Sudden Oak Death (SOD), an “exotic disease that arrived in California in the 80’s” is ravaging our forests in California. Based on the training video that students are required to take before attending the Zoom event, Dr. Matteo Garbelotto at UC Berkeley’s Pathology and Mycology Laboratory explained that “Sudden Oak Death, when it arrives in site, can kill almost all of the oaks in about a decade.”

Sonoma County is filled with fun activities to keep students busy, and with classes being online, students have a lot more free time on their hands. In the surrounding cities, there is something fun for everyone, like gorgeous hiking trails, many delicious restaurants, farmer’s markets, and mini golf, to name a few. For students that are 21 and over, bars in Cotati like 8 Ball and Spancky’s are open for business. For students that are under 21, Scandia Family Fun Center is a ten-minute drive from the school, complete with fun activities for students of all ages. Scandia is a mini amusement park with mini golf, go-kart riding, batting cages, and even an arcade.

Amy Quichiz is the founder of Veggie Mijas, an inclusive collective of vegans that aim to share plant-based recipes and create a safe community for people with marginalized identities. Based on their website, Veggie Mijas is “a women of color/trans folks of color/gender non-confirming collective for folks that are plant-based or are interested in a plant-based lifestyle that have marginalized identities and/or experiences with food insecurity/food apartheids.”

Students have had to be more creative and open to new activities to keep them busy with all of the changing restrictions on businesses and activities. With more people getting vaccinated, cities beginning to open up, and music festivals to look forward to, students are eager to travel and explore new things.

On March 17, the Native American Studies Department at Sonoma State held a lecture titled “Yurok And Karuk Tribes Return Good Fire To The Land,” which is part of the Fire on the Land and in Our Lives lecture series. Dr. Erica Tom, the Director of Native American Studies at Sonoma State, hosted the lecture with Amal Munayer, an advisor for the Equal Opportunity program.

In the past year, there has been a number of changes to SSU students’ daily lives. Classes have moved fully online, while students were forced to move off campus, as well as a number of other factors that make daily life just a little more difficult.