Finals can be extremely stressful for college students everywhere. Whether you have to write  papers, take exams, or prepare and deliver presentations in your classes, this can be a lot of work all at once. Finals can be the final straw for many, only adding to the regular stress of college life. According to an article by the American Psychology Association, “About one-third of U.S. college students had difficulty functioning in the last 12 months due to depression, and almost half said they felt overwhelming anxiety in the last year, according to the 2013 National College Health Assessment.” 

The addition of even more stress makes the end of the semester a college student’s worst nightmare. 

Campus change is important for every university to become better. Because of this, Sonoma State University welcomed back Reverend Dr. Jamie Washington on Wednesday, Nov. 20 to give a talk about what we can do as a campus to be more inclusive. 

Washington has played an active role in higher education for roughly forty years and has been speaking at different universities for twenty years. 

He has previously spoken at Sonoma State University, but this new program, “Navigating Diversity, Equity and Exclusivity at a 21st century Public  University”, focuses on how we can create a better, more diverse learning environment.

It’s been just over a year since Sonoma State University lost one of their very own. 

Sonoma State Junior Paulette Quiba was tragically killed on Nov. 5, 2017 when a drunk driver crossed into her lane on Lakeville Highway and caused a head-on collision. The 21-year-old Business Major was a well-known leader on campus and contributed much to the school.

Lobo’s knows how to get people in the Halloween spirit. Last Friday, the cafe and pub held a bingo night for students to get together and have some fun, starting off their Halloween weekend. When 8:30 came around, it was time to start the game and students got ready to compete. Friends gathered to play and judging by all the laughter and smiles going around, it’s safe to say everyone had a great time.

Sonoma State University held its annual Family Weekend Oct. 19 through 21, where many families traveled to Rohnert Park to visit their college student and to see what Sonoma State had in store for them. This weekend included a variety of events, such as a public viewing night at our very own observatory, a frozen yogurt social, and even a brunch with President Judy Sakaki to welcome the families to the school.

Health and wellness is extremely important to think about as a college student. Students are constantly under pressure with classes, homework, and extracurriculars like clubs or Greek life. Not to mention many people have jobs outside of school as well. With all of this going on, stress is unfortunately inevitable. However, students should be aware that there are many resources available to them both on campus and within the community to help them get through difficult times. 

With a new school year in full swing, there is room for improvement at Sonoma State University. While we attend an amazing school with many good qualities, there are always some things that could change for the better. The STAR asked a handful of students what they wanted to see change on campus this year and they had some thoughtful answers. 

     We gathered students from different years and majors to see what they had to say. The answers ranged from issues like more available classes to better parking, then got more complex with the concern for our lack of diversity. It’s important that Sonoma State listens to student recommendations in order to make our school a better place for everyone.

Disney lovers had a chance to shine and show their knowledge at Lobo’s Trivia Night on Friday, Sept. 14. While the facilitators got ready to start the event, students filled up the tables and formed teams with their game faces on, ready to answer the questions. The event is put on by Sonoma State University Residential Life staff who work with Student Involvement.           

“We’re here to facilitate Trivia Night for students to come by and have some fun on the weekends,” said facilitator Megan Husa.

On Thursday, Aug. 30, Sonoma State University welcomed back our four-legged friends in the Seawolf Plaza to help de-stress students. It can be difficult for many people to get back into the swing of things at the beginning of the semester, so bringing therapy dogs to campus helps bring joy and comfort. De-stress with Dogs is one of the many events that Sonoma State’s very own Student Health Advisory Committee puts on every month. This student group helps identify campus health-related issues and strongly believe in the wellbeing of our campus community.