Tag: long beach

  • Working out During Quarantine

    Working out During Quarantine

    Working out is endorsed by doctors and health-specialists for all kids or for anyone who may be in need of it. Many supply this need with walking, biking, or other hour-long activities that can be accomplished at a park or out in the open. Other workouts are done in gyms or closed-off workout spaces. Some people indulge in building up a private gym in their homes and have been unaffected by the change Covid-19 brought upon them. Others, however, have been left in the dark about how best to go about continuing their routine while stuck at home – and some people are too busy trying to support themselves or their dependents to worry about it.

     

    I have experienced this myself, even as a student with no workout-heavy extracurricular activities, the sharp decline in the amount of walking I accomplished in a day, walking from class to class, and walking around school with friends have left me uncommonly lethargic, eternally tired, and while my grades have taken a sharp upturn with the abundance of time I have to do nothing, my physical upkeep has been lacking. While no negative effects have shown long-term problems, should the world go back to normal, it shows me more clearly the lack of agency I take in keeping myself fit, as I usually rely on everyday exercise to keep me healthy.

     

    Without that outlet, I’ve been put in charge of my own health and wellness, and I’ve done my best to develop a small, important way to make sure you move about and give your body the smaller exercises it needs to stay healthy.

     

    1. Don’t sit at your computer all-day

    No matter what you believe, schoolwork won’t keep you glued to your chair all day. Every workspace and school schedule allows for small breaks to be taken in between bouts of work and classes. Don’t take this time for granted, and sit at your computer or on your phone, watching Youtube or Tik Tok. instead, get up, shake out your legs and stretch your arms, use every break you can to move as much of your body as possible.

    1. Have a small workout or stretch routine

    Set aside a small amount of time in your schedule to work out, no matter how intense it is. It can range from a small ten-minute low impact routine, or an hour-long weight-lifting routine. Any extra movement will be beneficial for your body, and its health. I prefer a ten-to-fifteen minute workout, short and simple, with hand weights to ensure I keep the strength in my arms and torso. There are plenty of examples of short, long, easy, and intense workouts out there if you look for them.

    1. Understand that you need to go outside

    With the threat of Covid-19, many fear going outside. By saying you need to go outside, I’m not encouraging you to go outside and have parties or visit others, but to sit or stand outside, with proper mask protection and sunscreen, and stretch or stand or walk. Breath in the air and let the sun warm you. Becoming stagnant inside can lead to more brittle bones with a lack of vitamin D, which can become a long-term problem. Make time every day to stand outside, and sit or lie down, in your front or backyard, if you can, or try to squeeze the time in when going out for needed groceries. 

    My main suggestion would be to do a pre-warm-up outside, or if your workout is short, spend your entire workout outside, if you are able to do so and with proper face protection. I do a combination of school work and workouts outside, intermittently throughout the week.

    Image result for Dumbbells

    Working out and moving around, no matter how often, is an activity that will help with the monotony of staying indoors and any feeling of stillness that may come upon you. These are three smaller ideas that I’ve come up with to help myself when facing being indoors for the unseeable future, and keeping your body strong is one of the main ways to combat this. 

     

    The next time you get a ten-minute break, rather than looking at screens, stand and stretch, take a breath, and move your body.

  • What should LBUSD do with $100 million? Students have ideas…

     

    The Long Beach Post has reported that Long Beach Unified School District is set to receive $99.4 million in federal funds from the December 2020 relief package. The money is based on LBUSD’s low-income and otherwise disadvantaged Title 1 student population. LBUSD spokesperson Chris Eftychiou told the Long Beach Post in an email that the district has been using federal funds from the earlier relief package for “technology, professional development, nutrition of students, distance learning and personal protective equipment.” 

    But what do Poly students think the district should use the money on? Our panel of writers made some suggestions.

     

    Xandria Hines

    With the grant of 99.4 million dollars given to the Long Beach Unified School District through the government’s relief funding, a lot of betterment can be done to the schools that LBUSD resides over, as well as those who work and learn there.

    With everyone stuck within their own homes for the time being, possibly until the end of 2021 or the beginning of 2022, using that amount of money to tear down and rebuild some of the worst areas of the older schools would be a possible endeavor that could be done with the money. Allowing the schools to remain closed until the autumn/winter semester of 2022 would give the school board enough time to plan, budget, and rebuild some of the worst buildings that could become hazardous.

    If the reconstruction of hazardous areas is not a priority, however, the money could still be used for the reconstruction of schools, changing some of the unused, and more unused bathrooms into “sanitary stations”. With Covid-19 back on the rise in early 2021, schools may need to push back in-class schooling until the vaccine is distributed regularly and avoid of more severe effects, but for those who simply will not wait for such a time, having stations within the school where children and teens can pick up gloves to replace their ripped ones, pick up or refill their hand sanitizer, or replace masks they might accidentally throw away or break would help everyone stay safe at school.

    Using that money to redo anything about the standing school (repainting, cleaning, new desks, new supplies, etc.) would be a positive change for any high schooler that would be going back to school when it’s finally safe to do so.

     

    Chansochata Thon

    As an LBUSD student, I believe the most important area in which the budget can go is investing in better laptops for the students who cannot afford their own. First of all, the chromebooks that the school provides are not guaranteed to work well. Many of my friends and myself have a chromebook from school, and we have faced many issues. My chromebook, in particular, cannot handle having more than three tabs open when I am using zoom. This is a problem, because teachers usually require us to have multiple tabs open, whether it be a google doc, website, or peardeck. When I do have my zoom and more than 3 tabs open, the zoom becomes laggy and I cannot access the websites quickly, and at times I get disconnected. This causes stress, especially if the teacher gives a timed assignment. In addition, when I do get disconnected, I struggle in refocusing when I rejoin.

    In addition, the school can direct some of the money in helping students transition to a life with COVID-19. By this, I mean helping students cope and learn what to do when a family member is hospitalized. For me, when my dad was diagnosed with COVID-19, my family and I struggled in knowing what to do when he was sick, especially when his condition worsened. There seemed to be a lack of clarity of what to do, especially when we called an ambulance they would not take him to the hospital. So we had to take him to a hospital ourselves but did not know whether to go to urgent care or the emergency room. Furthermore, when he was admitted to the hospital, we had difficulty in learning how to pay bills. This caused immense stress, interrupting my motivation to learn. I believe some resources that may help include available/well known hot-lines or places that can aid families with bills, grocery, and information. In addition, these resources should also provide access for those whose first language is not English.

    Lastly, a resource that can directly help students during distanced learning is one-on-one tutors or a mentor who can track their grade and provide them support; this can be a tutor who students check up with or just someone who can be relied on for advice. These tutors should go towards the students who are evidently struggling the most with online school and want help (because if they need help but do not want it there will be lots of resistance on their part). This program could assure that the students who do not have the support at home can have access to what they need through Poly.

     

    Sierra Brott-Hunter

    I think that LBUSD SHOULD use the money on giving the students cord baggies filled with mask, hand sanitizer, thermometer. They also should provide better food. This is a good idea because if the students do not have a clean mask at home they have a mask in the bag. Another reason this a good idea to spend the money on the baggies is so students have hand sanitizer with them at all times and it would be easy to get out their backpacks they can also use it if they are in a rush between classes. A third reason this a good idea that should use the money on is the students have a thermometer to see if they have a fever before they go to school to let them know if they should stay home or not. I also think that LBUSD should use the money on better food. This is a good idea because the school food now is okay, but it is not the best food.

  • Students Struggle with Screen Time, Home Environments During Virtual Learning

    Long Beach Unified School District students have different opinions when talking about virtual learning. 

    Ever since the pandemic shut down all the schools on March 13, students have been learning through virtual classes. Learning at home through the computer was a new environment that not all were ready or prepared for, and not all had reliable resources that could help with their efficiency in class.

    Along with that, not many are comfortable with staring at a screen all day. 

    Devean Ruiz, a 10th grade CIC student at Poly High School, discussed his experience with the new way of learning for this semester. 

    “I’m in class for about six hours every weekday, having heaps of online homework which really strains my eyes,” he said. 

    Staring at a screen all day can damage your eyes if you don’t take enough breaks in between. Your sight can become blurry, and with time your vision won’t be what it used to be. 

    In addition, having large families with siblings who are also learning through virtual learning can intervene with being able to focus in class. Andrea Moreno Sanchez, a 10th grader at Woodrow Wilson Classical High School, and 10th grade Sasha Martin-Flores at Poly High School agree that their families have gotten in the way of their learning environment.

    “My family gets in the way, cause they always distract, and sometimes I can’t focus,” Moreno said.

    In a similar situation, Martin-Flores spoke about her problems with focusing in class. 

    “Background noise,” Martin-Flores said, “siblings needing help and needing to use the restroom but they won’t let us turn off the camera to do so.” 

    It isn’t always easy to focus on important work when things like your small siblings are crying or if your parents are cooking. This is one of the biggest problems that most students have when learning virtually.  

    When asked about how they would react to finding out if next semester was also virtual, about 60% of the interviewed students claimed that they would be very upset while the other students stated that they didn’t feel much for it. 

    One of the students who would be upset is Jessica Diaz, a 10th grader at Poly High School. She looks forward to school because she feels more focused at school rather than her own home. 

    However, one student who feels natural about having online classes next semester is Jenelle Macapaz, a 10th grader at Poly High School in the Justice Academy. 

    Macapaz said, “I would understand. I wish it was over because other people aren’t in a good environment.” 

    She agrees that we should stay safe and remain distant if we need to be but she also believes that it can have a bad effect because some kids aren’t in a healthy place.  

    According to the official City of Long Beach website, there are have been 13,511 Covid-19 cases in Long Beach. LBUSD is hoping to reopen schools on January 28th, at the beginning of the second semester, if there are no sudden spikes in Covid-19. 

     

  • Students, Teachers, Parents All Affected by Virtual Learning

    In California, the COVID-19 outbreak has racked up to over 946,000 cases in total, with Los Angeles County accounting for 311,000+ cases of it. Ever since late March, students, teachers, as well as parents from all over the world have been affected by the shutdown of schools. Some have adapted normally to the internet classes, while others have formed strong opinions about virtual learning, even calling for the reopening of schools.

     112 students out of 147 total have shown a particular dislike for online schooling by voting for in-person schooling on an Instagram poll that asked whether they preferred online or in-person schooling more. 

    Marina Ejercito, a sophomore PACE student at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, is one of the many affected students. Ejercito said, “Online working does have things praisable about it, such as being able to work at my own pace. But I believe that online school has more disadvantages than advantages.” 

    The question is, why do these students find online learning dislikeable? The answers are varied, but numerous students have reported that they have long school hours, plentiful workloads, and poor connectivity during their time in online schooling. 

    For some high school students in Long Beach, their classes usually start at around 7:50 and end at 2:40, which is in total a 6-hour school day. It is nothing different than the schedule they would have if they were still in an actual school, however, the major problem is the time spent staring at a digital screen. The website newsroom.osfhealthcare.org states that kids from ages 5-17 should only spend a maximum of two hours per day staring at the screen. From this, it is obvious that teens and young kids already spend at least 4 hours more than the daily recommendation, but it is not accounting the time spent on online homework or their phones once the classes are over.

    Andrew Navarrete, a tenth grader at Cabrillo High School shares his thoughts on the long school hours. “Some of us don’t have the patience to stare at a screen for more than six hours breaking our backs. It’s physically draining, making me more and more tired,” Navarrete said.

    Though there are guaranteed breaks in between their classes, like lunch and nutrition period, having more than six hours of screen time per day, every week, can lead up to health complications like eye-straining, headaches, and back pains (from poor posture). 

    Online school has shown that not only is it physically exhausting for students but also mentally. Alyssa Savath, a tenth grader JUSTICE student at Poly High School said, “My mental health sucks. I mean, it’s been like that for a while, but online classes made it worse.” Tenth grade CIC student Miles Salas shared that his virtual learning experience is “stressful” due to the number of assignments piling up.

    Students have been feeling not only stressed due to school but lonely from the lack of human interaction. According to the CDC, approximately 4.4 million children ages 3-17 have diagnosed anxiety while approximately 1.9 million (of the same age range) have diagnosed depression.

     Having a poor work environment that disrupts the students’ learning makes it even harder for them as not all of them have a quiet background or a stable connection during the call. This is probably one of the factors as to why some students do not like to have their cameras on for class. Felix Oukh, a Poly MEDS tenth grader said, “I don’t like having to stare at myself and being uncomfortable about backgrounds and then getting kicked out because I didn’t turn on my camera or leave it on, which is quite stupid.” 

    Although it can be an irritation for some students to keep their cameras on, some teachers find that seeing their students’ faces can be quite helpful when teaching the class. 

    Dr. Amy Stuht, a Poly English teacher said that although she is thankful that working from home keeps her and her husband safe from COVID-19, she understands that not all students are comfortable with showing their faces. However, she is worried that she might not be able to connect the voices and the names to the faces of the students in her class when school starts to reopen. Being able to see her students’ faces also gives her indications on whether or not her lesson is understandable to them. 

    The circumstances and experiences of of virtual learning differ not only between occupation, but also between age groups. Donna Jonas, a stay-at-home mother of four (ages 10, 9, 5, and 1), has three of her kids enrolled in online classes. She says that although they have adapted well to online learning, it put more on her plate as her schedule went from doing the basic chores to also helping her kids prepare for their classes. While she finds it great that her kids are with her at their home, she believes that students should be able to learn at school. 

    Because of the ongoing crisis of the pandemic, online learning has shown that it severely hinders many students’ ability to learn. Students such as Justine Erana, a senior at Bellflower High School, is one of the many who wishes to go back to in-person school. She likes how virtual learning is at her own pace, but she finds that opening school is more beneficial as it would help students retain information and the motivation to learn more efficiently. 

    “I wish that teachers could record their lectures and upload them to Google Classroom for students to view later if they didn’t understand the lesson,” Erana said in response to virtual classes. 

    Students, teachers, and parents alike have expressed the same concern about going back to in-person school. In response to this, the Long Beach Unified School District had put up a statement letting residents know that online schooling is only temporary. Despite the actual return date being uncertain, staff and students may eventually be able to go back to school at some point during this school year, but with strict regulations to follow that adheres to COVID-19 safety. 

  • Boredom Strikes: What to do when class is over?

    This school year has already been different from anything students have ever experienced. Most students start school at 7:50 am. We wake up to open our computer sometimes not even getting ready for the day. For the first time in its history, the Long Beach Unified School District is forced into homeschooling across the entire district.  For seniors this school year is new to them in many ways with the responsibility of applying to colleges, scholarships or finding a job. With school being online and ending a bit earlier for most seniors, the remainder of the day goes to homework. Even after doing homework and some studying there is still time in the day that can be filled by doing many activities. Have you been active? Have you been eating because you’re bored? Have you been sleeping your days away? Here are a few safe ways to fill your days during the pandemic:

     

    • After classes go on a walk or run

    A 30 minutes walk or run through your neighborhood or the closest park(with a mask) may be just enough activity you desire. 30 minutes of activity is just the start of creating healthy habits. If you wish to start working out there are many free personal trainer videos on YouTube and websites that can help you begin your journey at home and at your own pace.

     

    • Make breakfast/ learn how to cook your favorite meal?

    There are many YouTube videos as well as cooking shows that can be streamed to help you discover new meals to cook. You can also find blogs giving detailed steps on the food you are trying to create.

     

    • Bake desserts

    On Netflix there are a number of baking series available giving insight on different desserts and how to make them. If you don’t have access to cooking shows there are always YouTube videos you can watch as well. You can also be creative and create your own sweet treat using your favorite ingredients and prior skills.

     

    • Try different hairstyles

    Although many people will not get to see your hairstyle getting up and trying a different look builds confidence and may change your mood. YouTube and Pinterest have some of the best ideas for new hairstyles.

     

    • Paint or draw 

    Painting and drawing always helps me express myself. If you feel as if you’re not artistic whatsoever then this isn’t the activity for you. Painting and drawing can be time consuming and expensive if you are dedicated. Supplies can be found at a local drug store, 99 cent store and art and crafts stores such as Michaels. Getting your emotions down on paper can be a therapeutic experience called art therapy, different colors, styles and texture can inflict certain types of emotions and even relief. In art there are no mistakes, anything you make is beautiful. 

     

    • Discover different diets 

    There are many ways you can start healthy eating habits. Blogs and YouTube can be essential tools to your new journey. Here’s a helpful link to a blog I used when I began my Keto diet: 

    https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/essential-guide-to-healthy-eating/

     

    • Discover new movies or shows 

    There are many ways to watch movies or series either way it can be streamed through various apps. If you sign up for subscriptions for at least $9 a month each you can have access to Netflix, Hulu, HBO, STARZ and for a few dollars more you can subscribe to Disney Plus. All of these streaming apps include  original shows and  movies and a variety of popular movies and series from various networks. There are also movies that are and able to rent that can be streamed through YouTube. My personal favorite shows at the moment are Hannibal, One on One, Sister Sister, Moesha and Grand Army, which can be found on Netflix.

     

  • My Braces Experience

    My Braces Experience

    I feel at some point everyone wanted to have braces whether you needed them or not. Prior to me having braces, I would see people with them, and I never really realized that these people were having their teeth moved by it every single day. 

     

    Before I get into my experience with having them I wanna give a brief explanation of what braces are. Braces have different parts to it, so first brackets (this is what holds your wire) are glued to every tooth, then you start with a thin wire  placed to go through each bracket, your wire is what is moving your teeth. Braces wires come in different thicknesses, you usually start with a thin wire, and upgrade to a thicker one little by little then the wire us attached to the bracket by rubber bands, which are your choice of color. Then every month you MUST go in for a check up where they change your color bands (may switch to different colors) and the bands may be smaller making your braces tighter, which makes your teeth move a bit faster, and you may also get a new wire, but that depends on how much your teeth has moved since your last check up. Braces straighten your teeth, and also fixes your jaw, over bite, and under bite.

     

    Now I have had my braces for about 4 months now and let me tell you something… these braces have a lot more maintenance than I thought! 

     

    So first thing I had to do was go in for a consultation where they see if you can benefit from braces treatment. The next thing they do is fix anything with your teeth, for example, one of my teeth had a root canal so before I got my braces they had to get that removed and I also had a small hole in my tooth that they had to fill. After all that is done they sized my teeth to add molar bands (brackets on your molars but wrapped around the tooth instead of just in front). After that the next appointment is when you get your full set of braces. 

     

    Now I was really excited to get these braces – I been waiting forever to get my teeth straighten – but what I didn’t realize was the maintenance that came with braces. Literally ANYTHING you eat will get stuck in your braces and it’s not easy to get the food out. I always have to rinse out my mouth after I eat. And within the four months I’ve had braces, I’ve broken four brackets total off my teeth, which you have to go in and get redone. I have also had my wire come out on the ends many times, which you also have to go in and get placed back in, if your wire comes out at the ends your braces will NOT work. 

     

    And going in every month is a lot too, when you go in every month they tighten your braces, so you feel some pressure on your teeth for about two days and if you miss appointments your braces won’t work because you didn’t go get the adjustments you need. Also if you miss your monthly appointment that adds another month to your braces treatment. Braces has also changed what I eat, I try to stay away from hard foods because it’s better than breaking off your brackets and that’s hard for me because I like crunchy foods.  

     

    It has also affected my night routine. In order to keep my teeth clean and white, I brush my teeth for 10 minutes each night, which is a long time to be brushing your teeth, not saying 10 minutes is needed but you know I gotta keep these teeth nice and white and especially since you gotta get in between your braces. You’re also supposed to floss every night which is difficult to do cause you have to go in between your braces before even being about to floss, but I went ahead and purchased myself a water floss to make it easier, it’s like a water gun that constantly shoot out water to clean out the food from in between your braces and teeth. This replaces regular flossing completely and it’s way faster. 

    But the results in my teeth in just four months are amazing!  The before and after pictures of my teeth show you the results: p

     

     

  • New Dog in Town

    New Dog in Town

    Kelly Rodriguez, center, with Zion, left, and King, right.

    This is Zion, my dog. The small dog is my sister’s dog, named King. We are going to talk about King first. We got King when he was two weeks old. My mom got him from my grampa for $50. We have had him for two years now. He´s really smart and we don´t have to put a leash on him. Also, we never trained King or Zion.

     

    Zion is a really good dog. We got him when he was two months old. Zion was my brother’s dog at first. My brother’s name is James. He paid $400 for Zion he was supposed to pay 800, but my tia’s girlfriend was friends with the girl who sold Zion to us. James and I agreed that I would take care of Zion when he’s at work.

    Zion when he was a puppy.

    So I took care of Zion and my brother would come home and not give him any attention because he was tired and Zion would make a lot of mess, so my brother decided he wants to sell him and my mom was okay with it because she doesn’t want him. After all, he’s going to grow big but I told both of them no I’ll keep him since I take care of him more than my brother since he’s always working. My mom said no I can´t keep him but I begged her to let me keep him and she said okay.

     

    Now Zion is seven months. He’s a husky mixed with a   german shepherd. Zion still makes a lot of mess. I walk him every day for like 30 minutes or less. I take him everywhere with me because my mom doesn´t want him in the house. Sometimes when I try to go somewhere I can´t because of him since my mom doesn´t want to babysit him, so I just stay home or try to figure out something.

    Zion is in the festive Halloween spirit.

    Zion is an indoor dog because I live in an apartment and my neighbor has other dogs outside and they don´t want Zion close to their dog because he’s big so I try to take him out when I go somewhere.

     

    Zion loves meeting new people and kids, he is so nice to them. One day we went to the dog beach and he lay down next to someone and tried to hug them – I got a little jealous.

     

    Zion is my whole world, the only one who makes me happy. Also, dogs are better than people.

     

    Kelly Rodriguez with Zion.

  • My New Normal: Kelly Rodriguez

    When I first wake up I get my Chromebook to start my first period without getting ready. Sometimes I sleep in my class or watch youtube when my teachers are not talking or when I am done with my work. My son (dog) always wants to play while I’m in class so I go outside with him while I’m in class and let him run around or just throw his toys so he can get it.

    Also, I have some reasons why I don’t like online school. One of them is I have a lot of siblings in the house. There is nowhere in the house that you can be by yourself. Also, my mom tells me to pick up my son’s (dog’s) mess or to clean up or help her with the kids because she doesn’t know how to work the Chromebook. It’s just hard to learn when there are a lot of people in the house. A lot of my teachers don’t know how to give examples of how things work online or how to work some of the apps they tell us to get on. Sometimes I don’t feel like being on zoom with them.

  • Humans of Quarantine: Chilling, Exhausted, and Not Missing the Beach

    Humans of Quarantine: Chilling, Exhausted, and Not Missing the Beach

    “Lately I have been feeling extremely exhausted and overwhelmed by not only school and distance-learning, but from my community being torn apart and all over the place from past/recent tragedies.”
    —Mahogani Sogules-Corbin

     

    “Quarantine just means I don’t have to worry as much about wearing sunscreen.”
    —Sophia DelBello
    Reymar Santos, High Life Staff Writer: “This is my Uncle Eddie, he’s been chilling and pushing through this quarantine and he said, ‘Make the most of the time spent with your family because that is all that we can do. Enjoy life that’s it.’ “
    “Life WAS like a box of chocolates, but now its as uneventful as a Kit Kat Bar from the 99¢ store.”
    —Christian Gisborne
  • How Covid-19 Affects Youth’s Mental Health

    How Covid-19 Affects Youth’s Mental Health

    Mental health, though often stigmatized, has been an issue since before Covid 19 shifted our everyday lives. Now, as stay at home orders displace us from our work and school environments and our everyday routine, mental health continues to be a top issue, especially among young people. 

     

    According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 10–20% of adolescents globally experience mental health conditions, yet these remain undiagnosed and untreated. 

     

    At least one in five youth aged 9–17 years currently has a diagnosable mental health disorder that causes some degree of impairment; one in 10 has a disorder that causes significant impairment. 

     

    Regardless of whether youth have a diagnosed or undiagnosed disorder, factors such as isolation, fear, and a lack of engagement with friends and peers can negatively affect a young person’s mental health and lead to stress and anxiety.

     

    As social distancing, isolation, and online learning become the norm, how has this taken a toll on students’ mental well-being?  Four Poly students were asked how the Covid 19 pandemic has affected their mental health personally. Here’s what they said:

     

    Lizette Karina Ramon, Pace Senior

    “It’s been so hard because I’ve had a lack of motivation for doing things. This whole situation is depressing, and the way our country is handling this pandemic is frustrating. My mental health has not been the best because I try my best to be optimistic but the way things are going, I don’t think they are going to get better soon. I’m just very tired mentally.”

     

     

     

     

    Luis Cuahtli Sanchez, Justice Junior

    “You lose a lot of motivation for doing school work just for passing, it’s like they’re simply giving us things to do and not giving things for us to learn. 

     

    But I’ve forced myself to get used to this because this pandemic will last a long while so it’s better to make it easier for me rather than harder. 

     

    But still….just knowing this virus is out there and there’s no vaccine just scares me, it can infect anyone, my friends, my family and even me. But there’s no point in being scared all day, there are still things that have to be done and we can only hope for the best outcome for everyone in the future and hope this ends soon. This has affected me quite a lot and it takes time to get used to it.”

     

    Maya Morales, CIC Freshman

    “The first few weeks were easy mentally. I was being lazy but I was happy. After about a month or so, I started to feel depressed. It went on for a few days and the whole time I didn’t leave my house at all. I didn’t want to go anywhere and for some reason, I would just listen to sad music and make myself even more sad and cry. So dramatic!

     I think just being inside all the time and feeling a little lonely because my sister, my mom and my dad would work for so long, it messed with me a little. But I learned you just need to be a little more active and not simply do homework and stay in the house all day. Working-out or any physical exercise like a walk helps boost your mental health and makes you a little more productive.”

     

    Lance Manago, Meds Senior

     

    “I’m doing pretty good honestly. Online school is okay, but I just miss everything about waking up early and driving to school and seeing all my friends and teachers.

    I would say it didn’t affect my mental health but rather affected my physical health. I’m an outside person, I love being outside and try to be active every day. 

    I was also looking forward to graduation and prom and grad night, it truly sucks what class of 2020 has to go through”

     

  • Less Jammed? Time to Drive!

    I learned that to get the streets to become less jammed, it takes a quarantine. During quarantine, life outside has been far from busy. The stores are emptier, fewer people are outside, and the streets are less crowded. For a learning driver, these are the perfect conditions for them. 

    After the announcement that school will move online, I have been able to set aside more time to learn how to drive. I have been practicing every day, in case preventive measures are set in place (that possibly could limit the time, and how often cars are able to go on the roads). After practicing for a month, I have a list of the perfect places for beginning drivers to start off: 

    1. Malls: Due to all malls forcibly having to shut-down, the only cars visible in the parking lots are security cars. I’m not sure if we are not allowed to practice in the parking lot, but while I was there the security never stopped us. The best bet is to check if the mall is private or public property. If it is private,  it is best to find somewhere else to go.
      • For Long Beach Locals, go to Lakewood Mall! Even though it is in Lakewood, it is not too far from Long Beach, and it is a perfect place (with the exception of some taunting security cars). Also to note, Costco is still open, so you will face some cars if you go when Costco is open.
    2. DMV: To get hands-on practice of what it will be like the day of, go to the DMV. As a warning, there are often other cars practicing too, the most I’ve seen in a day was two other cars– not including myself. 
    3. Grocery Markets: I have been going to Food-4-Less to practice parking in between two cars. This is a little bit more challenging as there are more cautions to look out for, like pedestrians, other cars, and random shopping carts (that sometimes hauntingly move by itself).
    4. Neighborhoods: Practice in the neighborhood where you know the driving test will take place. There are a lot of videos online showing the DMV Routes of several different DMV’s on YouTube. Of course, this is assuming they haven’t changed the route or have other random routes as well.

    Hopefully, if you have not learned how to drive, this comprehensive list will urge you to start. But remember, if you are under the age of 18, get a permit. The streets are less crowded and it is much more navigable to start learning

    Before you start learning, I will caution you, there are a lot of police cars (so follow the law! No speeding!). I assume that they are only there to patrol any mass gatherings, so don’t be worried– if you are lawfully learning there is nothing to be concerned about. 

  • $1 Million Raised for Long Beach Coronavirus Relief Fund

    $1 Million Raised for Long Beach Coronavirus Relief Fund

    In the wake of many businesses being shut down and many workers finding themselves without work, the City of Long Beach in partnership with the Long Beach Community Foundation started a Coronavirus Relief Fund. The money raised is going to assist low income workers, small businesses, and those immediately in need. 

    The Coronavirus fund began accepting donations on March 18, 2020 and since then the fund has raised over 1 million dollars as announced by City officials on Monday morning, April 13. “We are seeing unprecedented levels of compassion during this crisis and I am so proud of the work that is being done through the non-profits to support our community,” Mayer Robert Garcia said in a Monday morning announcement. 

    According to a statement from City Officials, about half of the money donated ($475,000) has been dished out to 31 non-profit organizations, many of those organizations serve to feed and house those in need during this crisis. 

    The City of Long Beach said nonprofits with a valid 501(c)3 are able to request a grant for up to $20,000. Eligible organizations include those who:

    • Aid low-income individuals affected by the COVID-19 crisis pay for critical expenses 
    • Provide microloans and / or funds to small businesses affected by the COVID-19 crisis
    • Provide emergency funds for workers laid off
    • Assist individuals experiencing homelessness for sheltering, food, sanitization supplies to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the community 
    • Provide food and critical supplies to those who are home-bound
    • Assist community hospitals in gathering medical supplies and regulating patient flow. 
    • Support existing mental health and domestic violence services 

    Larger grants may be given to nonprofits who serve an exceptional amount of individuals.

    While there are many other funds setup at both the federal and state level, this fund puts the people of Long Beach first in the list for receiving much needed aid. 

    There are many ways to donate:

    Text: Text “SupportLB” to 501-55 and follow instructions to donate

    PayPal: Use PayPal online or on a mobile device and donate to @SupportLB

    Credit Card: Visit https://longbeachcf.org/ and fill out a secure online form

    Check: Mail a check donation to the Long Beach Community Foundation, 400 Oceangate, Suite 800, Long beach, CA 90802. Be sure to add Long Beach Coronavirus Relief Fund in the memo section of your check