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2013
Three ways to avoid being crushed under your spring workloadUp-and-coming musicians to watch this semesterFive things every senior must do before graduation
Openup todiscover
Spring boasts beats from new artists
Katrina CameronFe atures editor
Music is constantly evolving. Emerging artists must be inventive and original to stand out among the unlimited number of new bands, DJs, rappers and producers.
In no particular order, the following art-ists are some of the up-and-coming talent to watch out for this spring.
Katrina Cameron can be reached at
Frank OceanIf this New Orleans native’s smooth vocals
over a soft R&B beat in his tracks like “Thinkin Bout You” and “Monks” haven’t already caught your attention, they’re about to. Frank Ocean, a previous member of Odd Future, is nominated for six Grammy’s this year and collaborated with major hip-hop artists Kanye West and Jay-Z before even getting signed.
Macklemore & Ryan LewisThis Seattle-based rapper and producer duo
may have been circling the scene for years, but their upbeat and catchy single “Thrift Shop” helped them surface to a mainstream audi-ence. Their debut album The Heist topped U.S. iTunes download and Billboard 200 charts last year. Macklemore’s quick and witty rapping along with Ryan Lewis’ innovative produc-tion makes for an undefinable, yet enjoyable, sound.
CarnageThe Guatemalan producer and DJ began his
career with hip-hop but moved on to electronic dance music. Carnage has mastered festival trap music, which is essentially the surpris-ing combination of massive hip-hop beats with the energy of big house music. His remixes of “Spaceman” by Hardwell, “Cannonball” by Showtek and Justin Prime will definitely be played at big dance music events this year.
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TJRThis Southern Californian producer and
DJ has released some of the most danceable, funky house beats recently. His original clas-sic jazz/funk influenced track “Funky Vodka” topped the Beatport DJ Chart for weeks last year. The appealing beat from “Funky Vodka” was featured in Pitbull’s latest top 40 song, “Don’t Stop the Party.”
Dillon FrancisAfter catching the attention of Diplo, Los
Angeles DJ and producer, Dillon Francis has developed one of the most signature sounds in dance music today. He has pioneered the highly danceable moombahton, which is a subgenre of dance music that combines Reg-gaeton and house music.
ZeddRussian-German electronic dance music
producer Zedd may have caught your attention last year with singles like “Spectrum” or “Clar-ity,” but that’s only a small sample of what this boy wonder has to offer. His music features a steady house beat and a heavy synth melody. Along with several remixes, Zedd has also worked with big-name pop artists like Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber.
W&WIn a time where dance music artists seem
to be popping up everywhere, notable artists like W&W stand out for their authentic sound. The Dutch DJ duo produces trance music with a tech-house flair. Their singles “Lift Off!” and “Invasion” have been massive dance event anthems for the past year, and they’re sure to reveal more bangers for 2013.
Robert DeLongThis singer-songwriter has captured listen-
ers with his multidimensional brand of dance music. Robert DeLong infuses synth, jazz, pop, dubstep and moombahton with his indie vocals for a rhythmic colocation. In his sin-gle “Global Concepts,” the multitasking artist plays the drums, keyboards and drumpads all while singing over the catchy innovative beat.
Delta SpiritSouthern Californian indie rock band Delta
Spirit is known for their congregational song writing and dynamic rhythms. Last year they were interviewed on National Public Radio and attracted even more listeners after a pow-erful live performance on Conan. Their single “California,” which was named the best song of 2012 by Amazon, features a euphoric vibe that makes listeners crave a visit to the beach.
Moving MountainsNew York-based indie rock and post-hard-
core band Moving Mountains has an intricate sound. Their single “Alleviate” presents an energetic and precise flow alongside powerful vocals. The band announced last July that they began writing and demoing their next album, so new music is on its way.
SPRING PLANNERContributors
Ben MullinBen is a junior English and journalism major with a passion for
teaching and storytelling. He believes in keeping students informed in every way possible — through in-depth print articles, multimedia pre-sentations and rapid-fire tweets. His goal for the spring 2013 semester is to lead The Orion’s exemplary reporters and editors forward as they produce high-quality daily digital news for Chico State students and faculty.
Trevor PlattAfter starting at Chico State as a nursing major in fall 2008, Trevor
found that his real passion was writing. With a love for sports and writing, he is entering his second semester at The Orion and is the current sports editor. In his spare time Trevor enjoy long walks on the beach and imagining he lives in a Wes Anderson movie. After his time in Chico, Trevor plans to move to Berkeley to begin a career of writing about either sports or music.
Quinn WesternQuinn is a sophomore journalism major and a member of the
Chico State women's golf team. She spends her free time burying her nose in her Nook, painting and writing. Quinn strives to deliver the news to the student community through social media, in addition to The Orion's weekly publication. Her goals this semester are sim-ple: cover Chico State's campus like a plague, be the first to report the news that is important to students and embrace The Orion as the students' newspaper.
Carly CaumiantCarly is a senior psychology major with a minor in creative writing.
She has a passion for writing and an intrigue for the human mind, which she weaves together through storytelling and journalistic craftsmanship. Carly is the editor of The Orion’s Opinion section. She graduates in May and plans to move back down south where she looks forward to starting a career in writing.
Katrina CameronKatrina is a junior journalism major from San Diego studying
both news and public relations. She spends her spare time discov-ering new music, taking road trips to attend music festivals and laying down for the occasional nap. As Features Editor this semes-ter, Katrina’s goal is to deliver high-quality human interest and arts stories to Chico State’s community.
Contents How to beat spring overload
Breaking out of the winter slump
Baseball looks ahead to season
The Orion movie awards
Chico senior bucket list
Artists to listen to this semester
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the orion •COVER ILLUSTRATION BY LIZ COFFEE
“But if you take anything away from this column, remember that I can — and have — succeeded in the very highest
echelons of academic disaster.’’
BEn MuLLInManaging Editor
The Orion encourages letters to the editor and commentary from students, faculty, staff, adminis-tration and community members.
• Letters and commentaries may be delivered to The Orion, Plumas Hall Room 001. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday. Letters are also accepted by e-mail and go directly to the opinion edi-tor at [email protected]
• Commentaries should be limited to 500 to 700 words and are subject to editing for length and clarity. Please include your phone number.
• Letters to the editor should be limited to fewer than 300 words, must include writer’s name and phone number (for verification) and are subject to condensa-tion. Please include your year in school and major, or your business title.
• The Orion does not publish anonymous letters, letters that are addressed to a third party or letters that are in poor taste. The opinions expressed by The Orion’s columnists do not necessarily reflect those of The Orion or its staff.
Ben MullinManaging Editor
Having failed three classes during my higher education career, I can say with confi-dence that no one knows more about screwing up than me.
I’m familiar with all of those proverbs about failure being some kind of cosmic blessing, because I repeat them to myself every time I’m forced to take a peek at my transcript.
All of my failed classes came after I realized I was in way over my head at the beginning of the semester but did nothing to prevent the oncoming tide of missed assignments, pleas for extensions and shame-faced explanations to my parents.
You may be asking yourself, “Why am I taking advice from this man? His grades are trashed, so he must be a horrible student. Plus, his photo above makes him look like Ryan Gos-ling’s genetically unfortunate kid brother.”
True and true. But if you take anything away from this
column, remember that I can — and have — succeeded in the very highest echelons of academic disaster.
No one wants to be stuck with a report card that looks like it’s arranged in reverse alpha-betical order, so please read on and learn from my hard-won experience.
Identify the problem early
Stop me if this sounds familiar. You’re a typ-ical over-achiever type, so you sign up for 21 units in three different departments and start pressing your frontal lobes against the aca-demic grindstone.
When the professor warns everyone that the combined weight of the reading material is enough to crush a bull elephant, you scoff and begin ticking off the days until graduation. There’s no homework in the first week, and the second week usually features those vague, interpretive “get to know you” assignments.
Then week three hits, and you’re buried up to your eyeballs in homework for every class.
Please take my advice and avoid this prob-lem by swallowing your pride and biting off a little less than you can chew. Taking 15 units won’t get you to graduation faster, but it might just help you learn more from your classes.
And if you realize one of your classes is going to be too difficult to handle with your schedule, don’t be afraid to revisit it. An “A” is better than
a “C” and infinitely better than an “F.”
Play to your strengthsWhen I came to Chico State, I wanted to
be a doctor.As you can see, that ambition didn’t
last long. I bounced around between his-tory and biology until I settled comfortably between two majors, English and journal-ism. I enjoy them both, but I sometimes wish I’d chosen one major rather than attempting two: I would have had more time to work on the assignments and my grades would probably have improved.
Regardless, the lesson I learned from my major shuffle is this: Becoming a well-rounded scholar is important, but it doesn’t have to come at the expense of your grade point aver-age. Pick something you’re good at, because you’re more likely to succeed in class and enjoy your studies.
Go to classThis last point should be self-evident.
I’ve known professors who will lower your grade by a full letter for every unexcused absence beyond four. I flunked one class not from turning in subpar coursework, but for failing to fill a seat two times every week.
There are some people who say you can’t get a complete education without sit-ting in a classroom and investing time in your own education. Unfortunately, those same people decide which grade you will receive. Go to class, or your professor will have no mercy when he or she sits down to tally your final grade.
If you’re having trouble succeeding in your studies, I hope those tips help you during the course of your college career. If you’re still struggling, my only advice is to attend your professor’s office hours to get help. If they know how difficult the course is for you, they’re more likely to make small allowances and tailor their teaching to help you learn.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to go. I’m late for class again.
Ben Mullin can be reached at
Buried: 3 tips to avoid getting crushed by your spring workload
the orion •COVER ILLUSTRATION BY LIZ COFFEE
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Ben MullinManaging Editor
I spent every day during the last month
waking up at about 1 p.m. and eating myself into a stupor.
Unfortunately, now that spring classes are already underway, my life as a no-account derelict is over.
I will be expected to wake up at a decent hour, eat without using a micro-wave, turn in homework on time and generally function like a human being.
Just this morning my finely tuned pro-crastinator alert woke me up at 4:59 a.m., just one minute before my alarm would’ve gone off.
I promptly turned it off and went to sleep for another hour, before hitting the snooze button again.
I write these things not only to reveal my complete and utter depravity, but to present a shining example of what not to do.
If you, like me, are struggling to break out of your intersession slump, you can check out the following tips, which might also fix my procrastination problems, if I ever get around to them.
1. Set a routineDuring the intersession, I behaved
like a cat: sparse bouts of activity inter-spersed with large periods of rest.
Like a feline who spends large amounts of free time cleaning himself with his tongue, I was unable to rise from my bouts of lethargy because I didn’t have a plan of action.
All of that is about to change this semester. Now that my girlfriend has printed my class schedule and sched-uled times for homework and relaxation, being productive should be as simple as following orders.
It takes discipline to create and fol-low your own schedule, so I recommend scheduling things with your friends. If
you set up an appointment with other people, you’re less likely to blow it off later.
2. Reward yourselfLook, we’re not in kindergarten
anymore.I’m not winning any Pulitzers by
revealing the sad truth behind the grade school treasure box. It was a dirty bribe, an incentive for you to get your work done in a quickly without chatting to your friend two desks over.
If you want to succeed in this post-kin-dergarten world, I recommend rewarding yourself for hard work in the same way your teacher rewarded you in your forma-tive years.
Finish a workout? Veg for half an hour while you stretch in front of the TV. Make it through a paper without tearing your hair out? Maybe it’s time to watch some adorable cats on YouTube.
3. Be excited to do your workIf you, like me, spend most of your
waking hours dreading the homework that slowly threatens to engulf your life, do yourself a favor and consider an atti-tude adjustment.
You’re in college because you and your financial backers jointly determined that higher education was a route worth sink-ing four years and thousands of dollars into. You’ve picked your classes, your professor, your course of study and your university.
Don’t cheapen those choices by drag-ging your foot throughout your entire academic career. As goofy as it might sound, you should try to gin up a modi-cum of excitement for every assignment given to you. If you can’t, then maybe you should consider another profession, like flipping burgers.
Ben Mullin can be reached at
Slob gives advice on breaking free from intersession slump
Trevor PlattSportS Editor
As I walk alongside the diamond, I feel an early morning wind rush past my ears, bring-ing a welcoming chill. My lungs are engulfed with its icy touch. I embrace the familiar smell of freshly cut grass framing the edge of a diamond, a diamond that is kept in the most pristine of conditions.
Spring brings many things to mind: a fresh beginning to the new semester, the return of friends and new social endeavors, but most importantly, it brings more sports.
For those looking to escape grinding hard
in the books — or whatever it is all of us Chico State students do now in our spare time — spring sports allow for a great deal of enter-tainment, passion and school spirit all in one glorious outing.
Students can find sanctuary on the court as the Chico State women’s basketball team con-tinues to push forward with its best start since 1974. The Wildcats have endured and fought to reach an incredible 14-2 record.
But students like me who are sick of sports played on a rectangle have nothing to fear, because the baseball and softball teams are about to return to the field in early February.
The baseball team is coming back after a
strong 2012 season that showed appearances in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II college world series and a season record of 40-19.
The softball team is also aiming to return to the NCAA Championship West Regional after a season that was marked by ups and downs.
Whether you are in the stands to see sprinters, vaulters or the men and women’s track and field team continue a successful history of clawing their way to the NCAA Championships, the spring semester is ideal for sports fans.
It is a semester that should result in championship runs for the Wildcats, who
go out each week and put everything they have on the line to represent the cardinal and white that they wear so proudly.
So students, I propose a challenge. Spend more time in the bleachers, on the courts and by the fields, and support your Wildcats.
Get out there and show people that Chico State is the best school in the California Collegiate Athletic Association.
This spring, show our champion athletes that we are champion fans.
Trevor Platt can be reached at
' ' ' ' ' ' 'Year
Wins
'
Spring sports teams, fans swing for winning seasons
Quinn WesternNews editor
There’s only one more month until the red carpet is rolled out for the Academy Awards and 2012’s movie A-list will once again be on our lips.
Until the Academy reveals the best of the best of last year’s flicks, I’m rolling out my own, less glamorous carpet.
I spent most of my winter break sucking popcorn out of my teeth and enjoying the wondrous escape that is the movie theater with family and friends. Unlike my dad, who pays $20 to take a nap, I like to pick movies apart and enjoy the adventure.
So before I ramble some more, here are my nominees for best picture:
“Django Unchained”“Les Miserables”“Moonrise Kingdom”“Silver Linings Playbook”“Pitch Perfect”“Argo”
“Skyfall”“Lincoln”“Beasts of the Southern Wild”
I know, I know, “Pitch Perfect?” Most people would concur comedies don’t win Academy Awards, but this isn’t the Acad-emy Awards. It’s a hilarious story where the simple girl ends up with the cute boy at the end and everyone is happy, but why shouldn’t that be in the running? It’s funny, has aesthetically pleasing people and good music.
I won’t go into detail about each movie, but I will touch on a few. “Silver Linings Playbook” wasn’t a typical love story. It was heartfelt, frustrating with comic relief and had those obscure scenes that made you say, "What?” The audience was on a roller-coaster ride at Bradley Cooper’s theme park of ups and downs.
The vocals in “Les Miserables” were filmed without voiceovers, and Anne Hatha-way sang, “I Dreamed a Dream” in one take. Enough said.
As for “Lincoln,” the ending was
predictable, but Daniel Day-Lewis’ capture of Abraham Lincoln was exceptional, which brings me to the next category.
My nominees for best actor are:Hugh Jackman in “Les Miserables”Denzel Washington in “Flight”Daniel Day-Lewis in “Lincoln”Bradley Cooper in “Silver Linings
Playbook”
Hugh Jackman stole my heart in this film and made me want to hug my father. I was going to, but he was still sleeping.
I never saw “Flight,” but come on, it’s Denzel.
Between Day-Lewis and Cooper’s exqui-site performances I’m split. I adored them both. Jackman was a perfect foil for Russell Crowe, Day-Lewis had his hands full with his nutty wife Sally Field, and Cooper had an aggressive dance partner.
Now onto the silver-screen women. My nominees for best actress are:
Sally Field in “Lincoln”
Jennifer Lawrence in “Silver Linings Playbook”
Jessica Chastain in “Zero Dark Thirty”Quvenzhané Wallis in “Beasts of the
Southern Wild”
I really wanted to nominate Lawrence just for her performance in “The Hunger Games," but in “Silver Linings Playbook,” she proved she’s more than just a bow and arrow. OK, well, both roles were pretty bad ass.
Wallis holds a lot of talent for such a young woman. Who knows? Maybe she’ll be in a movie with Brad Pitt next.
After many kernels chewed and sodas spilled, I have chosen my overall winners.
Best Picture: “Les Miserables” and “Moonrise Kingdom” (I couldn’t decide)
Best Actor: Bradley CooperBest Actress: Sally Field
Quinn Western can be reached at
The Orion Movie Awards
2013 features several cinema standouts
the orion •COVER ILLUSTRATION BY LIZ COFFEE
“Chico is a beautiful place full of nature, smiles and unique fun, and I would
hate to leave without indulging in the
following outings.”CarLy CaumIant
Opinion Editor
Carly Caumiant OpiniOn EditOr
I have made it to my final semester at Chico State. I graduate in May, heading back to my hometown and starting a new life. But until then I would like to give Chico a decent and proper farewell, so I have created a bucket list not only for myself, but also for fellow seniors alike who have yet to do the things I’m about to embark upon. Chico is a beautiful place full of nature, smiles and unique fun, and I would hate to leave with-out indulging in the following outings.
Run five miles at Bidwell Park's Five MileI have walked this route in the past but
have yet to jog my way through the tree-filled pathways of Bidwell Park's Five Mile. The shaded running trail is a perfectly serene way to spend a Saturday morning or to pick up a mid-afternoon jog after class on a Tuesday. Five Mile is a popular destination
for most joggers, which helps lend a healthy smile of encouragement while your muscles flex through the wind.
Drink wine with monks at New Clairvaux Vineyards
Thirty minutes out of Chico in Vina is a winery located off the beaten path run by Chico locals as well as a full staff of monks. Yes, monks drink and make wine. Believe it or not, monks have a rich history in the process of winemaking, and as a current resident of Chico and lover of fine wine, I was ecstatic to learn monks were crushing grapes just outside of my college town.
Watch a movie at Pageant TheatreOne of Chico’s few movie theaters, The
Pageant, offers discounted movie prices at $7.50 with the option of lounging in comfy couches in the front row of the theater. I have yet to venture to this great little spot, but I plan on making my way downtown to
enjoy myself in the homey atmosphere. On Mondays there are “cheap skate,” $3 tickets, appealing to the poor college student for inexpensive date nights, leaving extra cash left for dinner and drinks.
Tour Sierra Nevada Brewery I will admit, I have been on this tour
about five or six times since living in Chico, but it is just such a worthwhile time I will need to go back at least two more times before I graduate.
Not only are the tours of the brewery free, but a complimentary tasting of about seven beers is presented after the walk-through. It’s enough to get a free buzz on before hit-ting the restaurant bar that sits alongside the fine dining experience of Sierra Nevada.
The local Chico brewery is, by far, my favorite bar in Chico due to its laid back aura and eclectic regulars. I will probably visit the bar about 20 more times before flee-ing my college town, but the tour itself will
need a good two more rounds as well.
Buy jewelry at the Chico Farmers Market I have become a regular at the weekly
Chico Farmers Market downtown on Satur-days since living here. I always come home with two weeks worth of veggies without spending more than $10 of my monthly budget.
But as much as I love the local produce and handmade soaps, my favorite booths to drool over are in the jewelry section at the outer area of the market. Local artists’ handcrafted, one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces and hair and body accessories are my favor-ite purchases of the weekend. The jewelry ranges from $5 to $80. I have made my share of $5 purchases, but before leaving Chico I would love to indulge in a lasting, pricier piece to symbolize my college experience.
Carly Caumiant can be reached at
5 things you must do before graduation
Five Mile New Clairvaux Vineyards Pageant Theatre Sierra Nevada
Brewery Saturday Market
Location
Price
Distancefrom campus
Hours ofoperation
One mile 20 miles Under a mile Two miles Under a mile
Open all day,
every day
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
daily
Monday to Sunday,
depeding on
showings
11 a.m. to 10 p.m. 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Saturdays
Free$5 for tasting,
$20 for a bottle$7.50 a ticket Free tours $5 to $80 for
jewelry
Upper Bidwell
Park
26240 Seventh St.
Vina, Calif.
351 E. Sixth St. 1075 E. 20th St. Parking lot at East
Second and Wall
streets
