Issue 11 - January 8th, 2026

Davis activates cold-weather services for unhoused residents as temperatures drop

Seasonal emergency shelters and outreach programs aim to protect vulnerable residents from cold-related health risks

BY ALMA CULVERWELL city@theaggie.org

The City of Davis is set to activate coldweather services for unhoused residents throughout the first two weeks of January, as overnight temperatures are expected to dip this rainy winter season.

The City of Davis works with local organizations and service providers each winter to connect people experiencing homelessness with shelter, warming resources and outreach services during periods of cold weather. These efforts are intended to reduce health risks associated with prolonged exposure to low temperatures.

Jenny Tan, director of community engagement for the City of Davis, explained the thought process behind the program and the demographic they aim to serve.

“The intent of the emergency winter shelter is to provide temporary housing to people experiencing homelessness during a period when they are most at risk from exposure to the elements; particularly during inclement

Tan said. “The city’s Social Services and Housing Department mobilizes two sites for sheltering operations, typically beginning in November and closing in March, [in order] to offer refuge from cold and wet weather.”

During the winter months, the city coordinates shortterm shelter options through referrals and encourages individuals in need to contact the City of Davis Homeless Outreach Team for assistance. Outreach workers aim to connect residents to emergency shelter, housing resources, health services and other forms of support.

Tan explained the conditions for operating the winter shelter in Davis.

“The winter shelter operates each year, regardless of

weather conditions,” Tan said.

“As for other accommodations the city might offer, such as charging centers during power outages, those occur on an asneeded basis based on outages or current information.”

Tan also outlined the array of services provided by the city for unhoused residents as part of the program.

“The winter shelter provides items such as clothes, blankets, meals and casemanagement services,” Tan said. “These are not the only items. Through partners, items such as transportation can be made available.”

Additional services are provided through partnerships with local organizations such as Paul’s Place, a Davis-based resource center that offers access to emergency, transitional and

Second arrest made in relation to 2025 Picnic Day shooting

19-year-old Stephon Wayne Stroman pleaded not guilty to a single count of possessing a loaded firearm while not registered owner

The Davis Police Department on a rainy morning. (Christian Cendejas / Aggie) BY

MADELYN SEVIGNY

city@theaggie.org

On Dec. 26, 19-year-old Stephon Wayne Stroman turned himself in at the Yolo County Jail on an arrest warrant for firearmrelated charges, according to the Davis Police Department. Stroman was formally brought before a judge in the Yolo Superior Court. He pleaded not guilty to a single count of possessing a loaded firearm while not the registered owner during a shooting that took place on April 12, 2025. Two teenagers and a 24-year-old were injured by gunfire at a block party hosted by the Davis chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, held at Community Park on Picnic Day.

Melinda Aiello, Yolo County chief deputy district attorney, explained the details of Stroman’s case.

“Mr. Stroman was arraigned on Dec. 30, 2025,” Aiello said

via email. “He entered a not guilty plea to the single count of the complaint. His case is next in court on Jan. 27, 2026 [...] at 9:00 a.m. for a preliminary hearing conference with a preliminary hearing set for 1:30 p.m. He is currently out of custody on $10,000 bail.”

The other suspect, 19-yearold Joseph Allen Davis, was arrested on May 23, 2025 after police served a search and arrest warrant at his residence. Officers seized a loaded short-barreled AR-15-style pistol during their search, which Davis was prohibited from possessing because he was previously convicted of a felony gun possession offense.

On Dec. 4, Davis pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to a press release from the United States Attorney’s Office. Stroman’s arrest was made a few weeks after Davis entered his guilty plea. Davis is scheduled to be sentenced on March 26, 2026.

If convicted, he would receive up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Davis’ case is a part of Operation Take Back America, which was introduced by the Trump administration to target four objectives: illegal immigration, elimination of cartels and other foreign terrorist organizations, the implementation of homeland security task forces in every state and charging the most “readily provable” offense. More specifically, Davis’ case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which seeks to reduce gun violence and violent crime.

While Davis pleaded guilty to federal charges, he still faces state charges in Yolo County, which include possession of an assault weapon and a largecapacity magazine.

For more information and updates on arrests, visit the City of Davis Police Department Facebook page.

supportive housing along with case-management and basic needs services. Countywide resources, including 211 Yolo, are also available to help individuals locate shelter, food and healthcare.

Tan explained the various collaborations across departments and organizations.

“The city works with local partners such as Davis Community Meals and Housing, St. Vincent de Paul, Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rehousing Team (HEART) of Davis and others for this endeavor,” Tan said. “The program offers between 18 to 20 beds nightly, prioritizes Davis residents and those with underlying medical conditions, seniors or people subject to predatory behavior. Access to the winter shelter

is by referral only through participating partners.”

Tan further described the details of these partnerships.

“Davis Community Meals and Housing is the operator of the congregate site [communal occupancy of living space] while the City of Davis Homeless Outreach manages the non-congregate site [individual occupancy of living space] in partnership with Hi-Wheel Flats,” Tan said. “In addition to the local partnership, the winter shelter is a great collaboration between multiple regional partners including Yolo County [Health and Human Services Agency] (HHSA), Communicare+Ole Mobile Medicine, Sutter Discharge and Turning Point Community Programs.”

Tan also explained the

interactive process and strong role of the outreach efforts that are involved as part of the city-run program.

“The outreach team at the City of Davis provides daily outreach to the unsheltered, including housing vouchers, behavioral/mental health clinicians, case managers, employment services, meals, laundry, emergency financial assistance, transportation assistance, mobile medicine and community shelters,” Tan said. “The city’s homeless outreach team, along with volunteers from local organizations, meet with and talk to the unsheltered every day, asking if they are in need of shelter or are aware of the resources and services available to them.”

More information about unhoused services, outreach contacts and available resources can be found on the City of Davis Homelessness Resources and Information webpage. Community members who encounter someone in need during extreme cold can contact 211 Yolo or the Homeless Outreach team at (530) 7475819 and HOutreach@ cityofdavis.org.

Davis Neighborhood Market to be held on G Street on Jan. 11

Davis Neighborhood Market is partnering with the Downtown Davis Business Association to promote vendors and small businesses

People enjoy the public seating on G Street. The Neighaborhood Market will be held on the street on

BY GIA LOOMIS city@theaggie.org

On Jan. 11, the Davis Neighborhood Market is hosting their recurring Neighborhood Market in Downtown Davis, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Located on G Street, the market will feature over 40 local vendors, as well as a live DJ. With free entry, the event encourages attendees to come out and support small businesses, nonprofits and artists.

This event is their first collaboration with the Downtown Davis Business Association, but it is not the first Neighborhood Market to take over Downtown Davis. The market was founded in 2022, when six siblings saw an opportunity to help out local entrepreneurs while enriching Davis’ already prevalent arts and fashion culture.

Neighborhood Marker cofounder, Alex Barreto, shared the inspiration and beginnings behind the family-run Neighborhood Market.

“The Davis Neighborhood Market began in 2022 with the goal of creating accessible, communitycentered opportunities for local entrepreneurs,” Barreto said. “Since its launch, the market has hosted over 50 events throughout Davis.” Barreto also shared one of the reasons why the Neighborhood Markets is unique; specifically in the way it keeps the event environment different from a usual shop.

“Each market brings together a wide range of vintage vendors, including vintage clothing sellers, artists and jewelers,” Barreto said. “This creates an atmosphere that

feels more like a community gathering than a traditional market. The [Neighborhood Market] organizers’ favorite part is connecting with the vendors to ensure that they receive as much exposure and support as possible.”

Many vendors participate in the event time and time again — the Eclipse Dream, a local holistic crafts and crystal jewelry business, has participated

“The Neighborhood Market was my very first booth in Davis. Great event and vibes with positive support to small business vendors.” Teresa Lupercio Eclipse Dream business owner great way for eerie, niche artists to crawl out of the shadows and connect directly with local audiences,” Johnson said. “I’m especially excited to share my work in a space that celebrates creativity, small businesses and the unique character of Davis.” Previous participants continue to boast about the importance of events like Neighborhood Market’s for smaller businesses. The Roadside

in previous Neighborhood Markets and will be at the upcoming market on Jan. 11. The business’ owner, Teresa Lupercio, explained her positive experience at the event; an aspect of the market which encouraged her to come back.

“The Neighborhood Market was my very first booth event in Davis,” Lupercio said. “[It was a] great event and vibes, with positive support to small business vendors. This event helped me to continue being inspired to grow, create and make use of my art and holistic gifts.”

Another vendor at the upcoming market this weekend includes The Ghoulevard, a unique horror-inspired art and merchandise shop. The shop’s owner, Britney Johnson, explained her excitement for the shop’s first time participating in the market.

“Markets like this are a

Retro Boutique, a small business which specializes in pre-loved and vintage curated clothing and accessories, partook in the most recent Davis Neighborhood Market. The owner, Bailey Shulkin, emphasized the necessity of markets that focus on supporting small businesses.

“Vendor events like the Neighborhood Market play a huge role in supporting small businesses by creating opportunities to engage with the community, connect with other local vendors and grow their business,” Shulkin said. “The flexibility of participating in local markets allows us to continue operating, experimenting and building meaningful relationships.”

The Davis Neighborhood Market will be held on

Instagram for updates and to learn about upcoming events.

ASUCD swears in new senators at final meeting of fall quarter

The Dec. 4 meeting saw four Senate newcomers join the table, alongside two returning officeholders

AALIYAH ESPAÑOL-RIVAS campus@theaggie.org

At their final meeting of fall quarter on Dec. 4, the ASUCD Senate swore in its new members and heard farewells from outgoing officeholders.

The meeting began with short goodbye speeches from the outgoing senators in attendance: Lexi Raben, Nanki Kaur and Interim Senator Livreet Sandhu. Outgoing officers also included Senator Umar Shaikh and Interim Senator Shaina Taebi, who were not present at the meeting.

ASUCD’s new senators also took office at the meeting.

In order of their swearing-in, these senators are: Rosa Linda Martinez Ruano, a third-year sociology and community and regional development double major; Aaron David Heth, a third-year political science major; Mia Oscanoa, a firstyear political science major; Nate Little, a first-year political science major; Jenna Younes, a fourth-year international relations major; and Ezra Rubin, a third-year classics and international relations double major.

Of the outgoing class of senators, Younes was the only one who sought re-election in fall. Rubin, a former senator who left office last spring, was sworn in remotely as he was studying abroad in Greece.

Also in attendance at the meeting and filling many of the chairs in the viewing area were friends and supporters of the new senators, who helped celebrate their taking office.

Innovation and Research Lab Presentations

Afterward, the Innovation and Research Lab (IRL), ASUCD’s in-house software development and research group, presented the findings of two projects to the

Senate table.

First, the Staff Satisfaction project, done in collaboration with Rubin, sought to understand the experiences and emotions of ASUCD unit employees. Conducted in spring quarter of 2025, the survey was sent out to all unit directors for their employees to complete. The findings included responses from 15 ASUCD units, representing approximately 27% of all unit employees.

Overall, IRL found that ASUCD unit employees are generally satisfied with workplace experiences and feel generally prepared for their responsibilities. However, they also found that Coffee House (CoHo) employees were generally less satisfied with their scheduling compatibility with classes. Additionally, they found that longer-term employees feel underscheduled.

After presenting their findings, IRL gave three recommendations to units on how to better satisfy their employees, including implementing a shift preference system for larger units, closing the gap between employees and leadership and clearly defining and maintaining role expectations through training.

Senior Project Researcher Pearl Vishen, a fourth-year data science major, hopes to continue the survey yearly for all units in order to see how student experiences may change over time.

“This is the first time we have conducted this survey,” Vishen said. “We do have hopes to make this yearly, in order to track how these changes evolve over time and [to] see if any tactics that have been implemented have any effect on employees’ experience.”

The second IRL presentation featured the Basic Needs project, made in conjunction with the ASUCD Executive Office. The project’s 61-question survey was made to assess the state of UC

Davis undergraduate students’ basic needs across various dimensions of welfare, as well as to measure student awareness of ASUCD basic needs resources. The data included 351 responses.

IRL’s findings suggest that ASUCD further promotes available resources to students in need of financial aid support, students who have work-study programs and students who utilize AB540 non-resident tuition exemption. Specifically, IRL recommended that Aggie Compass, Housing Advising for Undergraduate Students (HAUS) and ASUCD Student Health and Wellness (SHAW) should be expanded and more accessible for students.

Later in the meeting, Jeremy Elvander, a fourth-year data science major, was confirmed as the IRL’s new unit director.

Anti-Palestinian Racism

In a presentation, Younes shared ideas on how ASUCD can help combat anti-Palestinian racism on campus. This followed a recap of her Anti-Palestinian Racism Town Hall, hosted on Nov. 10 in collaboration with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Davis Graduate, Medical, Veterinary, & Law Students for Palestine (GMVL).

Over 40 people attended the event, which featured presentations, a speaker panel and a Q&A session for students to voice their concerns, according to Younes. Younes also spoke about the threat of being doxxed by non-student groups outside the university.

“[There’s] a newsletter that regularly doxxes student faculty and community members, and

UC Davis Google Workspace experiences brief service outage

In a separate tech issue, university WiFi crashed across campus on the first day of the quarter

they’ve doxxed me,” Younes said. Younes also criticized the lack of action from the UC Davis administration regarding the harassment, physical and verbal assault and anti-Palestinian racism toward students.

“There have been at least 20 recorded and documented instances of harassment and blatant antiPalestinian racism that has not been addressed or resolved by the university,” Younes said. To combat this, Younes recommended that senators educate themselves by attending SJP meetings. She also noted that she hopes to release a doxxing toolkit for students, as well as host the event again in the future along with an “Islamophobia town hall.” Younes also noted that attendees at the event shared concerns over the university’s Harassment & Discrimination Assistance and Prevention Program (HDAPP).

“[Attendees] were concerned [if] reporting actually does anything,” Younes said. “The short answer is no.

RIVERS STOUT campus@theaggie.org

On Dec. 31, 2025, UC Davis Information and Educational Technology (IET) noticed that UC Davis account users were unable to upload or edit files in the university’s Google Workspace, the university’s primary online storage and cloud suite.

According to a university spokesperson, the disruption lasted between 12 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and was caused by an issue during a contract transition, where Google’s system temporarily failed to reflect the university’s data storage capacity.

On the user end, the disruption showed up as an error message saying that the UC Davis Google Workspace storage was full, showing usage exceeding 1.59 petabytes (PB) of data. One PB is equal to one thousand terabytes (TB).

Some members of the UC Davis community took to the university’s Reddit page to discuss the outage.

“None of my docs on my UC Davis account are editable, because our school has seemingly exceeded the amount of data we can store,” one post reads. “I was working on some research work & all of my files became readonly.”

The problem was addressed later that day, and IET considers the issue completely resolved as of Jan. 2, according to a university spokesperson.

“[IET] identified and escalated the issue to Google

support,” the university spokesperson said. “The matter was addressed promptly. We appreciate the vendor’s quick action.” At the time of publication, it is unclear how many individuals at UC Davis were affected by the disruption. Members of the UCLA subreddit also reported a similar Google disruption on the same day.

The outage follows recent changes to UC Davis’ email and storage policies. In early 2024, the university ended its Email for Life and Email Forwarding for Life services, allowing previous UCD email account holders to forward new emails to personal email accounts. At the time, the university cited increased security risks and rising costs of maintaining accounts after Google removed free and unlimited storage for Google Workspace’s education product. As of July 2023, the storage limit for UCD Google accounts is 20 GB.

The Google Workspace issue was not the only technologyrelated issue over winter break. On the morning of Dec. 23, UC Davis emergency dispatchers were briefly unable to hear incoming calls from landlines. The issue was resolved within an hour of a WarnMe being sent to UC Davis community members, asking them to contact emergency services via cell phone if needed. To monitor future UC Davis online-service outages, readers can visit the IET status page. Users can report issues to IET by calling 530-754-4357 or emailing ithelp@ucdavis.edu.

Davis City Council selects new mayor and vice mayor

Councilmember Donna Neville to serve as mayor and Councilmember Gloria Partida to serve as vice mayor for 2026

vice mayor serves as a substitute who steps in if the mayor is unable to perform their duties.

The Davis City Council unanimously voted to appoint Council Member Donna Neville as mayor and Councilmember Gloria Partida as vice mayor for the year 2026 on Dec. 16, 2025. Neville was elected to the Davis City Council in 2023 from City Council District 3, and served as vice mayor for the 2025 term. Partida was elected to the Davis City Council in 2018 and served as mayor from 2020 to 2022. The City of Davis operates under a Council-Manager form of government, meaning that Davis mayors have less power than those of other municipalities that operate under a Mayor-Council government. Under the CouncilManager system, new mayors are appointed via consensus each year from among the existing councilmembers. Their position is primarily ceremonial; the mayor’s main duty is to preside over City Council sessions. The

The city manager, on the other hand, holds more executive and administrative authority in Davis. They are appointed by the City Council and have the power to enforce city ordinances and state laws, manage and appoint city officers and act as a purchasing agent for the city and its agencies, among other duties. Daryel Dunston serves as the current Davis City Manager and was appointed to the position in 2025.

Prior to their vote, the Davis City Council members discussed potential changes to their mayoral selection process.

Partida suggested an alternative.

“I think we have to set up a rotation system much like the [Yolo County] Board of Supervisors and the school district, just to have some certainty in where we’re going,” Partida said. “The other thing that I have proposed before is to have the election of mayor at large.”

The Council voted unanimously to direct city staff to compile a list of options for a mayoral rotation system, but did not move to investigate the city-wide election option. Councilmember and former Mayor Bapu Vaitla questioned the value of the City of Davis having a mayor in the first place.

“I think that, at some horizon — like five years in the future — we should transition [from mayor and vice mayor] to [a Council] chair and vice chair,” Vaitla said. “After having spent this year as mayor, I feel that even more strongly. […] There’s a lot of misunderstanding out in the community about the powers the mayor has. I think it actually does more harm than good to have a mayor or vice mayor. I’m not making any motions right now, obviously I wouldn’t have support for that, but I would urge you to consider the costs and benefits.”

The new mayor and vice mayor began their term on Jan. 6 2026. They will serve until January 2027.

Does college turn students ‘woke?’

UC Davis students discuss whether or not universities promote a liberal agenda

LAILA AZHAR features@theaggie.org

In December 2025, Samantha Fulnecky, a third-year at the University of Oklahoma, made headlines for an essay she wrote in a psychology class. In her assignment, which involved responding to an article about gender expectations in society, she voiced support for traditional gender roles.

“The article discussed peers using teasing as a way to enforce gender norms,” Fulnecky wrote. “I do not necessarily see this as a problem. God made male and female and made us differently from each other on purpose and for a purpose.”

Fulnecky received a zero on the assignment due to the lack of evidence cited in her essay, according to her teaching assistant (TA) and professor. This essay and scoring soon became a point of contention in the discussion about liberal ideologies on college campuses, as many believed the grade she received was revelatory of liberal bias in higher education.

Conservatives have long argued that college campuses indoctrinate students into leftwing ideology. For instance, in his 2022 book, “The College Scam,” right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk proposed that college campuses are dominated by far-left professors who shut down free speech and promote anti-American views.

“Universities used to open students’ minds and widen their horizons. Today, universities weld minds shut,” Kirk wrote in his book.

Billionaire venture capitalist Peter Thiel even offered young entrepreneurs a $100,000 grant to skip college, citing concerns about colleges becoming too woke. Additionally, 38% of

American adults believe colleges and universities have a negative impact on the country; up from 26% in 2012, according to a 2019 Pew Research survey. Furthermore, 79% of Republicans cite professors bringing political and social views into classrooms as a major issue facing higher education, while only 17% of Democrats say the same.

However, to third-year international relations major Jeanine Mora, this fear seems overblown.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had a professor unnecessarily force their opinions onto a class,” Mora said. “Even if a professor does talk about their personal views, I’ve never had an experience where agreeing or disagreeing with them would affect your grade.”

Third-year political science major Nicole Lee noted that discussions about politics seem to be relegated to appropriate contexts.

“I’ve had professors share opinions in certain classes, like a [political science] class,” Lee said.

“But I don’t think I’ve ever heard that in a class that has nothing to do with politics, like a [science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM)] class. I think that makes sense: If you’re studying politics, you’re probably prepared to hear different opinions on those topics, while that might be more out of place in a class that has nothing to do with those issues.”

As third-year managerial economics major Jason Nguyen pointed out, while UC Davis is left-leaning, professors’ views may not be the reason for that atmosphere.

“Davis is a very liberal campus,” Nguyen said. “But I don’t think that means that students are being brainwashed in their classes. Most Davis

students are from California and the Bay Area — areas that are already also very liberal. Even students just starting at Davis are 18 years old; they’re old enough to already have political beliefs. So I think it’s more likely that campuses like Davis are just in liberal areas, and not that students enter college as blank slates and leave with entirely new beliefs.”

Nguyen further explained that fears over political indoctrination on college campuses may be used by politicians to garner support for other policies regarding higher education.

“The belief that colleges and university research are frivolous is what allows for administrations like the Trump administration to cut funding for these things without much pushback,” Nguyen said. “If people think that it’s ‘too woke,’ they’re more likely to support taking away funding.”

Beliefs surrounding the culture of college campuses have already been used to affect institutions financially. Funding cuts to schools — including the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University — have been threatened in response to policies surrounding transgender athletes or pro-Palestinian protests.

“Tuition costs are probably bigger deterrents for people considering college than fears about woke campuses,” Nguyen said. “I think that is a much more pressing issue.”

As various policies regarding universities are proposed or implemented, the debate about whether or not they serve as sites of indoctrination will inevitably continue. Regardless, students at UC Davis and beyond believe the conversation should remain focused on more tangible issues affecting college students.

UC Davis students set goals for the new quarter

Students reflect on ways to prepare for their winter workload

AMBER WARNKE features@theaggie.org

As winter quarter enters full swing, students adjust to their schedule changes while looking forward to all that the new year has in store. Some students find that, similar to the New Year’s resolutions they may have just set, setting goals for the quarter can help them prepare for their new classes.

However, some may not know where to start. The first thing that can help is looking back on past quarters and pinpointing what could be improved upon in the future, according to Melissa Clinton, a 2024 UC Santa Barbara alumna with a Bachelor’s of Science (B.S.) degree in communication. Clinton reflected on the ways she benefited from the same quarter system UC Davis runs on when she was in school.

“With the quarter system, I really liked having that fresh start every time — every 10 weeks — where it’s like, okay, if something went bad last quarter, then I want to improve in other ways in this quarter,” Clinton said. “If I skipped class a lot last quarter, or didn’t take class that seriously, then next quarter, I can plan to do better.”

In addition to figuring out what needs to be improved upon, students can benefit from creating an actionable plan on how they will achieve their academic goals. For instance, students who slept through classes during fall quarter can plan to set reminders on their phones for an earlier bedtime

this quarter. Students who passed on going to office hours in fall can write office hours into their planner, and students who failed to take detailed notes in fall can challenge themselves to take one full page of notes every day of class in winter.

Clinton also noted that staying on track with the fast pace of the quarter system is just as important as setting large goals.

“For me at least, once I stopped doing something — like if I didn’t do my reading that week — then I would just stop doing my readings all around,” Clinton said. “So, just keeping that consistency, that motivation that you have at the beginning of the quarter throughout the whole quarter, can be really helpful.”

In order to stick to clearlydefined goals, students may find it helpful to set weekly or monthly benchmarks that can help them stay on track with coursework, according to Clinton. Students might create a checklist of their weekly assignments, give themselves a treat at the end of the week if they meet their goal of getting everything done on time or ask a friend to be an accountability partner and text them throughout the quarter asking if they’ve done all their assignments.

Luca Stevens, a secondyear marine and coastal science major, also plans on staying on top of their coursework in winter quarter, with their goal of starting all their assignments at least one day before they are due. For Stevens, what helps the most with staying on track

A new era of New Year’s resolutions: ‘ins and outs’

Generation Z has a new take on setting goals for the upcoming year

AMBER DUHS features@theaggie.org

As the excitement and busyness of the holiday season ends, the liminal time and space between Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 lulls. With the pressure of another year ending, students often find themselves jotting down various reflections in a journal or their Notes app: What went well this year? What didn’t go well? And inevitably, what are the lofty goals I will turn into my new year’s resolutions?

The tradition of taking the changing calendar year as an opportunity to alter things in our lives is long-lived and practiced, with many using it as the perfect excuse to reinvent themselves or their habits.

“The New Year is all about starting fresh and moving forward, so it’s a good time to enact new habits,” Sienna Monnier, a first-year animal biology major, said. “Jan. 1 feels like a reset.”

Julia Brossia, a first-year human biology major, noted that there is something about the new year that tends to make us want to reinvent ourselves completely. Despite the fact that these goals re-manifest themselves in our lives every year, they are often much easier to create than they are to maintain.

“I think a lot of people put really high expectations on themselves or make goals that aren’t entirely achievable,”

Julia Brossia, a first-year human biology major, said.

In an article published by the Atlantic titled “Just Break Your New Year’s Resolution Now,” writer Richard A. Friedman brought an alarming statistic to mind regarding the lack of commitment to resolutions. In the article, Friedman noted that, by the end of February 2024, nearly half of respondents in a survey by Harris Poll had given up on their goals set at the turn of the new year. By the end of the year, this statistic was revealed to

is being intentional about when and where they study.

“I like to do my homework in-between classes if I have time,” Stevens said. “I feel like if I’m on campus, I get it done; whereas at home, I take a nap.”

Monica Willsey, a 2023 alumna with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in international relations, reflected on her time at UC Davis. Willsey offered some advice to current students on how to set goals that are feasible.

“Start with something small and doable that way you can work up to [it],” Willsey said. “If you’re not able to accomplish or meet a big goal, you’re going to feel bad about yourself and then you’re not going to get anywhere.”

Breaking a larger goal down could be as simple as breaking down an essay into paragraphs and assigning each paragraph to be completed on a certain day of the week, rather than trying to complete it all the night before it is due. Or, if a student’s goal is to do better on tests in winter quarter, instead of aiming for 100% on every exam, they could challenge themselves to go to office hours before every exam and spend at least two hours studying for the test every day the week before, according to Willsey.

However, Willsey also reminds students to be gentle to themselves as they navigate the start of the quarter, which can often be a time of stress and adjustment for students.

“Don’t be all critical of yourself; we’re only human,” Willsey said. “Just ask yourself: “What is one small thing I can do today?’”

grow even more drastic.

Surveys have found that fewer than 10% of Americans who make resolutions stick to them for a year,” Friedman wrote.

Behind a successful new year’s resolution lies the framework for how we formulate the goals themselves. In high school and beyond, students are taught to make their goals “S.M.A.R.T”: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based.

“When people simply think of a large task or goal for their new year’s resolutions, it is really difficult to actually complete them,” Monnier said. “Without having measurable goals with specific steps to accomplish, people can’t really stick to a resolution.”

Given the difficulty of sticking to new year’s resolutions, many young adults are moving towards new year’s “ins and outs” instead; a more forgiving list of specific habits, daily motions, objects or even characteristics that you want either “in” your life in the new year, or “out.” For example, you might replace the resolution to “get a 6-pack” with the goal to “intentionally move my body five days a week.”

“Ins and outs” take off the typical pressure of new year’s resolutions, removing the need to work toward often unrealistic goals, according to Monnier. They focus on intentional habit changes, allowing those who employ them to enjoy and relish in the goals that come along the way. Not only does

this method of goal-setting avoid the all-or-nothing mindset that leads to the abandonment of goals, but it offers you a feeling of accomplishment for just showing up.

“This method [of goalsetting] would be a lot more productive than writing resolutions that are hard to stick to and don’t produce measurable outcomes,” Monnier said. Additionally, rather than having your new year’s goals be entirely focused on fitness or career goals, the “ins and outs” model allows for goals to be more niche; for instance, “in: thrifting home decor” and “out: using artificial intelligence.” In essence, “ins and outs” act as a method of genuine selfreflection of the past year, rather than strict, often-unattainable goals that come with new year’s resolutions.

“Doing ‘ins and outs’ actually gives clear goals you can achieve day-by-day, instead of a very vague idea that you’re going for,” Brossia said. “It can be a lot more forgiving with your daily life.”

OPINION

New Year, who this?

Exploring New Year’s resolutions and how to make them stick

VIOLET ZANZOT vmzanzot@ucdavis.edu

Almost 24 full hours of life in 2026, and I already feel the effects of my resolution. It’s pretty embarrassing, actually. Deleting TikTok and Snapchat — my goal for the year — doesn’t feel like it should be novel or all that challenging, but I knew it would be, and that’s why I did it.

Right now, it’s still fresh enough that I don’t pick up my phone to see if the apps are still there, because I remember that they’re not. That doesn’t stop me from picking up my phone, because I still hope it could make me happy. I think this is the first stage of off-the-grid grief — I hope the next one is enlightenment, because I won’t survive anything more brutal.

In general, I think there are three different kinds of people when it comes to New Year’s resolutions: the ones who feel resolutions are silly and never try to uphold them, the ones who set ambitious intentions and quit in February and the ones who tough it out. After eight years of being a vegetarian, a 2018 New Year’s resolution, I feel confident that I am capable of being the latter. My successfully bacon-less, burger-less, chickensandwichless life has led me to be a campaign manager, poster child and cheerleader for resolutions.

I think it is important to dedicate yourself to improvement or change. Simply the act of dedicating yourself to something — anything — forces you to be mindful. The calendar

change offers an opportunity for you to pay attention to where you are and to assess where you want to be. It can remind you to reflect and resolve, to build a resolute spirit. It may be a little cheesy to take something like a resolution so seriously, but I choose to think about it as embracing the natural shift of the season.

I often wonder if, halfway through the year, people remember their goals. It’s so easy to become lost in space and to feel no conscious connection or control over time, and it’s hard to simply exist in the face of all of it. We lose track of the movement of our lungs and thus forget that we are constantly breathing; we stop being aware. It is easiest to get lost, not when there is no destination, but when there is no guide.

Telling yourself on Jan. 1 that, come Dec. 31, you’ll weigh 50 pounds less or have 50 more

dollars in your pocket is an action that gives yourself a destination. Resolutions fail without a map — to build something that lasts all year, if not longer, goals must have sign posts, and they must be tailored to your own lifestyle and abilities.

Personally, I have realized that the easiest goals for me to follow are all or none. This understanding of myself extends past Jan. 1. Regardless of the calendar date, I am best at goals that force me to comply with strict rules.

Are Generation Z employees truly lazy?

Why Gen Z are considered ‘bad workers’ in an increasingly hostile job market

ANJALI IYER

amiyer@ucdavis.edu

I spent winter break in New York City surrounded by family, a substantial number of German tourists and what appeared to be a never-ending stream of finance interns in quarter-zips. Most areas of the city were packed to the brim with an influx of travellers eager to celebrate the holiday season. One day, on a particularly hectic street, I overheard a conversation that piqued my interest as I waded through the gridlocked crowd: it was an older gentleman ranting about the “concerning” trends he saw among Generation Z workers.

The man expressed his immense disdain towards Gen Z’s approach to work, citing the post-pandemic preference to work from home as proof of this phenomenon. He went on to complain about how new hires at his workplace also seemed to disregard the importance of dressing professionally. He described (in horror) how he once witnessed a Gen Z hedgefund salesperson wearing socks with a visible Nike logo, lamenting that this debacle would have been unforgivable back in the 1980s.

As I eavesdropped, I found myself rolling my eyes at what initially seemed like a rather tone-deaf tirade. But, by the time I had wandered out of earshot, I was rather puzzled by his unrelenting vitriol toward Gen Z. Are Gen Z employees actually lazier than their millennial and baby boomer predecessors, or is our different attitude toward work culture indicative of wider socio-economic phenomena?

The difference between baby boomer and Gen Z work culture is undeniably stark. Gen Z employees have a significantly more value-based approach to work and are more likely than boomers to reject employees that don’t align with their personal ethics, according to a 2024 Deloitte survey. This approach is likely due to the fact that Gen Zers tend to prioritize personal fulfillment over aspirations to climb the corporate ladder; compared to millennials and baby boomers, Gen Z workers were significantly more likely to quit within two years of employment if they felt dissatisfied with their employer, according to Deloitte’s 2023 survey. This change in dynamic is often interpreted by members of older generations as a generational contempt for hard work, as Gen Z employees are less inclined to stay at a company

if their priorities and needs aren’t sufficiently met. However, the notion that younger generations are generally unemployable, bad workers is entirely unfounded and relies on a narrow definition of success and productivity.

Furthermore, every generation has a tendency to be overly critical of those that come after them. Millennials were once notoriously the subject of baby boomer jokes over perceived overspending on menial items, as though one could put a downpayment on a house simply by refraining from buying lattes and avocados. The stereotype of Gen Z as unreliable and narcissistic workers likely derives, in part, from the typical intergenerational tension. However, the frustration that boomers have with Gen Z workers seems to also come from a fundamental difference in outlook and experience. In the 1960s and 70s, it was relatively simple to land a job straight out of college and work until retirement, all while comfortably supporting a spouse and family. Corporations were seen as a necessity and an overall benefit to the American way of life. Nowadays, at least among my peers, the idea of being grateful and loyal to one’s employer is considered outdated, and quite frankly, laughable. The empty promises of neoliberal Reaganomics stagnated the middle class, and following generations watched chief executive officers (CEOs) become grotesquely rich during the pandemic by exploiting their workers.

Needless to say, Gen Z disillusionment has culminated in a paradigm shift in how we view big corporations and those in power. Gen Z’s corporate

Kalshi is a sports betting company, even if the CFTC won’t call it that

Regulatory silence shouldn’t be treated as a green light

MILES

BARRY mabarry@ucdavis.edu

Kalshi is a prediction market organizing bets on nearly everything — from the date of Taylor Swift’s wedding to the number of deportations conducted in the first year of Donald Trump’s presidency.

To facilitate these bets, Kalshi sells “event contracts” — essentially yes-or-no questions about future outcomes. Take “Will Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deport at least 500,000 people by the end of Trump’s first year?” Users can buy either side. If you purchase “Yes” for 25 cents and you’re right, you win 75 cents — the two sides always sum to a dollar. If one side receives more purchases, its price will increase with demand.

Prediction market fans claim that contract share prices can serve as approximations of an event’s likelihood; that 25 cents for “Yes” approximates a 25% chance that more than 500,000 people will be deported. Kalshi’s Chief Executive Officer, Tarek Mansour, even claimed in an interview that their markets are an “unbiased source of truth,” as they aggregate many people’s predictions about an event’s likelihood into one clear price. This marketing strategy seems like it’s working; Google Finance just inked a deal with Kalshi to integrate their contract prices into the website.

But most consumers aren’t very interested in Kalshi’s markets on whether Kamala Harris will say “Charlie Kirk” on the Rachel Maddow show (she didn’t). They’re interested in sports betting. By some estimates, 75-90% of Kalshi’s trading volume this year belongs to their markets on college and professional sports. Kalshi has essentially become an online sports betting platform, valued at $11 billion and operating in all 50 states — despite varying state laws concerning sports betting.

Several states (including Nevada, Maryland, New York, New Jersey and Ohio) and several Native American tribes have filed lawsuits against Kalshi, alleging that they’re operating

an unlicensed sports wagering operation. Kalshi insists it’s not a gambling company — it’s a derivatives exchange, regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). But the CFTC doesn’t appear to be regulating their markets either.

The Commodities Exchange Act (CEA) allows the CFTC to prohibit the listing of swaps contracts based on “terrorism,” “assassination,” “war” or “gaming,” if they are found to be contrary to public interest. “Gaming” likely includes betting on sports, but the term was never defined precisely in the CEA. The Biden administration attempted to rectify this, but dropped its appeal in May 2025 after the change in administration. Based on this vacuum, the CFTC hasn’t prohibited Kalshi’s sports contracts. They also haven’t prohibited other contracts, like the aforementioned deportations one, that are likely against public interest — and distasteful at the very least.

Kalshi’s legal response is elegant in its circularity; it platforms the idea that only the CFTC can regulate swaps exchanges, and, since the CFTC hasn’t stopped their operations, therefore their contracts are legal. A federal judge in New Jersey bought this logic, writing that Kalshi’s sports contracts, “by their very existence,” constitute evidence of the CFTC’s “implicit decision to permit them.”

This argument could potentially hold if the CFTC could be trusted to act as a neutral referee. But Kalshi has established deep ties to both the CFTC and the Trump administration. Brian Quintez, who was Trump’s choice for CFTC chairman until his nomination was withdrawn in September, sits on Kalshi’s board of directors. Michael Selig, who was confirmed as permanent CFTC chair in December 2025, previously worked at a law firm

representing Paradigm, one of Kalshi’s largest investors. While doing so, he co-wrote a letter in 2024 urging the CFTC to permit prediction market contracts — arguing that it’s “arbitrary and capricious” to ban sports event contracts. Caroline Pham, Trump’s choice for CFTC acting chair in January 2025, faced a 2022 ethics complaint for disclosing “highly confidential, nonpublic information” that benefitted Kalshi. Moreover, Donald Trump Jr. is a strategic advisor to Kalshi. It could be argued that this is how expertise works: regulators understand derivatives because they’ve worked in the industry, at companies like Kalshi. But that’s harder to prove when Kalshi’s entire business model depends on the CFTC’s inaction. So, who’s actually in charge here? Not Congress, which allows prohibition of “gaming” contracts but left the term undefined. Not the CFTC, now led by Kalshi’s allies. Not the states, which are being told federal law preempts their gambling regulations. And not the courts, which have treated regulatory inaction as regulatory approval. Until Congress defines what “gaming” means in federal commodities law — or the Supreme Court resolves the circuit split on federal preemption — Kalshi will continue operating in the gap between what regulators can do and what they’re willing to do.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie.

When true crime becomes true harm

Sensationalism, misinformation and the commodification of tragedy

SAGE KAMOCSAY skamocsay@ucdavis.edu

skepticism is only further validated by the actions of big businesses, who have already begun laying off workers in favor of an even more cost-effective option — artificial intelligence (AI).

For most, it’s impossible to stay motivated and excited for a professional career when you’re constantly being reminded of the futility of your future job prospects.

I think back to a particularly painful Uber ride, where upon learning I wanted to be a journalist, my driver proceeded to spend the rest of the ride trying to convince me that the rise in AI would render my future aspirations entirely obsolete. He explained that his teenage son once had similar dreams to mine, describing how he had coerced him into pursuing a pre-law path for a more secure future.

I’ve noticed that most baby boomers and Gen Xers who complain about Gen Z employees lived through a time when the American dream was still, to many, an attainable reality — raising kids in a middle-class income household was a feasibly comfortable achievement. For older generations, employment was often a means to a happy and fulfilled end. Gen Z’s nihilistic approach to work seems appropriate in an era where there are more unemployed people than job openings, and every application is almost certainly scanned and rejected by an AI bot. I think we would all benefit from more empathy in a broken system that ultimately fails us all.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie.

It’s no secret that true crime media (podcasts, movies, television shows and more) attract worldwide attention. It makes sense — humans have always had an affinity towards exploring the darker sides of ourselves, and there is no deeper inspection than looking at real life. Stories of gruesome medical horror stories and mass tragedies born of incompetence scratch these itches; whether it’s serial killers, cults, medical malpractice or nuclear disasters, there’s an audience — people want to watch. As a result, social media personalities have stepped in to recount these tragic events to the masses. Hundreds have made their names and fortunes off of marketing violence

common sense on safety. Human emotions, vulnerability, trust and ignorance are disregarded as these influencers neglect to realize that they are biased because of the gift of hindsight. They forget that, just because they had the privilege of knowing what would occur and all the information needed to deduce the cruelty of a person or system, the victims were not so lucky. More commonly (and more insidiously), these stories are harmful because of their misinformation. Facts may be conveniently ignored if it makes for a better story, and sensationalism is prized above integrity because it garners more engagement. At the end of the day, viewers would rather hear a story about an evil cult whose manipulation and secrecy

scandalous and irresistibly intriguing. On the surface, this may look like another harmless social media niche, but many of these influencers perpetuate disrespectful and damaging messages about the victims of the stories they tell. Most significantly, many of these storytellers will, directly or indirectly, blame the victims. Maybe they question how the victims could have been so naive and ignorant as to fall for such a transparent trap, or they remark on the idiocy of those involved forgoing basic regulations or

is correct. Creators laughing at and making light of the details of the case, giving overly indulgent descriptions of death simply for the shock value, and sexualizing the perpetrators are examples of some ways tragedies may be butchered. These actions contribute to a certain way of thinking about these devastating

events — as if they are simply for our entertainment; no more than a horror movie for us who are so lucky to be this far removed from them. In other words, they start to feel more like fictional stories than real catastrophes. With this logic, people further forget the plight and humanity of the dead and the scarred. The worst part is, social media platforms encourage this harmful behavior. By the very nature of their mechanisms and algorithms, the most sensational, outlandish and emotional posts and videos are promoted to the largest audiences. Anything that gets a viewer to stay on the social media site longer is considered a successful post, with no regard for tact or empathy. As long as it gets interactions and views, it benefits the platforms. But what is there to do about this? It takes a mass amount of people to create change just by reporting videos; publicly criticizing creators results in a similarly low chance at improving matters. Even if you convince the original influencer their actions were wrong, more will immediately rise to take their place.

Complaining to the companies themselves will also likely result in no action, unless a lawsuit is filed or there is some other large threat to profits. The best thing you can do is live your own life as respectfully as you can. Seek sources that are trustworthy and uphold the humanity of all involved and support people committed to upholding integrity in their work — for ultimately, a more informed public leads to a more empathetic world.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie.

U.S. actions in Venezuela mark frightening display of American brazenness, imperialism

WRITTEN BY THE

EDITORIAL BOARD

Editorial Board

ALYSSA CREVOISERAT Editor-in-Chief

MAYA KORNYEYEVA Managing Editor

VINCE BASADA Campus News Editor

JORDAN POLTORAK City News Editor

MOLLY THOMPSON Opinion Editor

When Americans across the country woke up on Saturday morning to the news that United States forces under the orders of President Donald Trump had captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in an overnight operation, many were shocked but not surprised. Tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela have been escalating for months, with Trump ordering several strikes on alleged drug carrier boats that departed from Venezuela under the auspices of stopping the influx of fentanyl. Those strikes were already legally questionable, and this latest operation has only received more criticism and concern over possible violations of international law.

Maduro’s arrest and America’s intervention has been condemned by the United Nations (U.N.) and world leaders, with many legal experts arguing that Maduro’s capture violated the U.N. Charter (of which the U.S. is

The hypocrisy in Trump’s motivations have become clear in the days since Maduro’s arrest.

The capture of Nicolas Maduro will likely yield both national and global consequences a signatory). By using military force and breaching Venezuela’s sovereignty, the U.S. has broken a key tenet of international relations and further tainted America’s already-declining reputation abroad.

But, many Venezuelans have launched celebratory demonstrations and expressed relief over the toppling of Maduro’s regime and the possibility of democratic governance. Recent Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado went as far as saying on Monday that she would be willing to share her Peace Prize with Trump, applauding U.S. military intervention.

American imperialism.

Just last month, Trump pardoned former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who had been found guilty of overseeing a violent drug-trafficking conspiracy.

Meanwhile, as Hernández walks free, Maduro and his wife sit in holding cells in Manhattan, facing similar charges.

This is not to say that Maduro was good for Venezuela or that his rule didn’t see catastrophic effects on the Venezuelan people, their democracy and their economy. His regime was deadly, and his last election was rigged in his favor.

But if the U.S. (and Donald Trump) wants to posit itself as a peacemaker, it cannot keep using force as a means of abject diplomacy. The U.S. already has an unsavory reputation of violent interventions in Latin America, and this is a frightening resurgence of

Others have been more hesitant to give praise or call victory. On Jan. 4, Trump said that the U.S. will “run Venezuela” and that American industry will have a role in jumpstarting Venezuela’s oil industry — a largely untapped and plentiful reserve. While there is hope among the Venezuelan people, there is also great uncertainty over what America’s influence and control over the country will look like.

No pain, no gain

Why convenience is ruining our lives

BY ABHINAYA KASAGANI akasagani@ucdavis.edu

I spent the holidays surrounded by my parents’ closest friends, fielding endless attacks of “back in our days.” It was at dinner with a colleague of my mom’s that I felt a sense of gratitude for those that came before me; those who made it so that I did not have to singlehandedly navigate this world myself. I realized that I had been dealt the answers they were forced to find on their own.

At the table, they discussed having worked day jobs (always before early classes and never after), expecting nothing more than a pack of ramen for dinner that week. Some of their struggles persist today, while others felt unimaginable for someone so young to navigate alone. The adults also talked of things like getting sofas for free after rebate and waiting in lines at 6 a.m. for the chance at discounts on rising tech. We now go online and, in a matter of seconds, are able to do the same from the comfort of our bedrooms.

While previous generations practically glamorized struggle — often condemning any technological advancement for this reason — this generation has come to aestheticize ease. Technology, which functions as an intermediary between a person and their labor, promised us efficiency and unlimited access to resources beyond the wildest dreams of our predecessors. Even while delivering on things like food, transportation, entertainment and navigation, the promise of hyperconvenience has blurred the lines between ease and dependence.

We no longer have to memorize phone numbers of those we find dear, print and mark up maps before road trips or even need to be physically present to run errands. We no

longer ask strangers for directions and mostly opt for our food to be left at the door with tips administered digitally. Funnily enough, everything that once fascinated me about adulthood is now outsourced. Recently, I ordered food for pickup, only to realize that I could opt for “curbside pickup” instead, sparing me from even having to go inside — easy made easier.

Although the rise in convenience saves us time and effort, it has simultaneously made us less able to navigate the world unassisted. With everyday tasks being delegated to technology — and occasionally even crowdsourced — we’ve lost the everyday skills once required to complete them.

Navigation systems, for instance, increase our reliance on Global Positioning System (GPS) instructions while replacing our spatial awareness, dissuading us from understanding how our neighborhoods and cities operate. Ironically, the desire to never exercise our minds is what once compelled us to use them. The allure of a seamless life led us down the slippery slope of losing skills that cannot be taught formally but must instead come with lived experience.

Many kids, these days, can no longer read the room, assess and adapt to risks, problem-solve or communicate with strangers without prompting. This is not to say that this generation is inherently incapable, but that they have not been given the opportunity to rise to the occasion. The Faustian bargain of convenience has us throwing money at the problem, forgetting that, when technology fails, we will be left vulnerable and without discernment.

Despite living in a society lacking in street smarts, we are unable to manage by ourselves if our phones die or if the apps fail. This is not to disregard what technology has done for human progress; the primary intention of automation was to free our

This is far from over. Trump has publicly threatened Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodríguez with consequences worse than Maduro’s if she doesn’t follow his vision for the country’s future.

He’s also threatened further military action in neighboring Colombia and called their president a drugtrafficker.

If Trump comes away from this unscathed, he may be emboldened to take further violent and warmongering actions in Iran, Cuba and Greenland — all of which are areas where he has indicated a desire for regime change. America remains a dominant global powermaker — and increasingly a kingmaker and dethroner.

If the administration continues to abuse our military might for personal gain (be that the President’s or the oil industry’s), we risk compromising the respect for independence and country’s borders which we claim to hold self-evidently.

ZOEY MORTAZAVI Features Editor

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Managing Staff

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When change feels like a loss

And why it isn’t

BY MOLLY THOMPSON mmtthompson@ucdavis.edu

I was talking to my mom the other day, driving home from my hometown gym.

“I just can’t do the things I used to be able to do,” she told me, frustrated. “It’s like, no matter how hard I try or how much effort I put into it, I can’t seem to run as fast or do as much as I could do a few years ago.”

Her observation is true; with age and time and all the other complicated factors of life, we all find ourselves faced with the harsh reality that what we were once able to accomplish easily now seems out of reach. As we grow, we change. But that’s the operative word: change. It’s all too easy to feel that just because things are different, they’re inherently worse — but that’s not necessarily true.

minds so that we could utilize our brains more efficiently. Ironically, what was meant to implore us to think more deeply and creatively is now eliminating our need for thought entirely.

What matters is understanding how to balance these tools of convenience without replacing human contribution entirely. Adapt and problem-solve amongst yourselves first; ask your search engine later. The very ease that makes things accessible also disallows you from feeling the discomfort that builds resilience and character. Observe, hypothesize and conclude until your brain hurts. Know what you’re doing and why. Being spoon-fed answers only gets you so far before you end up starved.

While convenience is useful, it cannot replace skill. Without exercising our wit, we cannot improve our craft in meaningful ways. The atrophying of our creative muscles might feel like a small price to pay in the face of convenience, yet the inability to think critically or be socially intuitive has made us reliant on both digital validation and automation.

Mourning the loss of street smarts doesn’t necessitate condemning convenience entirely; it only asks that we relearn independence for ourselves. The goal isn’t to ensure that we never receive help, but that we are not lost without it. So instead, write your essay without the use of a language learning model. Ask strangers for help, and, at times, offer it to others. Greet your delivery person at the door. While you might never have to wait in line at dawn for discounts, I would highly recommend doing so at least once — no pain, no gain.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie.

We often see changes as losses; when something in our life shifts, we harp on what we’ve had to let go of as a result. We mourn what we used to have, what we used to be able to do or how we used to feel before something changed — our childhood friendships fade when we leave for college, we don’t read or spend as much time outside as we did when we were kids, our grades are lower than they were when we were freshmen and it’s harder to sprint than it used to be.

But what we’re overlooking is that change is not intrinsically bad. Yes, we often lose aspects of our life over time, but we can’t

ignore the fact that we gain just as much, if not more. Maybe our childhood friendships fade because we’ve made so many more incredible connections in college, bonds that we wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. Maybe we spend less time outside or reading books than we did as kids because we’re busy doing other things that fulfill us in different ways. Maybe our grades dip a little as upperclassmen because we’re more involved in clubs and internships than we were a few years ago. It might be harder to sprint than it used to be, but maybe it’s easier to run longer distances. Change comes with loss, but what we gain is often worth the sacrifice.

For some people (like me) it can sometimes be hard not to think of changes exclusively as bad things.

I worry if relationship dynamics feel different than they used to and I tend to think that operating differently or prioritizing different aspects of my life than I once did is a failure. But the truth of the matter is that being different isn’t always negative; it doesn’t mean things have taken a turn for the worse. In fact, I’ve found that more often than not, change is more of an indicator of growth than decline.

My relationship dynamics might be different simply because people change over time, and relationships change with them. Change is growth — it can mean we’re growing

closer, not farther apart. It can also be neutral; it doesn’t have to be good or bad, things can just be different. It’s not a failure to prioritize different aspects of my life than I once did, it’s a product of learning. It doesn’t mean I’m backsliding — if anything, it’s something to be proud of. The real failure would be if we never allowed ourselves to change. If we hold on too tightly to the way things are just because they’re familiar or comfortable, we’ll never grow. Life is not stagnant, at least not if it’s worthwhile. C’est la vie. My mom, in her frustration over her inability to run as fast as she used to be able to or do as much as she could when she was younger, was forgetting all of the things that she can do now that she never used to be able to. Of course her disappointment is valid, but it shouldn’t discount her pride in the abilities she’s gained over the years as well. Accepting changes can be difficult, and it’s okay to miss the way things used to be. At the same time, it’s just as important to appreciate all of the beauty in the way they are now, even if they’re different than they were before. Take your eyes off the rear view mirror — you’re missing everything you can see through the windshield.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie.

ARTS & CULTURE

The Art Desk’s

CULTURE CORNER

Fresh finds in television, movies, novels, & music

BY HANNAH OSBORN

arts@theaggie.org

Album: “Forever Changes” by Love (1967)

When the weather is gloomy but hopes for the new year are high, “Forever Changes” perfectly complements January’s juxtapositions. Scored by folk-style acoustic guitars and a string and horn section, the album’s upbeat sound and rhythm contrasts dark and dismal lyrics, drawing from a dissatisfaction with both the mainstream and counterculture of the late 1960s. Notably, the creation of the album resulted in the breakup of Love’s original lineup. Pressure from their label, Elektra Records, along with internal strain — primarily between Arthur Lee and Love’s other songwriter, Bryan MacLean — culminated in MacLean parting ways with the band months after the “Forever Changes” release. In the aftermath, Lee dismissed the rest of the members. Despite the original Love’s sudden dissolution, the album still left a lasting impact upon psychedelia in its wake, and is retrospectively considered one of the greatest rock albums of its era. Whether focusing on the soaring instrumentals or the heavy themes featured in the lyrics, this album provides the perfect exercise for the new year in learning from history to move forward.

Book: “I Who Have Never Known Men” by Jacqueline Harpman, translated by Ros Schwartz (1995)

January is often a time for reflecting and considering the course of life. Belgian writer Jacqueline Harpman’s short science fiction novel provides a haunting and insightful examination of what it means to live and be human. The narrator is the sole child among 39 women kept imprisoned and under strict watch by guards, the only men she ever sees. When the guards suddenly leave, the group frees themselves, but are left to wander an alien landscape with no sign of other surviving humans. As the girl grows up, she tries to comprehend her place among humanity through the women’s stories of a world she is too young to remember. Harpman’s sparse, philosophical story will not satisfy the reader looking for details and answers, but it leaves behind a great deal to consider as we walk with the narrator through a life of isolation and finding meaning despite all circumstances.

TV Show: “Taskmaster” by Alex Horne (2015)

This absurd British panel show may be just what you need to encourage creative thinking in the new year. Created by comedian and musician Alex Horne, its premise is simple: the Taskmaster (Comedian Greg Davies) and his assistant (Horne) bring on five entertainers to compete in bizarre challenges arbitrarily scored on a 1 to 5 point scale by Davies. Pre-recorded tasks are shown before a live studio audience, where contestants passionately argue their case and throw competitors under the bus before Davies makes his final decision on their performance. Tasks range from the physical, like throwing a potato into a hole as fast as possible, to the more abstract and absurd, like making a short film in under an hour or running a mock hotel. For all this effort, the highest scorer at the end of the season wins a life-sized, golden replica of Davies’ head. Going 20 seasons strong — with several international spin-offs — “Taskmaster” is the perfect comedic gold mine to explore this year.

Movie: “This Is Spinal Tap” dir. Robert Reiner (1984)

Sometimes, you need a little satire to balance out the earnestness of the new year. In the directorial debut of the late Rob Reiner, the English heavy metal band Spinal Tap is followed by a film crew across their 1982 American tour. The mockumentary takes the hallmarks of rock bands to the extreme in its satirization, creating iconic scenes surrounding an amplifier that goes up to 11 and a Stonehenge prop malfunction. While poking fun at a specific period of the rock music industry, “This Is Spinal Tap” remains cutting and hilarious even now, perhaps due to its cult-classic status. The movie deploys bit after bit, hardly giving time for you to compose yourself as you laugh at the band’s antics, including their back catalog of former names and the mysterious fates of their numerous drummers. Featuring stellar performances by Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer, this movie is just the first of several mockumentaries involving this group and is excellent as either an introduction to the genre or a familiar classic.

Commentary: ‘Somewhere

over

the rainbow’ of cinema

The beauty of black and white film and its loss of recognition among audiences

BELLA PETERSON arts@theaggie.org

‘Tis the season for the annual rewatch of “It’s a Wonderful Life”; despite its impact, this beloved 1946 holiday movie tends to be the beginning and end of present-day movielovers’ engagement with classic Hollywood films. There are many cinephiles that still indulge in the not-socolorful past of Hollywood, but when it comes to the average movie consumer today, finding and consuming a film dated by its black and white screencaps may seem like a waste of precious time. There are notions of black and white, “outdated” films being boring or simply too irrelevant to the present. These notions couldn’t be further from the truth — the experience of watching a movie produced before the introduction of color is not so different from the one found within the current era of film content. Whether it be romantic comedies, horror thrills or timeless dramas — classic black and white Hollywood has it all. In fact, many respected modern films are remade or inspired from past Old Hollywood pieces. For example, “You’ve Got Mail” (1998) — starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks in what appears to be an inspiring, original 1990s love story — is a retelling of a 1940s romantic comedy “The Shop

Around the Corner” (1940) starring Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan.

It’s not just classic Hollywood movies that are often overlooked; many modern-day works are also cast aside. In an age where colored film is the obvious choice for a story, some film-makers take the creative liberty of shooting in black and white as an artistic choice.

While some praise the reintroduction of the absence of color, this course of action has not yet been embraced by all audiences, despite more recent works like “Oppenheimer” (2023), “Iron Claw” (2023) and “Asteroid City” (2023) each including some form of black and white film.

The crux of this discussion revolves around the importance of color in not just films, but many other forms of media as well. There’s no denying that color plays a major role in relation to perception of film and photos; brightness in pigment or a specific color palette can masterfully draw the viewer into the respective narrative, according to Film Inquiry.

The absence of color, however, can bring just as much weight to the screen as varying hues. “The Wizard of Oz” (1939) — the most fondly remembered classic of the Technicolor era — gives audiences the chance to experience both color and black and white film within one movie.

The lack of color provides

a realistic and somber tone to Dorothy’s reality in Kansas; however, when she finds herself after the tornado in a much stranger, brightly-colored place, the cinematography makes the audience feel as though they are going through the journey right alongside her.

Dorothy’s iconic line, “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore,” is punctuated by a blast of vibrant colors that shape the world of Oz as completely unfamiliar to Dorothy.

Classic Hollywood movies are far from perfect, but, just like in today’s collection of films, there are many gems to be found. From wellknown “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Casablanca” (1942) to Letterboxd community favorites

Review: ‘Marty Supreme’ is supremely entertaining

Timothée Chalamet shines in this cinematic thrill-ride

Cringe-inducing Zoom meetings, confusing interviews, rap song features and appearances on the Las Vegas Sphere — what do these have in common? They’ve all been part of Timothée Chalamet’s press run for “Marty Supreme,” a film as eccentric and unpredictable as its lead actor.

“Marty Supreme” tells the story of the shoe salesman Marty Mauser (Chalamet) and his chaotic yet singularly determined journey toward his goal of becoming the greatest table tennis player in the world.

Along the way, he crosses paths with his lover and childhood friend Rachel Mizler (Odessa A’zion); ink magnate Milton Rockwell (Kevin O’Leary) and Rockwell’s movie-star wife Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow); and his companion and former hustling partner Wally (Tyler Okonma). The film is loosely based on the life of Marty Reisman, a two-time United States table tennis champion.

It’s the seventh film by director Josh Safdie and the first since his creative split with his brother Benny, who directed “The Smashing Machine” starring Dwayne Johnson earlier this year. Together, the pair directed “Good Time” (2017) and “Uncut Gems” (2019), both of which were acclaimed for their anxiety-inducing style.

While “Marty Supreme” differs from those two in premise, it represents a continuation in tone with a wide array of cortisol-spiking moments. This film’s plot is easy to comprehend but nearly impossible to explain, with a structure more resembling a nuclear reaction than a straight line.

The film is indisputably anchored by Chalamet, who fully immerses himself in a role that’s equal parts ingenious and infuriating. Few viewers will root for Mauser, who quickly reveals himself to be predatory and manipulative in his quest for greatness.

like “Citizen Kane” (1941) and “Persona” (1966), there’s enough black and white film recommendations to fill your watchlist for years to come. While there’s no need to meet a certain viewing quota of classic films, there is value in appreciating these black and white movies the same as you would any other movie — viewing them as a creative vehicle of art, storytelling and entertainment.

Color doesn’t make or break a film; what speaks louder than any outward appearance is a movie’s core and content.

As the age-old saying informs: “Don’t judge a book by its cover” — you should never write off a classic Hollywood film due to its lack of color, either.

Nevertheless, Chalamet seamlessly walks a tightrope of charisma with his performance. Mauser is often reckless and repulsive, but the audience can still understand why our supporting cast is so often charmed into doing his bidding.

“Marty Supreme” is not just a star vehicle, however. All members of the ensemble provide superb performances, which immerse the viewer into the world of 1950s New York City. Notably, Safdie extensively cast non-actors — including filmmaker Abel Ferrara, businessman O’Leary and musician Okonma, better known as Tyler, The Creator. Perhaps the best of these choices was the casting of Japanese table tennis player Koto Kawaguchi as Koto Endo, Mauser’s most significant opponent within his sport. Like the character he plays, Kawaguchi is deaf. His calm demeanor and unassuming physicality provide a brilliant foil to Chalamet, whose energy

throughout the film remains ruthlessly frenetic. Behind the scenes, the film’s crew worked just as hard to ensure the film’s authenticity and quality. Darius Khondji’s excellent 35 millimeter cinematography ensures that the film is always a treat to watch. The choice to shoot on film stock, rather than digital, is critical for the throwback look the film successfully evokes.

Veteran Production Designer Jack Fisk, whose work includes “Mulholland Drive” (2001) and “There Will Be Blood” (2007) also brings his A-game, crafting elegant scenery from locations like bowling alleys and shoe stores. An intensely scintillating score is provided by Daniel Lopatin, an electronic musician who also performs under the name Oneohtrix Point Never. Unorthodox yet stirring, the soundtrack imbues everything from table tennis bouts to violent confrontations with a sense of urgency that excellently complements Safdie and cowriter Ronald Bronstein’s hyperactive screenplay.

In addition to the original score, Safdie chose to add a plethora of anachronistic needledrops, featuring a who’s-who of 80s synth-pop icons. This aural time warp allows “Marty Supreme” to be more than a 50s period piece; instead, the music aligns with the postmodern screenplay to result in a truly timeless final product.

However, the film falters in its attempt to bridge the gap between its Safdie-patented second act, fraught with chaos and contrivance, and the pingpong conceit which supposedly ties the film together. Almost all of the film’s greatest scenes have next-to-nothing to do with Mauser’s passion for table tennis — even if they are the result of his poor choices. The film’s breakneck speed, while engaging the viewer temporarily, leaves some questions unanswered. While Chalamet’s performance convinces the viewer that Mauser is immensely ambitious, we are often left to assume how Mauser and the supporting characters react to the plot’s shocking events.

The emotionally poignant but tonally misguided ending (and accompanying needle drop) is sure to leave some viewers on an ambivalent note rather than a cathartic one. “Marty Supreme” is not a perfect film, but it’s not supposed to be. Safdie and Bronstein did not set out to write a perfectly trimmed script; after all, the film is two and a half hours long. Instead, they took a massive risk on a story that blurs the line between the sports dramas of the past and the filmmaking of the future. Despite its flaws, it provides entertainment not grounded in intellectual property (IP) but in earnest emotions. “Marty Supreme” isn’t for everyone, but that’s what makes it so special; more than ever, we are drowning in content but starving for originality. We need movies that dare to be audacious. We need movies that dream big.

SCIENCE AND TECH

Influenza and norovirus cases are on the rise

Tips

for staying healthy and proactive this

BY KATIE HELLMAN science@theaggie.org

It’s 2026. With the start of the new year comes lots of excitement: new beginnings, new new opportunities, new classes, new friends. However, some things stay the same; one of these is the need to be vigilant about flu season.

This year’s flu season is one of the worst since 2018, with over 3,100 deaths in the United States from January 2025 through August 2025. Health experts continue to encourage those over the age of 6 months — and especially high-risk individuals — to receive a flu vaccine, as a means to prevent sickness and to reduce the spread of the flu.

“Flu activity is at ‘high’ or ‘very high’ levels in 32 states and jurisdictions, based on data from the week ending Dec. 20, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported Tuesday — up from 17 [states] the week before,” according to NBC News.

In addition to respiratory flu cases, norovirus — commonly known as the stomach flu — is also on the rise. Norovirus is a highly contagious illness that can be transmitted via sick

individuals, as well as through contaminated surfaces and foods; it is not transmissible through coughing or sneezing, unlike influenza.

Common symptoms of norovirus include vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramping that usually lasts between one to three days and is a leading cause of severe dehydration.

“No one can say for sure why norovirus is spiking higher,” author Kathy Katella wrote in a Yale Medicine article. “But there are many subtypes of the virus, and one possible cause could be a strain called GII.17 that dominated outbreaks in the United States during the 20242025 season — many Americans don’t have a strong immunity to this norovirus variant.”

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to reduce your chances of getting sick. Handwashing is, as always, the best method to reduce the spread of germs, especially before and after eating.

It is also important to note that while hand sanitizer may be effective in preventing influenza, it does not work the same for norovirus, given the virus’ thick capsule.

To further reduce your chance of getting the stomach flu, you can wash fruits and

Sudoku

sick season

vegetables with clean water, thoroughly clean frequentlytouched surfaces and disinfect areas that have been contaminated by someone with norovirus.

To prevent influenza, health professionals recommend covering your mouth and nose with a mask, washing your hands often and engaging in frequent cleaning.

“Shorter days also mean less sunlight — and therefore lower vitamin D levels — which can make the immune system less effective,” Family Medicine

Elizabeth Chan wrote

Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row, column and 3x3 square must contain each digit. Each Sudoku has a unique solution that can be reached logically without guessing.

Crossword

SPORTS

UC Davis men’s basketball notches three wins and suffers two losses over winter break

Their record improved to 8-5 overall, with the team earning their first conference win

COLINA HARVEY sports@theaggie.org

Over winter break, the UC Davis men’s basketball team played five games and won three of those matchups. Their record improved slightly to 8-5 overall. In the remainder of their games they will face Big West opponents, hoping to make a statement in the conference.

Since last season, some of the team’s key players have graduated, including TY Johnson, Leo DeBruhl and Pablo Tamba. Johnson was a crucial scorer for the Aggies, averaging an impressive 21.1 points per game in his senior season. Tamba and DeBruhl were also among the top scorers last season.

However, the Aggies also have strong returning players such as Connor Sevilla, a thirdyear managerial economics major, and Niko Rocak, a Master of Business Administration graduate student.

Sevilla is one of the team’s strongest three-point shooters, shooting 44.9% from behind the three-point line this season so far. Rocak led the team last season in rebounding, and is continuing to do so this season.

In their previous season, the Aggies were middle-of-the-pack, finishing with a 15-17 overall record and a 9-11 conference record. They ultimately lost to California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly SLO) in the first round of the Big West Championship.

On Dec. 13, the Aggies played the University of Oregon, which proved to be a tough matchup for Davis. The Aggies suffered a blowout loss to the Ducks, with a final score of 62-104. The Aggies were heavily outscored in the first half, going into halftime trailing

by 36 points. Although Aggie shooting improved dramatically in the second half, they had dug too deep of a hole to make a comeback. Carl Daughtery Jr., a fourth-year communication major, was the Aggies’ high scorer with 15 points. On Dec. 17, the Aggies took yet another loss against Seattle University (SU). However, instead of a blowout, this loss was a heartbreaker. In the first half, the SU Redhawks built up a lead that reached its peak at 14 points. The Aggies fought back and managed to tie it up at the half. The second half stayed very tight, with neither team’s lead exceeding four points. With less than a minute to go, the Aggies trailed by two points. Rocak was fouled, though he only netted one of his two free throws, leaving the Aggies down by one. A basket by the Redhawks then increased their lead to three. Nonetheless, with eight seconds left, the Aggies got lucky and Sevilla was fouled on a three-point attempt. He made all three free throws, tying up the game.

Although the Aggies tried to defend against the Redhawks for the last eight seconds, Marcus Wilson, a second-year human development major, fouled an SU player. Seattle was able to make one of their free throws and win the game. Despite the loss, the Aggies played well, with four players in double digits.

Isaiah Chappell, a second-year economics major, led the scoring with 20 points, his career-high. Sevilla had 15, and went 4-6 from the three-point line. Brayden Fagbemi, a third-year human development major, also put up 15 points.

On Dec. 21, the Aggies ended a three game losing streak with a 93-83 win over Idaho State. Davis maintained

a steady lead in the first half, leading by 15. Although the Aggies maintained their lead for the whole second half, there were points where Idaho made strong attempts at a comeback.

The Aggies prevailed due to a number of factors, including holding possession of the ball better than Idaho — recording six turnovers compared to Idaho’s 11. Additionally, many players on the Aggie team contributed to the scoring in this game; Sevilla led the team with 18 points, while Chappell, Rocak and Nils Cooper, a thirdyear communications major, all had 13 each.

On Dec. 28, the Aggies rounded out non-conference play with a blowout win over Pacific Union College (PUC). The PUC Pioneers struggled with shooting, committing lots of turnovers and allowing the Aggies to beat them 108-52. Cooper put up 19 points for the Aggies, and Jalen Stokes, a first-year undeclared major, put up 17, his career-high.

On New Year’s Day, the Aggies took on Cal State University, Northridge (CSUN) in their second conference matchup. The Aggies were seeking their first conference victory after losing to University of Hawai’i on Dec. 4. In the beginning of the game, the two teams traded leads, with the Aggies leading by five points at the half. They kept that lead and did not allow CSUN to lead in the second half. The Aggies shot better than CSUN on all fronts, securing a win for UC Davis at 80-89. For the rest of the season, the Aggies will be playing Big West matchups, in hopes of making it to the Big West Championship and beyond.

Aggies go 1-1 in home games during winter break

UC Davis dominated Chico State 74-42 before falling 57-47 to Northern Colorado in non-conference action

MIKALA SLOTNICK sports@theaggie.org

Over winter break, the women’s basketball team went 1-1 in home games against non- conference Chico State University and the University of Northern Colorado. Led by Head Coach Jen Gross, the Aggies scored 121 points combined in both matches, with their first game being against Chico State.

Since their last matchup in 2003, the UC Davis Aggies have revived their rivalry with Chico State. UC Davis dominated on Dec. 14, winning 74-42 against the Chico State Wildcats.

Chico State is a Division 2 team with a 6-3 record, led by Head Coach Brian Fogel. Prior to the game against UC Davis, the Wildcats had a five-game winning streak, with their last win being against Saint Martin’s. Fogel led the Wildcats to a lengthy battle against the Aggies, but was unable to catch up to the Aggies offense.

Third-year human development major Tegan Young and second-year psychology major Ryann Bennett led the Aggies with shots, while fifthyear political science major Megan Norris and second-year undeclared major Avery Sussex had multiple rebounds that helped the Aggies maintain the lead. Sussex had her first double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds, followed by Norris with the same. Norris and Sussex are the first two pairs since the Feb. 6, 2025 game against Long Beach State University to accomplish a pair double-double.

Norris is in her fifth season with the Aggies; she became the 22nd player in program history to score over 1,000 points after the game against Hawaii State on Dec. 4. The Aggies and Wildcats maintained a similar pace in the first and fourth quarters, with

Chico scoring less than two points off Davis. The Aggies dominated the second and third quarter against the Wildcats, only allowing less than six points while scoring over 20 points per quarter.

“We knew that this was going to be a battle,” Gross said. “We weren’t expecting to come out and roll over this team. They came with it in the first quarter; they made a ton of shots. I thought we could’ve been better in terms of our overall urgency, and we seemed fatigued early on. We picked it up in the second quarter and got on a bit of a run, which got a little more energy going, and we were able to maintain that in the second half.”

In the last home game over break, the Aggies fought hard but lost against Northern Colorado 47-57.

The Northern Colorado Bears have a 9-3 record in the Big Sky division, led by Head Coach Kristen Mattio. Previous to the match against Davis, the Bears lost against the University of Colorado 62-79.

The Bears led the first quarter 16-8, but the Aggies managed to score an equal amount of points in the second quarter. Northern Colorado stole back the lead in the third quarter and fought for lead in the fourth quarter, but were unable to gain the win for the match. Bennett and Sussex both tied for the team lead in points with 13, with this being Sussex’s third game in a row scoring double-digit points. This game also marked Bennett’s 12th straight game scoring more than 10 points in every game this season, helping the team score with four assists. Defensive leader of the game was Norris with 12 rebounds, which added seven points to the game’s final score.

“Today was a rough day offensively for us,” Gross said.

better than what we showed today. Credit to Northern Colorado, they’re a very solid team, and we knew that coming in. They’re tough, they’re physical, they play a different style that challenges us, and we didn’t rise to the occasion today.”

Though the Aggies fell to the Bears, Gunrock uplifted the arena by making an appearance at the game dressed as Santa, spreading holiday spirit and taking pictures with fans. The Aggies had two away games during the break, both in the Big West Conference. Davis won against California State University Northridge 85-66 on Jan. 1, with Bennett leading the team with 26 points — breaking her previous record of 25 points against Sacramento State. This is the fourth time that Bennett has scored more than 20 points this season. Norris had her seventh double-double of the season with 10 points and 16 rebounds, while Sussex had five assists and 16 points. Fourthyear communication major Nya Epps and Young added to the win by scoring double digits. Overall, the Aggies had a successful set of games over the break prior to the beginning of winter quarter.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

JAN. 3, 2026

Starting the season off strong, this Jan. 3 game marks the Aggies third consecutive win of the season, with no losses. The team had a great performance, especially from fourth-year communication major Nya Epps, who had a career high of 28 points. Going into halftime, the Aggies were up by five with a score of 31-26. Despite constant attacks from Cal State Bakersfield, the Aggies were able to fend off the opposing team and hold on to their lead throughout the second half. With a great defensive play by the Aggies, the game ended with a final score of 69-59. 69-59 (WIN)

MEN’S BASKETBALL

JAN. 3, 2026

In a hard-fought battle against Cal State Bakersfield, the Aggies came up just short of a win, with a final score of 79-81. Despite a total of five players reaching double digits in the game, their effort was not enough to secure the win. At the end of the first half, UC Davis was trailing 3940, with Cal State Bakersfield responding at the last minute and taking the lead. The second half was no different, with the Aggies and Cal State Bakersfield going back and forth. In the final seconds of the game, the Aggies had the opportunity to overtake Bakersfield; however, they just narrowly missed a three-pointer,