Daily Titan | Student Life | January 30, 2023

Native American culture leads housing event

Editor

More than 40 Cal State Fullerton students celebrated Native American cultures from Southern California with a night of food, art and storytelling on Wednesday.

Decolonized and Kinship was hosted by Housing and Residential Engagement, Student A ffairs and the Inter-Tribal Student Council at the Suites multi-purpose room. The celebration was part of a series of back to school events hosted by Housing and Residential Engagement.

The event hosted by Jacque Tahuka Nunez, the owner of a Native American business called Journeys to the Past, guided the audience through

different Native American traditions and taught them about different cultural items, like the “clapper stick”. Dinner was provided by the Wildhorse Cafe, which consisted of beef or bean stew, fry bread and cornbread.

Guests listened to Tahuka Nunez’s stories about respecting and learning about Native American culture and were called on to tell their own life stories during the necklace-making.

Tahuka Nunez’s sons, Jackson Rollingthunder Tahuka and Pearson Tahuka Nunez, also performed Native American dances, like the Prairie Chicken Dance, and played traditional Native American instruments, such as the Native American flute.

“To me, decolonization is teaching the truth about Indigenous people, creating an

atmosphere that is indigenous, like starting in prayer and a circle, interacting with each other, sharing our stories, talking about the truth of who we are in the world,” Tahuka Nunez said. “All of that decolonizes the existing untruths that are often taught in school.”

Andrea Ortega, a fourthyear accounting major and treasurer of the Inter-Tribal Student Council, said that the event was meant to give people the opportunity to learn about Native American culture.

“For this event, it was more so to teach people that we understand that the history of our peoples is very complicated, and it does have a very dark past,” Ortega said.

The event mostly recognized Acjachemen and Tongva traditions, who have

historically lived in parts of southern Orange and San Diego counties and the Los Angeles Basin.

“In our Indian way, we are a strength in our family. It’s usually not just one person standing alone,” Tahuka Nunez said.

Brannon Andrews, a community coordinator in the Housing and Residential Engagement department at CSUF, said they planned the event with the Inter-Tribal Student Association to recognize Native American and Indigenous cultures because they are underrepresented in Fullerton, Orange County and California in general.

“I wanted to give an opportunity for their culture and their people to be at the forefront and to be given a spotlight and for everyone else to just take a step

back and admire and learn and really be able to take in some of the heritage and culture,” Andrews said.

The event took several months to plan and originally was meant to occur at the end of November. However, it was pushed to the beginning of December and then delayed due to finals and scheduling issues with Tahuka Nunez.

Andrews was satisfied with the event and hoped that it will attract more attendees in the future.

“I couldn’t have asked for much more; only, hopefully next year when we do it again, that we have even more students come and, hopefully, more students of Indigenous heritage come and enjoy and just learn and be able to feel comforted in being able to enjoy their culture proudly,”

Dog therapy returns to CSUF

Cal State Fullerton’s Wellness Center offers a variety of resources and services for students. One of those resources, Doggy Therapy, is offered by the Counseling & Psychology Services. Their first event this semester will be hosted on Monday from 2-4 p.m. at Pollak Library north wing.

Dog therapy has a wide variety of health benefits for college students, with the main one being stress reduction. Jessica Leone-Aldrich, a CSUF student counselor and the coordinator for bringing animal-assisted therapy on campus, explained what to expect during Doggy Therapy.

Relieve Stress

Attending a dog therapy session can relieve stress if a test, presentation or big project is coming up.

“When we give attention to a dog, we are focused only on what’s happening right now at this very moment. So it allows ourselves to have a little bit of a mental break from what we may be stressing over.”Leone-Aldrich said.

According to Animal-Assisted Therapy: Best Practices for College Counseling, written by Julia F. Kronholz, Vanessa F. Freeman, and Randi C. Mackintosh, bringing animal-assisted therapy programs to college campuses reduces the stigma around counseling and mental health services among college students while also heightening the attendance for their services. Therefore it’s

incredibly beneficial for college students’ mental health and general well-being.

Practice Mindfulness

Taking time to breathe and relax is important for college students when a million things run through their minds.

According to mindfulness.org, mindfulness is bringing awareness to what is directly being experienced through your senses and state of mind.

Mindfulness is an easy stress reliever that can be done at any moment with the right practice. In dog therapy the five senses that are interacting with a dog purposely focus your attention on the dog and that present moment. An easy way to practice mindfulness is simply taking the time to pause and breath while taking note of your surroundings.

“An important aspect of mindfulness is that it can help us feel more grounded

and more relaxed when we are engaging in all of our five senses, and petting a dog is a really great way to engage in that,” Leone-Aldrich said.

Make a Connection

A group is placed in a circle, and the therapy dog is in the middle and chooses who to approach. In this circle, students surround each other and have a chance to get out of their bubbles and talk with other people. CSUF is a large commuter school,

and this event is an opportunity for students to socialize during their time on campus. Students can start talking and getting to know each other while petting the dogs.

Student Wellness Center’s Services

The Wellness Center is divided into three major centers: CAPS, Health Services and TitanWell.

CAPS offers counseling and psychological services to students, and its online student wellness page provides hotlines and a form to make an appointment with a counselor. For free, students can also benefit from the wellness room. Massage chairs, napping pods and even yoga are available for use. The location is on the 3rd floor of Titan Hall, open from Mon-Fri from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Health Services is responsible for the healthcare of students on campus. Students are encouraged to stop by and converse with their healthcare providers about appropriate testing, medication and effective prevention techniques and strategies. Their website answers questions on eligibility, fees, services and a form to make an appointment.

TitanWell is in charge of promoting healthy choices and behavior among students. They also sponsor programs and organize presentations and events to speak on dating violence, suicide prevention, stalking, domestic violence, and gender-based violence.

“Doggy Therapy” is expected to be coming back once a month for the spring 2023 semester.

New year, new eco-friendly resolutions

As the chaos of the new semester ensues, single waste products seem to be the easiest items to grab. However, the long-term effects of these products linger on campus for much longer than predicted.

Each college student produces about 640 pounds of waste yearly, leaving landfills and recycling facilities overflowing with excess waste.

There are simple modifications that can be adapted to students’ active schedules that reduce considerable amounts of waste.

While purchasing supplies, groceries, textbooks or clothes, consider using a reusable baginstead of a plastic bag. Canvas tote bags, extra backpacks, or even reusing plastic bags from previous purchases can substitute new plastic bags.

Produce bags are another common single-use plastic that can take a minimum of 1,000 years to decompose completely. Popular stores like Amazon, Walmart and Etsy sell a wide variety of produce bags in many different sizes and colors.

With over 50 water bottle refill stations throughout each building on campus, using a reusable water bottle becomes an accessible, simple swap for the typical single-use plastic water bottle. Depending on the bottle features, many reusable bottles range from $5 to $50.

Instead of bringing snacks wrapped in plastic or buying lunch on campus, consider preparing a lunch to bring with you. In the Titan Student

Union, students have full access to microwaves to reheat prepped meals. Meal prepping can be stored in empty Mason jars, bento boxes or reusable sealed bags.

Single-use paper napkins and paper towels add to the excess waste issue. Reusable paper products include cloth napkins, scrap fabric, and old rags or towels. After each use, you can easily throw the sustainable swaps into the washing machine for a quick rinse.

Plastic silverware adds to the excess amount of single-use waste, so consider investing in reusable knives, forks, and spoons. Besides the traditional dinner silverware, there are options that make travel easier. Bamboo travel utensil sets are a cheap and popular alternative. Bio-degradable and disposable bamboo cutlery is one a ffordable option, but reusable bamboo cutlery would be the most sustainable option.

Morning classes can be tough to get through without a cup of coffee to start the day. . According to the national library of medicine, 92% of college students consume coffee. However, buying coffee not only adds up in cost, but produces extra waste. Around 2.5 billion single-use cups of coffee are thrown out each year. Instead, try making coffee at home or bringing your own coffee cup to the shop and asking the baristas to use that instead.

With the start of a new year, you may be inclined to redo your wardrobe. Consider donating the unwanted clothing to local thrift stores and thrift the

majority of your new closet. Thrifting creates an economically stable environment that allows you to find unique pieces while donating some of your own.

Thrifting school supplies is another potential sustainable opportunity. With stores like Half O ff Books located in downtown Fullerton, you can find textbooks, films, records and novelty books second-hand and at reduced rates.

Reusing pens, pencils, highlighters and all other school supplies can dramatically reduce waste produced

each year. Using pens until the ink completely runs out will benefit your bank account and the environment.

If you do not have access to a laptop, Cal State Fullerton offers long-term device checkout. On the second floor of the Pollak Library, the Center of Equitable Digital Access can provide more information. Students have access to iPads, portable hotspots, laptops, headsets, monitors, webcams and more. Using one of these electronic devices could reduce paper waste.

Hand soap, dish soap,

shampoo, conditioner, and body wash all produce about 120 billion units of plastic waste annually. A simple alternative to cut back on this large amount of plastic would be bars of soap. With a range of choices to choose from to meet all your needs, bars of soap last three months longer than a bottle of any soap product.

Making these small, simple changes can reduce the amount of plastic and paper wasted each year. Even making one change to your daily routine can create a momentous change.

How to create the perfect study playlist

Fame” by The Script apply to this too.

Soft and Soothing

The opposite approach to the previous method can be listening to quieter and more calming songs. Calmer songs can help you de-stress and keep you level-headed.

Additionally, more mellow songs can help relax in between study sessions.

Piano ballads and acoustic songs fall into this category. Among the best are indie singer-songwriters like Lizzy McAlpine, Gracie Abrams and Dodie. Jazz vocalists like Norah Jones make for a great soundtrack when cramming for exams.

Instrumental

If hearing lyrics in a song is too distracting for you when studying, listening to instrumental tracks is an excellent alternative.

This opens the door to all kinds of instrumental music. Film scores, especially those composed by John Williams, Michael Giacchino and Hans Zimmer, can be just as anthemic as motivational songs with lyrics. Instrumental jazz musicians like Oscar Peterson or Stan Getz can be a great way to stay focused on your work without getting distracted by lyrics.

As we return to school, it can be difficult to get back into old routines and habits. One habit that can be especially difficult to keep up with is studying.

Everyone has a study style that works for them, music is one great option to help keep you focused. However, music can sometimes

be distracting, especially if you’re trying to read. That’s why it can help to curate a playlist fit for how you study best. Here are five templates for good study playlists.

Motivational Anthem

Motivation can be hard to find sometimes, so listening to encouraging music can help you find it. Anything can be motivational, but the songs that typically give the most motivation

when studying are similar to the kind of music you listen to when you work out.

Loud, guitar-driven songs, like those from rock and metal bands like Metallica, Green Day and Foo Fighters, are the most common instance of this.

But even songs that just have inspirational lyrics, like “The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World, “Stronger” by Kelly Clarkson, “Lose Yourself” by Eminem or “Hall of

If you still prefer to listen to something you’re more likely to recognize, karaoke renditions of popular songs also fit into this category. Karaoke catalogs can be found on streaming services including Sing2Piano, Karaoke Pro and Karaoke All-Stars. Some classics, like Taylor Swift, Linkin Park and of course, Disney release their own instrumental versions of their songs in case you crave more authenticity.

Lo-fi beats are also a prominent style of instrumental music. The most recognizable studying mascot is the Lofi Girl on YouTube, but her channel is not the only lo-fi music maker out there. There’s also Mt. Fujitive, Give Heart Beats and Midnight Hour among others.

One more type of instrumental music is ambient music. Artists like Brian Eno and Tycho can help make your study session calm and productive.

Educational

Sometimes you need music that will literally teach you something. Educational songs are out there to help you.

For science, look to They Might Be Giants who created a whole concept album focused on basic scientific principles. For American history, the “Hamilton” soundtrack can give particular insight into the United States’ formative years.

If you’re trying to learn a new language, listen to songs in that language to help you practice.

Flashcard

Perhaps the most abstract kind of playlist on this list is a “flashcard” playlist. Simply put together songs with titles that may relate to whatever you’re trying to study.

This works best with subjects that require you to learn a lot of complex terminologies, like physics, history and even music itself.

These are just a few types of playlists for studying. What’s most important to remember when crafting a study playlist is to listen to the music that works best for you.

Limited dining options spoil meal plans

In addition to high on-campus living costs, Cal State Fullerton residential students find themselves paying a mandatory fee for a meal plan. This seems like a great substitute to buying fast food, but students who have dietary restrictions or food allergens may be better off eating elsewhere. CSUF needs to improve the culinary conditions if they’re forcing students to pay for a meal plan when living on-campus.

CSUF needs to address these issues and begin serving more dietary-friendly options that are correctly prepared and labeled.

In an article published in December 2022, the Daily Titan reported students raising concerns about their safety while eating at the Gastronome during an Associated Students meeting. When eating at the Gastronome, students noticed a lack of dietary options and proper ingredient labeling. These mandatory meal plans can range from $1,000 to $2,300 per semester and add to housing fees. Students can choose to pay for the lowest meal plan, but it doesn’t allow them access to the Gastronome every day or is only for a limited amount of time during the semester. For example, the 5-Day Meal Plan will not allow students into the Gastronome during the weekend.

Rubi Sanchez, a first-year psychology student, said there was a lack of other dietary options besides soy-free foods.

Emmaleigh Irish, a thirdyear musical theater student, has a gluten dietary

restriction and said the Gastronome has “gluten-friendly” rather than “gluten-free” options.

“It’s advertised as gluten-friendly, which is questionable because most of the time, they say gluten-free. So what does gluten-friendly entail?” Irish said.

Because these foods are not entirely gluten-free, there’s a chance that if a student with a gluten dietary restriction decided to risk eating a “gluten-friendly” option, they could have an allergic reaction.

Irish said she had taken a bite of the bread before and was unsure if it was gluten-free.

Sanchez said it’s not fair for people with dietary

restrictions to pay for the food plan because they have so few choices.

“For people that do need to eat specific foods, I feel that they should be more inclusive, maybe pick out certain foods instead of having just that little section in the corner,” Sanchez said.

This is an issue for many residents, considering this is the only place they can use the pricey meal plan they were forced to buy.

The lack of options forces students who have already purchased an expensive meal plan to consider spending more on independent meals.

Students could simply buy outside food or groceries, but this neglects the issue that residents are forced to buy a

meal plan. Anything residents buy outside the Gastronome is an added cost on top of the meal plan they have to buy.

Sanchez said goes out to eat over the weekends due to only paying for the 5-Day Meal Plan. This is an added cost to a meal plan that is supposed to save students from going out to eat.

The argument that residents can just buy their own food assumes that all CSUF residents are financially secure enough to buy their meals every day on top of being forced to pay upwards of $2,300 for a meal plan they cannot use.

“I just don’t feel like that’s fair, you could go out and make your own food, but they’re forcing you to pay all this money to only eat what

they have here,” Sanchez said.

Students with dietary restrictions are at risk for an allergic reaction every time they eat at the Gastronome due to the lack of proper labeling. The lack of accommodations for special dietary needs forces students to consider paying extra for outside foods.

Students shouldn’t have to worry about whether they can eat during the day after already paying for an expensive meal plan that is supposed to cover their dietary needs.

While the Gastronome is already making improvements, it must provide better food options that are inclusive of special dietary needs — a basic accommodation to CSUF’s residential students.