discouraged if you encounter something that’s more one-sided or boring — after all, there’s no pressure for something to result from that. That’s true for any platonic or romantic intent you might have in the conversation — you want to find yourself talking to someone interesting, where dialogue flows easily.
Taking my advice into consideration, step out, trust yourself and enjoy the experience because life’s too short not to be unapologetically yourself.
HENYA DADEM / THE HIGHLANDER
Snuff the flame or light it up: A chance to reignite that romantic spark
MATA ELANGOVAN Managing Editor
For many, Valentine’s Day is a time of love, passion and grand gestures, but that’s just one side of the coin. For other couples, the day brings forth challenges, tensions are at an all-time high and fear of stress and disappointment linger. The day doesn’t have to be an inevitable disaster for those whose relationship is on shaky ground. It has the possibility to rekindle love and turn things around. Here’s a few ways to find that spark again and move on with your life, for better or for worse.
Setting Realistic Expectations
Do not expect your partner to read your mind and magically fix all the
NO MATTER THE ENDING, ALL WILL BE WELL.
things wrong in your relationship. Communicate! Openly talk about your feelings, concerns and needs with them — not on the day of Valentine’s Day, but well in advance — and express what you want to see your relationship to be like in the future. It’s not always about the big, sweeping gestures; the little things matter just as much, so make sure to communicate with your partner about what makes the two of you feel valued in your relationship.
The Gift of Time
If tensions have been high, and you don’t want things to go awry, the gift of time can get you by simply being present with your partner. Take a break from external distractions — such as your phone — and reconnect with your partner through quality time. Rather than being avoidant and pushing down your emotions, it might be good to bask in them in the presence of your partner. Time spent together is time that can remind you of why you fell in love. Nostalgia has a crazy ability to reignite feelings from the good ol’
days, reminding you of the foundation your relationship was built upon.
Plan a Thoughtful and Intimate Experience
Do not be generic. Chocolate and flowers are a step in the right direction, but remember the needs of your partner. This is not a one-size-fits-all kind of holiday. Everyone has a different love language and feels appreciated in different ways, so find that special something that makes your partner feel seen. For some it may be a puzzle night at home, while others may wish to climb up the roof of their old elementary school and stargaze. And some may just want a nice dinner at the restaurant you went to for your first date. Find that sentimental value and make it a day worth remembering rather than letting it turn into a regular old date night.
Know When to Let Go
Not every relationship is meant to last. As unfortunate as it sounds, sometimes the best thing for both parties is
How to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a long-distance lover
DON’T LET THE DISTANCE GET IN THE WAY OF HAVING THE PERFECT VALENTINE’S DAY DATE WITH YOUR PARTNER!
STELA NOELLE ABASTA Contributing Writer
Speaking from experience, being in a long-distance romantic relationship is difficult solely because of being so far away from someone you love. Now, that does not make the relationship worth any less, but I would also be lying if I wrote that it’s a walk in the park. I understand that it’s especially rough with Valentine’s Day right around the corner and being miles away from your valentine. It’s not fun to experience FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) from other couples even though you’re part of a couple yourself. However, here are ways to put in some time and effort in making the most out of Valentine’s Day with your long-distance lover!
Write a love letter
Prove chivalry isn’t dead by sending them a good old-fashioned letter for them to find in their mailbox when the fated day comes! It’s a sweet gesture and an especially nice surprise to add to their special day. Get as creative as you want! There are plenty of designs to pick and choose from on Pinterest and TikTok to inspire you to make your letter, such as pop-up cards and creative ways to add pictures to your letter. Or keep it simple and just write your heart out on a piece of binder paper. As a person that lacks creativity, I opt for the latter, and there is no shame in doing so! You don’t need any grand
gestures to show your love — a letter from the heart is more than enough to get the message across, and I’m sure your partner will feel that way, too. Additionally, it would be fun to add some bonus items alongside the letter, such as pictures, a list of songs that remind you of them, a poem, a story or a drawing!
Send them a gift
Doordash can very well become your best friend this Valentine’s season. You can get almost anything you want delivered these days — from flowers to food! Try surprising your partner with a gift showing up right at their doorstep after a busy day of work or school. My dad sends my mom Edible Arrangements to her at work and, although I always tease them, I will admit, it is quite a sweet gesture. Last Valentine’s Day, I was sent chocolatecovered strawberries to my dorm, and it felt nice to receive such a romantic gift. However, if the typical Valentine’s Day sweets aren’t your partner’s cup of tea, I’m sure they would appreciate a meal of their favorite food or something they’ve been craving lately to satiate their hunger instead. Even if you’re not able to give your partner a gift in person or take them out to a nice restaurant, you can still treat them if gift giving is your love language.
Play video games
Nerdy couples out there, this one’s for you! Co-op games such as Stardew Valley, Minecraft, and Overcooked are some great games you can play online with your significant other! Be warned that Overcooked might have you both frustrated — but that’s fine as long as it’s all in good fun. If you’re look ing for something more competitive, queue up as a duo in Valorant or double up on Teamfight Tactics with their new set! There are so many online games to choose from, and I’m sure you can find one that both you and your partner will enjoy. Additionally, something that I enjoy is screen-sharing a game while the other watches. Even if you and your partner are not the type to play video games, sending them a simple Gamepigeon game on your phone is a cute and fun way to show that you’re thinking about them throughout the day even if you’re not with them physically.
Watch something
to part ways in amicable terms. If reconciliation has not been possible as of far, it may be time to have an honest discussion about what your future together looks like. Rather than steeping in animosity and strained feelings, reflect on how you have grown together in the past and what it was like to be in a relationship with the other person. Sometimes that middle ground is not possible to find.
Valentine’s Day can mean many different things for many different people. Don’t let it be a day of stress or heartache. This year, let’s prioritize communication and quality time and remember why we love the people we love. The holiday can be a time to build a stronger, healthier relationship, whether it’s rekindling that fire or putting away the lighter before bridges are burnt. At the end of the day, the most important thing is to respect the feelings of both you and your partner and take the next step, whether it be together or not.
you would much rather watch a movie or show, the Google Chrome Teleparty extension is helpful for being able to pause and play Netflix at the same time. However, it is a bit glitchy at times, and sometimes you’re better off just trying to perfectly time pressing play together.
There is so much out there to watch. There is no doubt that you and your partner can find that one piece of media to get you both hooked and want to binge watch it together while ignoring all other responsibilities — you just have to go out and find it! YouTube is a good place to start, as it’s free, and relatively easy to screen-share and watch at the click of a button. However, if
Although these are all great ideas of what you can do with your longdistance lover this Valentine’s season, there is nothing more important than simply spending quality time with them. You may have all of these ideas of how you want the day to go, but sometimes, all you and your partner really need is to spend time talking together on the phone. Always remember to communicate, be honest and don’t let the long distance ruin your Valentine’s Day. The distance is nothing compared to all of your love.
ADELIA URENA
‘Companion’ is the answer to vacant Valentine’s Day plans.
Drew Hancock’s feature film debut sparks a win for the growing Sophie Thatcher fandom and those looking for a worthwhile date-night flick.
By: Sebastian Morales, Contributing Writer
‘Tis the season filled with romance in the air. It’s that time of the year to express love between one another in both heartfelt words and actions. Signifying the perfect social temperature to take a little risk and ask that special someone in mind out for a cliche movie theater date. With the already released directorial debut of Drew Hancock’s “Companion,” last Friday, Jan. 31, it is conveniently out in time for Valentine’s Day dates and horror comedy fans to enjoy.
To give an intentionally vague plot synopsis, the film follows its central protagonist, Iris (Sophie Thatcher), who joins her boyfriend Josh (Jack Quaid) on a secluded weekend retreat in hopes of making good impressions on her partner’s friends who are shown to be reluctant in accepting her as Josh’s girlfriend. As Iris does what she can to please Josh and his friends, her presence may not live up to expectations when her purpose slowly comes into question.
Fresh off of her performance last year in Scott Beck and Brian Wood’s faith-challenging horror film “Heretic,” Sophie Thatcher again proves to be an actress breaking out right in front of the industry’s eyes with back-to-back standout performances. The “Yellowjackets” star’s challenging portrayal of Iris is executed effortlessly as the role consistently asks her to switch and convey underlying emotions through subtle facial expressions that deepen the impact of her character’s surprising arch. New and established fans of Thatcher will be excited to see what other future creative projects she decides to lend her talents to.
Jack Quaid playing opposite Sophie Thatcher, allows the pair to showcase the backand-forth chemistry between their character's twofaced relationship within the film. However, Quaid’s casting is extremely clever as many may recognize him from his character as the innocent Hughie in the popular political superhero show,
Courtesy of Warner Bros
“The Boys.” This allows for a sort of “reverse type-casting” that smartly subverts the audience’s expectations of Josh as a character, specifically as a romantic partner.
Think of Justin Long’s casting as AJ in 2022’s, farfrom-romantic cult-horror film, “Barbarian” directed by Zach Cregger, as an example to define “reverse type-casting.” Uncoincidently, Cregger also serves as a producer on “Companion,” which hints at what fans might anticipate before doing their best to go into theaters blind by avoiding the film’s more than revealing advertising.
This mistake by the marketing team behind “Companion” will unfortunately dull some big swings in its new approach to common, but ever-relevant, subject matters for over-exposed audiences. The film asks viewers to question similar themes within the sci-fi genre, such as Ridley Scott’s classic 1982 film “Blade Runner.” While also mixing in the misogynistic discussions
portrayed in relationship dramas such as George Cukor’s 1944 film “Gaslight” and Craig Gillespie’s 2017 film “I, Tonya.”
Thankfully, what is questionably revealed in the trailers for “Companion” is not enough for audiences to be disappointed with what is truly underneath the hood of its short but sweet runtime. Hancock showcases his ability to create sharp narrative turns alongside witty comedic timing that gives date-night viewers a little bit of everything while watching this welcoming debut.
Verdict: Watching “Companion” is a perfect datenight opportunity that will surprise horror comedy fans who are in the mood to understand what love is not, and ponder what defines the value of life over another as they come out of the theater. So long as audiences can avoid the film’s spoilerfilled advertising, it is more than worth the price of admission at the local theater.
Poetry to read in honor of Black History Month
In the words of Audre Lorde, “poetry is not a luxury.”
By: Bobbi Monae Mandour, Assistant Radar Editor
With February being Black History Month, it’s important to reflect on and appreciate the rich cultural history that exists within creative writing and literature as a result of Black folk’s contributions. This week, the excitement of Valentine’s Day surges in with candy, roses and hearts all around. After that’s over, some might be left feeling a bit empty or even jaded. While
Valentine’s Day is a mere social construct, the celebration of Black history should be eternal, and from a reader’s point of view, there’s no better way to engage with that legacy than to read up on some poetry rooted in Black resistance, excellence, perspectives and love. For those who’d rather spend some time reading this month, here are some poets and collections that deserve some love for the ways they’ve shaped American literature.
Audre Lorde
Lorde was a lesbian Black feminist, writer and civil rights activist who was born on Feb. 18, 1934. Lorde’s contributions to American poetry, the establishment of gender and sexuality studies, the development of the theory of intersectionality and Black studies are unmatched. While her essays are more often taught in higher education courses, like selections from “Sister Outsider” and “The Master’s Tools Will Not Dismantle the Master’s House,” her poetry
is just as influential. Her most popular collections include “The First Cities,” “Cables to Rage” and “From a Land Where Other People Live.”
Gwendolyn Brooks Brooks was the first Black woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1950, and she is revered today as a hallmark of twentiethcentury American poetry. Brooks often wrote about her Black urban experience, as she grew up in Chicago. A defining characteristic of her poetry is the love and
attention to detail that radiates for her community. Some of her poems that deserve to be on February’s reading list include “An Aspect of Love, Alive in the Ice and Fire,” “We Real Cool,” “The Lovers of the Poor” and “a song in the front yard.”
Nikki Giovanni Giovanni was wellloved during the 1960s and 1970s for her captivating poetry readings, often drawing crowds around her. Her works were influenced by the Civil Rights Movement, and she also sought
to uplift Black writers and artists around her, which enabled her to write about Black joy. Some of her best pieces of poetry include “The Laws of Motion,” “Dreams” and “BLK History Month.”
Claudia Rankine Rankine is a contemporary poet, whose collections have all won major poetry awards – and rightfully so. She is a master of modern lyric poetry, which is best read through her collections “Don't Let Me Be Lonely: An American Lyric,” published
in 2004, and “Citizen: An American Lyric,” published in 2014. Her style merges prose and poetry, which are used as catalysts to explore the construction of identity and race in modern society. Out of all of the poets on this list, Rankine’s style is the most experimental, so it’s best to approach her work with an open mind — in the end, poetry is meant to make the reader’s world a little bit bigger.
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Grammy Gold: 2025’s winning moments
The 2025 Grammys celebrated both the past and future of music, with new artists like Chappel Roan and unexpected surprises.
By: Leylanii Duran, Contributing Writer
Despite the recent tragedies in Los Angeles (LA), the Grammys’ offered a welcome escape for many. Trevor Noah hosted this ceremony for the fifth year in a row, however it almost did not come into fruition due to the recent wildfires in LA, which was the main focus of the ceremony this year. The Recording Academy dedicated their advertisements to local businesses impacted by the fires and initiated a fundraising campaign to help those impacted. Donors such as Amazon Music, Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) and the Crypto.com Arena went to Grammy.com/FireRelief to contribute.
This year’s Grammys were definitely one of a kind. It was an incredible and entertaining year for music, and the ceremony was a celebration of the impact of timeless pop culture moments and innovative music. The performances in particular encapsulated the achievements of various artists.
A notable moment was the Best New Artists Performance medley by this year’s nominees: Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Khruangbin, Shaboozey, Doechii, Teddy Swims, Benson Boone and Raye. The performance not only showcased their unique styles but also highlighted the diverse range of talent emerging in the music industry. Each artist brought their own energy to the stage, leaving the audience captivated and serving as a reminder that the future of music is in good hands with fresh voices ready to shape the industry in exciting ways.
Another amazing performance was the tear-jerking
tribute to Quincy Jones. He is widely recognized for his collaborations with artists such as Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson. Additionally, he is a 28-time Grammy award winner who has also achieved Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony (EGOT) status. Jones unfortunately passed away at the age of 91 on Nov. 13, 2024.
WIll Smith, Cynthia Erivo, Stevie Wonder, Janelle Monae and Herbie Hancock came together to celebrate Jones’ legacy, performing some of the greatest songs he took part in creating such as Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me To The Moon,” Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop ‘til You Get Enough” and Jones’ charity single, “We are the World.” As each artist took the stage, the audience was reminded not only of Jones’ unparalleled musical genius but also of his role as a mentor and trailblazer.
The Recording Academy followed up with more tributes to other artists, creators and music professionals who have recently passed through a special In Memoriam segment. Grammy-winning vocalist and pianist Chris Martin of Coldplay, joined by Grace Bowers, delivered a heartfelt performance of “All my Love.” Other artists like Liam Payne, Rich Homie Quan and Tito Jackson were recognized during this segment, as well.
While the night was filled with emotional tributes, it was also a celebration of living legends. One such artist was Kendrick Lamar, who had a remarkable night at the 2025 Grammys. Lamar, known for his powerful storytelling and unmatched lyrical ability, took home awards for all of five of his nominations, dominating
rap categories such as Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song.
Lamar made Grammy history by also winning Best Record of the Year and Song of the Year; his song is the second rap song to win in the respective categories. His success also drew attention to his long standing rivalry with rap superstar Drake who has often been seen as Lamar's counterpart in the rap game. Viewers speculated that his outfit at the ceremony took a jab at Drake’s Canadian personality by wearing all denim, which is commonly referred to as a “Canadian Tuxedo.” Regardless, Lamar’s night at the Grammys solidified his place as one of the greatest artists in hiphop history and showed that his spotlight in rap remains fiercely contested.
In addition to Lamar's triumphs, the Grammys also marked history-making achievements for other groundbreaking artists, including Beyoncé and Doechii. Beyoncé, already a global music icon, continued to break barriers by adding even more accolades to her extraordinary career and cemented her legacy as one of the most awarded artists of all time. After 99 Grammy nominations, she was finally awarded Best Album of the Year and made history as the first Black woman to receive the Grammy for Best Country Album.
Doechii made history, too, with her mixtape, “Alligator Bites Never Heal,” which won Best Rap Album. This made Doechii the third black woman to win in this category since it was made nearly three-and-a-half decades ago. Both Doechii and Beyoncé’s victories are a testament to the evolving landscape of music, with
their groundbreaking accomplishments paving the way for future generations of diverse artists to take center stage and continue shaping the industry.
Unexpectedly, Abel Tesfaye — also known as The Weeknd — made an appearance that was a surprise to many. CEO of the Recording Academy, Harvey Mason Jr., recalls Abel’s harsh criticism about the Grammy’s where he called them out on lack of transparency and decided to boycott them in 2021 after being snubbed in every category he was nominated for. Mason states that he accounted for Abel’s feedback and initiated a transformation within the Recording Academy’s “Grammy electorate” and its system in general.
The 2025 Grammys proved to be a monumental celebration of both the past and future of the music industry. Despite the challenges LA has faced in recent times, the night was filled with entertainment that reflected the resilience and innovation within the world of music. Not only did it celebrate the incredible accomplishments of the past year, but it also laid the foundation for the next era of musical innovation and cultural change. This year, the Grammys highlighted new talent, evolving genres and an ever-changing industry landscape ensuring the future of music remains brighter than ever.■ H
Michael and Hushi: Fashion without borders
Michael and Hushi remix fashion, blending east and west with style.
By: Sarah Tabel, Contributing Writer
Founded in 1997 by Michael Sears and Hushidar “Hushi” Mortezaie, the revolutionary fashion label Michael and Hushi, seamlesslybridged Western clubwear and Middle Eastern motifs in their designs. Their diverse journeys created a unique aesthetic that challenged conventional fashion norms. Sears was inspired by the vibrant colors and flair of his hometown of Las Vegas and Mortezaie, channeling his Iranian roots. The two combined worlds that had never merged in fashion before.
After meeting in San Francisco, Michael and Hushi’s began collaborating in 1990; they discovered their shared passion for avant garde fashion, sparking a creative partnership. In 1994 the two relocated to New York City to pursue their fashion careers. They opened their first boutique
in 1997, Sears and Robot, which showcased culturally rich clothing and accessories, including T-shirts featuring Iranian iconography. This eccentric mix laid the foundation for a brand that would soon redefine fashion norms.
As their vision grew, the duo renamed their brand to “Michael and Hushi,” deepening their commitment to developing a distinctive fashion label. The brand began blending pop culture imagery with Middle Eastern motifs, crafting a visually-striking collection. In 2001, they debuted their Persian Collection at a fashion show held in Manhattan's Lower East Side. The collection’s use of the traditional Palestinian keffiyeh fabric, representing a symbol of struggle and beauty, was a breakthrough moment catching the attention of the fashion world.
Despite their artistic success, the designers faced financial challenges.
Mortezaie explained, “In the [United States], you starve if you want to make non-traditional sportswear.” Life after 9/11 added another layer of risk, as their designs were perceived as politically-charged. Still, their iconic designs developed a cult following, and were featured in “Fight Club” starring Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden, and in “Sex and the City,” where Sarah Jessica Parker’s Carrie Bradshaw wore a piece adorned with Omar Khayyam’s poetry.
Their influence extended beyond fashion, when Palestinian model Bella Hadid wore their keffiyeh dress at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. Amid a sea of sequined gowns, Hadid stood out with the conceptual design making a political statement, while celebrating the strength and beauty
of Middle Eastern culture. Mortezaie described the revival of this dress as a celebration of the “revolution of love.”
Mortezaie continues to make his mark on the fashion world today, drawing inspiration from his Iranian heritage. He celebrates the strength, beauty and resilience of women from Iran, Afghanistan, Kurdistan and Palestine while honoring their struggles. His designs remain a testament to the power of fashion as a means of cultural expression. Today, his legacy continues to inspire new generations of designers who embrace diversity and resistance in their work.
Courtesy of Hushi via Instagram
Courtesy of Hushi via Instagram
“COULD
An LA literary feud: Didion vs. Babitz
YOU WRITE WHAT YOU WRITE IF YOU WEREN’T SO TINY, JOAN?” - EVE BABITZ IN NEW YORK
Released back in November of 2024, Lili Anolik’s ”Didion and Babitz” made its rounds on Tiktok’s popular hashtag booktok. In the author’s words, her novel sought to “elucidate the complicated alliance between Joan Didion and Eve Babitz, a friendship that went bad, amity turning to enmity, and that had a lasting effect on both writers, as well as on Los Angeles (LA) letters and culture in particular, American letters and culture in general.”
This biography details the complex friendship of Joan Didion — a late Californian journalist famous for documenting counterculture of the 1960s and 70s — and famous writer, artist and groupie who used to date Jim Morrisson of The Doors, Eve Babitz. Didion’s most popular works include “Play It As It Lays” and “Slouching Towards Bethlehem.” Babitz wrote semiautobiographical fiction, such as “Eve’s Hollywood.”
Didion and Babitz met in Hollywood in the late 1960s. They both frequented the Franklin Avenue scene where Didion and her writer husband, John Greggory Dunne, used to live in LA. Didion and her husband used to host parties at their house that Babitz would attend. Didion was a critic of hedonism, whereas Babitz was a party girl — a practicing hedonist herself. Didion came from a middle-class
family from Northern California, whereas Babitz came from a halfJewish Hollywood family, who rubbed shoulders with artists and musicians. Babitz’s godfather was classical musician Igor Stravinsky.
From the beginning, the author reveals her bias in favor of Eve Babitz by sharing, “If intense fascination is love, then I loved Eve Babitz.” Anolik was friends with Babitz for the last couple of months of her life. In 2019, Anolik wrote “Hollywood’s Eve” in dedication to Babitz. She writes about Babitz and Didion as if she knew them. Unfortunately, her bias negatively affects the perspective of Didion. She discredits Didion’s talent because she attributes her seriousness to being a characteristic of “maleness.” It’s clear, Anolik has inherited her perspective on Didion from a jealous Babitz, who wasn’t taken seriously in the literary and arts scene due to her numerous affairs.
The book reads as gossip amongst girlfriends, not literary criticism. Anolik often addresses the reader like a friend. The book is less about the two writers’ talents and writings, but about their social circle and the men they slept with. This book is entertaining as it describes Babitz and Didion’s life through the changing culture of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Readers are taken
through the art world to rock’n’roll to the film world that surrounded Babitz and Didion.
Anolik presents these writers as influential aesthetic symbols of the time: from Babitz’s famous photo of her playing chess naked with the artist Marcel Duchamp, to Julian Wasser’s photograph from 1968 of Joan Didion sitting in her Corvette Stingray smoking a cigarette. The book details Eve’s days at Barney’s — a West Hollywood bar — to the Troubadour — the heart of LA’s rock’n’roll scene. The novel further documents Didion’s move from her Franklin Avenue home to her Malibu home, where she and her husband got into the film industry, to scenes where she critiques the San Francisco hippie scene. Anolik takes interviews and old letters to tell the story of their complex relationship and their dating life.
The book lacks chapters solely about Joan Didion, in favor of highlighting Babitz. The author thinks she’s more brilliant than she actually is. She tries to paint Babitz as a more successful writer than she was regarded as in reality. Babitz’s friendship with Didion was beneficial to her because Didion helped edit her work and pulled strings for her work to get published in magazines, too. Posthumously, their feud has been extended outside of the grave by Anolik, as if Babitz
still resents Didion from the grave. In reality, Didion’s life ended better than Babitz’s. Didion lived in an upscale Manhattan apartment, versus Babitz, who lived in a rotting West Hollywood apartment. Both writers died within a week of each other. Joan Didion died from Parkinson’s Disease on Dec. 21, 2021.
Eve Babitz died on Dec. 17, 2021, after suffering from Huntington’s disease for years. While Didion made a name for herself as a famed cultural critic and journalist, Babitz ended up becoming a hermit and a conservative later on in life. Although Anolik pitted the two women as rivals, both of their works are worth reading for their respective contributions to popular culture of the 1960s and 1970s.
Verdict: Anolik’s bias makes reading “Didion and Babitz” unenjoyable, especially for readers that aren’t already fans of either woman. The book is also exceedingly long for the quality of content that it has about the two literary figures, and Anolik’s creativity seems to have run dry after publishing “Hollywood’s Eve.” All in all, the book feels like an unnecessary exercise in pitting two influential women against each other.
IRIS ARANDA Contributing Writer
COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Highlanders dominate Hope International on the tennis court
COMING OFF OF SEVEN STRAIGHT LOSSES, UCR MEN’S TENNIS SWEPT HOPE UNIVERSITY THIS PAST WEDNESDAY.
SOFIA MAJEED Contributing Writer
The Highlanders, who beat the Royals 5-0 last season, swept the Royals by seven points. The Highlanders won doubles matches one, two and three and all six of their singles matches. Hope International University, also coming off a loss, played a tough back and forth against the Highlanders. Unfortunately, by the end of the doubles matches, there was no hope for the Royals.
Throughout the doubles matches, it was clear that the Highlanders were wearing out Hope’s doubles teams. Seniors Ryan Huynh and Justin Lamy, playing doubles match one, won 3-6. Their experience on this team and chemistry shone as they defeated the Royals.
The University of California, Riverside (UCR) definitely had the home court advantage and the advantage of their experienced doubles teams, as they easily took down the royals with scores of: 6-3 ,6-2, and 6-1.
Reflecting on his team’s performance, senior Justin Lamy shared, “Today, overall was a hard-fought team win. I think we all came together, in singles and doubles, and we were really ready for this moment. I think we struggled a little bit early on in this season. We have a lot of young players who are starting in our line-up.
“And I think after we got a few reps in, a few matches in and we got to play at home for the first time this week, we kinda eased in and started playing well. It’s good to get this
home win under our belt, we have a lot of home matches coming up.”
Going into the singles matches, Riverside’s confidence was visible on the court. Each singles player defeated their opponent within two matches. Although the Royals’ energy picked up during their second match for the singles set, it was not enough to prevent the Highlanders from reaching six points quicker.
Riverside will be playing their next game on Feb. 16 against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at the Student Recreation Center (SRC) tennis courts. The Highlanders conference games begin March 26 against UC San Diego.
Highlanders fall in 72-49 rematch against UC San Diego
JACQUELINE AJUCUM
Contributing Writer
On Thursday, Feb. 6, the University of California, Riverside’s (UCR) women’s basketball team shared the court with UC San Diego (UCSD), meeting once more after their close 58-59 loss earlier in January. During their last meet up in La Jolla, UCSD came in strong, with their most notable strength being their defense.
While the Tritons were able to confidently move onward with a big lead, UCR was able to regain control of the game during their third quarter, with both teams now hungry to secure that game-winning bucket. Consequently, it all came down to the final possession — with the ball in their hands, UCSD celebrated as UCR fell just one point short.
Now, weeks later, the Highlander spirit was ignited as the women’s basketball team shared the court with the Tritons once again, determined to take control in home territory.
Both teams opened the first quarter strong, with UCR and UCSD scoring against each other back-to-back. Junior guard Makayla Rose worked very quickly in leading the team ahead with the first three-pointer of the game.
Despite UCSD’s team averaging a height of 6’0”, Rose — standing at 5’7” — used her smaller build to her advantage to be nimble and quick. She consistently blew past the bigger Tritons by using her speed, agility and hustle.
Rose also used her free throws to her advantage, allowing the Highlanders to catch up and make up for UCSD’s aggres-
sive defense, which was growing stronger as the game went on. By the end of the first period, the game was still up for grabs, tied at 12-12.
The second quarter of the game proved to be more challenging, as UCR struggled to keep up with their opponents, who utilized a combination of man-on-man and 2-3 zone defense.
Right away, the Tritons looked to jump passing lanes and steal the ball from the Highlanders. Any steal resulted in UCSD charging forward and passing the ball over to sophomore guard Sumayah Sugapong. Sugapong, who was named the 2023-2024 Big West Freshman of the Year, demonstrated her extensive basketball IQ tonight.
Her excellent court vision allowed her to find teammates on the pick and roll, while her aggressiveness on defense forced turnovers and gave her team waves of momentum. As a result, Sugapong started heating up, generating lots of steals and becoming a shooting threat as the second quarter of the game closed, but Highlanders were only down 31-27 going into the second half.
But UCR struggled to catch up in the third quarter. The team had a fantastic offensive start, as the Highlanders recovered from the four point lead UCSD had taken.
However, as the team kept trying to break through UCSD’s defense, their strategy of playing “all out” and “100 percent” only proved to tire out the team’s strongest players, such as Makayla Rose and Seneca Hackley, who each played 37 minutes.
Whether it was because of the pressure to bring the win home, the intimidation of UCSD’S full court defense or switching from man-on-man defense to 2-3 zone defense, the Highlanders failed to find their rhythm.
Duchemin played a huge role in UCR catching up to UCSD through her control of rebounds, but the Highlander’s offense was ultimately spent, as the Tritons led 4837 going into the fourth quarter.
As the game progressed, the Highlanders looked worn out, having played the past three quarters with nonstop aggressive energy. At this point in the game, Rose looked spent, but the team continued to rely on her for offense.
Sugapong also looked exhausted, splitting a pair of free throws. However, the biggest difference between both teams was their physical strength, and the Tritons, overpowered UCR.
While the Highlanders started off strong, ending the first quarter with a 12-point tie, the Tritons defense lineup remained unshakable. UCR fell to UCSD with a 72-49 loss.
UCR lost again to California State University, Bakersfield, on Saturday, dropping the Highlanders to 6-7 in the Big West. Both losses weigh heavily as they now land UCR in seventh place in the Big West standings. The Highlanders will have time to reflect and prepare before they face off UC Davis at home this upcoming Thursday.
Highlander Hot Take: Canada should not be the favorites at the 4 Nations Face-Off
Unwavering pressure and poor goaltending will be Canada’s downfall.
By: Isaac Solnick, Sports Editor
Tomorrow evening, the highly anticipated National Hockey League’s (NHL) 2025 4 Nations Face-Off kicks off at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The round-robin style tournament features the best NHL players from the United States (U.S.), Sweden, Finland and Canada.
Each of the four teams is littered with all-stars and future hallof-famers, yet Canada’s group of skaters still stands out as the strongest of them all. With players like Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar leading the way, it’s hard to believe that any of the other teams can match Canada’s top-end talent.
They’ve also got plenty of depth to back up the top six. Players like Brandon Hagel, Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett and Mark Stone can kill penalties and shut down any opponent’s top line, all while chipping in with goals and being a threat in the offensive zone.
Canada’s defenseman crop lags behind Sweden and the U.S., but Cale Makar and Devon Toews
will make up the best pairing at the tournament. Their chemistry playing together with the Colorado Avalanche will prove invaluable and expect Canada to dominate when the duo is on the ice together.
With that much talent amongst the skaters and home ice for the group stage games, analysts and betting sites list Canada as the favorite of the tournament. However, Canada falls short at the most important position — goaltender. Washington’s Logan Thompson has been a shutout machine this year, but he was a surprise snub from the roster. Without Thompson, Canada is left with Jordan Binnington, Adin Hill and Sam Montembeault in net. Yikes.
Binnington is expected to start, but he won’t inspire confidence for fans of the maple leaf. The hot-headed goaltender is currently having one of the worst seasons of his career statistically, and he’s never been able to recapture the magic he had when he first broke into the NHL in 2019.
Hill and Montembault have struggled to maintain a save percentage above .900 and have been wildly inconsistent this season.
This is a huge cause for concern as the U.S, Sweden and Finland can each boast a perennial Vezina candidate between the crease. With each individual game of utmost importance, goaltending will play an especially large role at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Canada will play their final group stage against Finland on Feb. 17 at the TD Garden in Boston, but they’ll host Sweden and the U.S. before that at the Bell Centre. Many people are pointing to home ice as a huge advantage for the Canadians.
While Canada possesses some of the most passionate hockey fans in the world, this also puts immense pressure on the players wearing the maple leaf. At the moment, Canadian fans are displeased with the nation’s past two performances at the U-20 World Junior Championships.
In each of those tournaments, the U-20 Canadian team finished in fifth place, the first time Canada had missed the podium in backto-back World Juniors. The 2025 tournament in January was especially disastrous for Canada.
First, they shockingly lost to Latvia in the round-robin as the
fans started to turn on their own players and criticized them for not playing together. This clearly weighed on Canada’s best young players and it contributed to their losses to the U.S and Slovakia.
With this embarrassment on the international stage fresh on everyone’s mind, there will be an extra layer of pressure on the senior Canadian team to not just win, but also dominate the 4 Nations Face-Off.
As Canada struggles to meet expectations, the U.S. will remain as the standalone favorite. The States have a forward group that can rival Canada’s, and their blueline as a whole are better. But their main edge over the rest of the competition is in net.
Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck will be in between the sticks for the red, white and blue. Hellebuyck is currently playing the best hockey of his career. He’s on
track to win his third Vezina trophy, but his play will earn some recognition for the Hart trophy as well. Hellebuyck can downright win a game on his own and he makes the States the team to beat.
Meanwhile, Finland is bringing the grittiest and defensive team to the 4 Nations Face-Off. They’ll give their opponent headaches, but they lack the offensive firepower to win the tournament. Also, losing defenseman Miro Heiskanen to a knee injury really hampers their blueline.
Sweden’s strengths, on the other hand, start on the blueline. Erik Karlsson and Rasmus Dahlin are brilliant puck movers, while Victor Hedman and Mattias Ekholm bring physicality and defensive solidity.
Leaving out San Jose Sharks duo William Eklund and Fabian Zetterlund was a bit of a headscratcher, but the Swedish for-
wards still bring an abundance of skill while still playing a strong 200-foot game. And with Ottawa’s Linus Ullmark in net, Sweden is bringing a balanced roster with no glaring holes.
On Feb. 20 at the TD Garden, the U.S will face Sweden for the gold medal of the 4 Nations FaceOff. For Canada, this tournament will go down as another disappointment. Their combination of weak goaltending and having the weight of a nation on their shoulders will be too much for a team littered with franchise players throughout the lineup.
After the 4 Nations Face-Off, even the most die-hard Canadian fans will have to face the reality that the rest of the world is catching up to them.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Erik Karlsson // Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia commons) Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Tartan Tailgating: Feeling Bronny’s aura
UCLA Health Training Center offers a terrific experience to its reporters.
By: Terry Nguyen, Assistant Sports Editor
The South Bay Lakers are the G-League affiliate of the Los Angeles Lakers, and their arena lies just south of Los Angeles International Airport, in El Segundo, California. They play at the UCLA Health Training Center, which seats only 750 fans but the arena has great amenities and also serves as the Lakers practice facility and office headquarters.
After I acquired two media passes to cover the game on Monday, Feb. 3 against the Oklahoma City Blue, my friend Francisco and I drove to the game from University of California, Riverside (UCR). Driving at 4 p.m. on a Monday meant there was quite a bit of traffic, and we got there in 85 minutes. Media passes came with
parking right next to the entrance, and there was zero extra wait time.
After collecting our credentials and getting past security, we were greeted with our media seats in the second row, on the sideline facing the visitors bench. It was an amazing view, and we were surrounded by other reporters who were also covering the game.
Tip-off was at 7 p.m., and the Lakers got off to a fast start, going into halftime with a 14-point lead. However, the Blue came storming back in the second half, and the lead was down to two with a minute to go in the game. Miller Kopp hit a fadeaway three-pointer with 26 seconds left, giving the Blue a one-point lead
and they hung on to win the game, 105-101.
After the game, I got the opportunity to interview some of the South Bay Laker players, headlined by Bronny James. The reporters got ushered onto a different court, and the players made their way to the microphones one-by-one.
When Bronny came walking towards the group of reporters, I was smacked with a wave of nerves and adrenaline. I felt a bit starstruck, standing next to the son of the greatest athlete of all-time, LeBron James.
Bronny finished the game with 16 points on 5/17 shooting in 35 minutes, and when asked about what he felt went wrong in the
fourth quarter, he responded, “I think it was the energy. They went on their run, so our energy went down and I think the sides just flipped and we weren’t able to come back.”
The game was less than 48 hours after the blockbuster trade featuring Luka Dončić and Anthony Davis, and I asked Bronny if the trade had any mental effect on the game. Bronny reassured, “I think I was able to play free, it doesn’t really affect the G-League so it didn’t really change me [in the game].”
That was my first ever interaction with Bronny James, and it feels quite surreal to say that I’ve talked with him. I could feel his aura radiating throughout the game, and to stand in the
presence of Bronny was an emotion that I cannot put into words.
The Los Angeles Lakers organization does an amazing job catering to the needs of the media, especially at UCLA Health Training Center for G-League games. The staff, security and fans were all super friendly and I would love to cover more South Bay Laker games in the future.
Photo courtesy to Terry Nguyen / The Highlander
RIVERSIDE RECAPS
Women’s Tennis
2/4/2025
Concordia vs. UCR
4 - 3, W
2/5/2025
Hope International vs. UCR
7 - 0, W
Women’s Bastketball
Women’s Golf
2/2/2025
UCR vs UCI 14 - 6, W
Men’s Tennis
2/4/2025
Concordia vs. UCR
5 - 2, L
2/5/2025
Hope International vs. UCR
7 - 0, W
Men’s Bastketball
2/6/2025
Be luminous.
The Highlander Newspaper is a great way to keep up with current events and news around campus. If you are interested in the newspaper’s articles or pictures, we offer opportunities in writing, photography and design. Join us every Monday at 5:15 p.m. in HUB 101 to learn more.
