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A review of “Rough Magic”: A magical, funny Shakespearean inspired world come to life

Jessica Rodriguez
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A review of “Rough Magic”: A magical, funny Shakespearean inspired world come to life

Long Beach City College’s Performing Arts Department delivered an action-packed and imaginative production of “Rough Magic”, a play that brings characters from Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” into present-day New York.

“Rough Magic” is a mythical, magical adventure that invites you to step inside the production, forget the outside world, and simply enjoy.

Actor Jaylen Ferrera as Prospero, top, barks commands and belittles his daughter Miranda, who is played by Juliana Medina, during a dress rehearsal for LBCC’s production of the play “Rough Magic” on Tuesday at the Bob and Barbara Ellis Auditorium. (Asa Liberty)

At the center of the story is Melanie Porter, played by Nancy Tran, a single, courageous, raven-haired dramaturg New Yorker trying to find herself in this big city who gets set up on a blind date with 17-year-old lifeguard Chet Baxter from Coney Island. 

Actor Nancy Tran playing Melanie Porter, stops in her tracks after actor Celvin Reyes, who is playing Chet Baxter, mentions that he was told by a mutual friend that she has magic, during a dress rehearsal for LBCC’s production of the play “Rough Magic” on Tuesday at the Bob and Barbara Ellis Auditorium. (Jacyn King)

Calvin Reyes shines as Chet, bringing a teenage energy and humor that instantly wins over the audience.

The pair is soon thrusted into a quest to help another character, Caliban, banish his dangerous father, Prospero—a tyrannical sorcerer desperate to regain his stolen book of magic, even if it means destroying Manhattan. 

Isaiah Moore’s portrayal of Caliban is both hunky and hilariously endearing, giving the character a lovable blend of strength with a soft side of him trying to keep his mothers land and legacy. 

Actor Isaiah Moore playing Caliban, asks actor Nancy Tran playing Melanie Porter, to help him thwart his father’s evil plans, during a dress rehearsal for LBCC’s production of the play “Rough Magic” on Tuesday at the Bob and Barbara Ellis Auditorium. (Jacyn King)

One of the most impressive aspects of this production is its real-time sound effects, executed live and timed perfectly with the action. 

This creative choice not only elevated the magical atmosphere but also added a playful, handmade charm that reminds the audience how theater can be unpredictable, creative and alive, it has is its own kind of magic.

The casts’ colorful wardrobe, bursting with personality and flair, amplified the play’s joyful tone. 

Jasmin Jimenez, right, plays Sasia and holds a freshly severed head while Isaiah Moore looks on in fear as Caliban during a dress rehearsal for LBCC’s production of “Rough Magic” on Tuesday at the Bob and Barbara Ellis Auditorium. (Jacyn King)

The comedic twist is demonstrated throughout the show keeping the audience laughing and fully engaged, with characters like Chet whos witty commentary provides that fantasy can be both clever and fun. 

Actress Nancy Tran playing Melanie Porter, and Isaiah Moore playing Caliban, argue during a dress rehearsal for LBCC’s production of the play “Rough Magic” on Tuesday at the Bob and Barbara Ellis Auditorium. (Asa Liberty)

Even as the story builds to a tragic moment, the ending ultimately brings relief and hope—especially for the people of New York, who live to see another day thanks to this unlikely band of young warriors.

This show is vibrant, funny, heartfelt, and filled with theatrical imagination. 

Actor Nancy Tran, playing Melanie Porter, and actor Marissa Kaspar, playing Linda Summers, fight over a magic book during a dress rehearsal for LBCC’s production of the play “Rough Magic”on Tuesday at the Bob and Barbara Ellis Auditorium. (Asa Liberty)

The show will continue this weekend, having showtimes on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and at 7:30 p.m., and on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. 

All performances will be held at the Bob and Barbara Ellis Auditorium in the J-Building on the LAC Campus. 

Tickets can be purchased at this link, or before each show in the box office at the auditorium.

Tickets for students, staff, seniors and children (under 12) are $10, while general admission is $15, and students who show their student ID with an ASB sticker in person can get a ticket for free.  

 LBCC men’s soccer achieves 2-1 victory over Irvine Valley 

Liam Hollon
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 LBCC men’s soccer achieves 2-1 victory over Irvine Valley 

A goal from outside of the penalty box late in the second half from forward Cesar Garcia Solorzano brought the Vikings to their 2-1 victory over Irvine Valley College in the First round of the Southern California Regionals tournament. 

After a goal in the first minute of the match for Irvine, questions began to rise on how prepared was this LBCC team.

“They scored in the first eight seconds of the match, so the boys were still a little loose,” LBCC Head coach Jorge Reyes said. 

The Vikings did not let the goal affect the way they would play this game and quickly returned to their normal form. 

“We were in the cold, we weren’t ready, but we bounced back and we finished the match well,” LBCC goalkeeper Fabio Ardizzoia said.

Playing from behind has been commonplace this season, but the team has found ways to win despite this. 

“As soon as that goal came, we just forgot about it instantly. We kept possession for a majority of the first half and we were just dominating the rest of the game,” Solorzano said.

A goal late in the first half from forward Asael Sales tied the game, making the score at half 1-1.

“It’s gotta be the theme of the season right? We go down and we’ve kind of allowed that to change our momentum, but we are better now,” Reyes said.

The Vikings continued their momentum into the second half, where they scored their second goal of the match, which proved to be the deciding moment of the match. 

“We just gotta be locked in from the beginning. The group knows that they’re a good team and we can win against anybody,” Reyes said. 

Their next match against top seeded Santa Monica will be the toughest test the team has faced this season. 

“It’s a big game. There’s pressure, so we gotta be smart and think a little more defensively,” Solorzano said. 

Their next match against Santa Monica will be on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. with the winner moving on to the third round of the tournament. 

Basic Needs offers free food to fill Thanksgiving plates

Ryenne Jolliff
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Basic Needs offers free food to fill Thanksgiving plates

Long Beach City College’s Basic Needs Program will be offering students multiple opportunities to get free food on campus in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. 

The first of these events is a drive-thru giveaway at Veterans Memorial Stadium, where students can receive free food with no ID or eligibility required. 

The giveaway will be held on Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

“We’re bringing about 4,000 kits to the distribution,” said Victoria Lasavath, marketing and communications manager for L.A. Regional Food Bank, who is partnering with LBCC for the giveaway. 

According to Lasavath, each kit will contain 50 to 70 pounds of food per household, and will include items like pasta, rice, cereal and fresh seasonal vegetables. 

Lasavath said she is expecting a substantial turnout for this event. 

“With Thanksgiving coming up, food is going to be top of mind. That’s not accounting for other issues facing our community, like the ripple effect of the government shutdown and high levels of food and nutrition insecurity,” Lasavath said.

Lasavath hopes the event will encourage anyone who may need these crucial resources to seek help. 

“I think that all of us involved really just want to ensure that our neighbors dealing with food and nutrition insecurities know that they’re not alone and that they are supported. There can be a lot of negative emotions surrounding food assistance, so we just want to let everyone know that we are here to help them,” Lasavath said. 

The Gobble and Give: Thanksgiving Feast Giveaway will be held on Monday at LAC, in front of the B Building, from 12 p.m. until supplies last.

200 premade kits with Thanksgiving essentials like turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and mac and cheese will be given to LBCC students who bring physical ID cards.

On Tuesday, students can stop by LAC A Quad for Full Plates, Full Hearts: Food Distribution, from 12 p.m. until supplies last to receive rice, beans, pasta and more.

“Students can come outside and see not only the Basic Needs booth, but a bunch of our community partners for mental health or cell phones or housing discussions. And we’ll be giving away a bunch of free produce as well, like we usually do for the Viking Village Market, too,” said Christian Davis, a Basic Needs assistant.

The final on-campus food distribution before Thanksgiving is the Viking Village Market will be held on Wednesday at the LAC A Quad, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Basic Needs Program will partner with CalFresh for the event. 

Despite the government shutdown ending on Nov. 12, Davis said students are still struggling in the aftermath of the event. 

“There hasn’t been a single student saying that their life is back on track since the shutdown. The only thing that’s really changed is that air traffic controllers are back on the job,” Davis said. 

Although the recent SNAP benefits cut has affected many students, the Basic Needs Program has been making efforts to help reduce food insecurity among students.

“Even though students did inevitably start getting their funds throughout the month, it’s something that we were kind of anticipating. We were already going to have this event, regardless of the cut. And with the cut that happened, we just made sure that not only did we increase the amount of people we were giving to. We made sure that we (were) including more items in these bags as well,” Davis said.

Justin Mendez, director of the Basic Needs and CASA Grant programs said providing students with food resources helps to make their educational experience easier. 

“It’s all about reducing the financial burden for our students. Anything we can do to allow students to focus more on their studies and reduce financial stress,” Mendez said.

Vikings suffers tough defeat in penalty kicks to El Camino 3-2.

Heaven Herrera
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Vikings suffers tough defeat in penalty kicks to El Camino 3-2.

LBCC men’s soccer suffered a tough loss after goalie Fabio Ardizzoia let in two goals that sent the game into a penalty kick shootout which ended 3-2 against El Camino on  Nov. 13. 

The Vikings’ momentum was through the roof at the beginning of the match, with steal after steal. 

“I feel like we’re the best team in the state and at the end of it, it just comes down who’s going to work harder for it,” LBCC defensive player Andrew Zevallos said.

After a tough loss with some bad coaching decisions at the end the Vikings stayed ready for their first regional game on Wednesday.

“We had some pretty bad coaching decisions last minute but throughout the whole game our key concept was being defensive and just dominating the game by possession or by shots,” LBCC head coach Jorge Reyes said.

LBCC was tied up before Zevallos scored making the game 2-1.

LBCC’s midfielder Julian Zarate battles it out with El Camino’s defense in the third-place SCC Championship game. The game was tied at two, but the Vikings lost in a penalty kick shootout on Nov. 13 at LBCC KLAC Soccer Complex. (Heaven Herrera)

“Going into state we just need to work on goals and defense as well, even putting the teams away and being a bit more aggressive when it comes to taking the ball back,” LBCC defensive player Roberto Orozco said.

El Camino ended up answering back with 10 minutes left in the second half 2-2.

“I’m very optimistic with this group considering we’re clicking on all cylinders and our guys are getting healthy as well as just being able to create so many opportunities but we’re gonna need to really capitalize them in this upcoming state game,” Reyes said.

After the last 10 minutes neither team could score, the game ended up going into overtime which resulted in a penalty kick shootout where the Vikings lost 3-2.

“During the game I feel like I was able to move the ball effectively but not just myself but my teammates were able to open up and get out there as well,” Zevallos said

LBCC ended up losing the third place SCC championship game but will play in round two of regionals on Saturday at 2 p.m. against Santa Monica.

Resume workshop guides students to present their best selves

Hailey Hildreth
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Resume workshop guides students to present their best selves

 Students strengthened their resume making skills on Nov. 5 during a workshop designed to help them craft resumes that hook employers and navigate through modern hiring practices such as AI.

Student Angelica Sanchez expressed strong opinions when she was asked about AI being used to scan resumes.

“I don’t like it, period. They’re trying to be us, and you can’t be us. We’re human, we’re genuine, not computerized,” Sanchez said. 

The workshop began with an interactive discussion to engage students led by the Career Center’s Advisor Jorge Rios about the essentials of resume building, from formatting and keyword alignment to emphasizing personal professional achievements. 

Advisors encouraged students to think critically about how to tailor their resumes strategically for specific positions and industries.

“Our goal is to make students feel confident while creating their resumes,” Rios said.

Students had the opportunity to ask questions, share their drafts of the resumes and receive feedback from the advisor. Many said the workshop helped them understand what employers are looking for in today’s job market.

Latoya Johnson, an early childhood education major, said the workshop gave her an opportunity to make important updates to her resume.

“I wanted to be able to correct my resume, I had some things I wanted to add and wanted to make sure the format was correct.” Johnson said.

Johnson also shared that the hardest part of writing her resume was deciding what to list as her skills. 

“When I look at my resume now, I realize there are skills I learned from my previous jobs that aren’t listed. That’s another reason why I came.” Johnson said.

Another student, Enrique Gutierrez, said he attended the workshop while transitioning between fields and wanted to refine his resume to reflect his academic and professional goals.

“In undergrad, I studied political science and have been working in marketing, now my declared major is math because I’m considering data science or business school in the future.” Gutierrez said.

Rios wrapped up the workshop by emphasizing key strategies for creating effective resumes.

“Knowing what’s on your resume is very important, sometimes students get lost using AI such as ChatGPT and don’t accurately reflect what they actually did,” Rios said.

The workshop allowed Rios to highlight the importance of students being themselves and engaging with professionals for help.

“Meeting with professionals and getting feedback is a great way to ensure your resume represents the real you,” Rios said.

Beyond workshops, the Career Center is open Monday through Friday on both LAC and TCC, with scheduled appointments being recommended. 

LBCC students attend the Career Center’s Resume Creation Workshop in LAC’s L255 computer lab on Nov. 5. (Hailey Hildreth).

Shakespeare characters experience New York City in upcoming play “Rough Magic” 

Matthew C. Bautista
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Shakespeare characters experience New York City in upcoming play “Rough Magic” 

The theatre department’s final fall semester production, premiering Thursday at 7:30 p.m., will be a rendition of  “Rough Magic,” imagining Shakespearean characters on a magical quest of self-discovery in an early 2000s New York.

Many members of the cast and crew from LBCC’s previous play “Inherit the Wind” return in this production, with the same levels of passion being carried on to this play. 

“Rough Magic” is a show about the world of Shakespearean literature bleeding into 2003 New York City, with characters from both places crossing paths with each other.

The main cast is a ragtag trio of Melanie, a magician who hates her powers, Chet, a 17-year-old lifeguard, and Caliban from “The Tempest”, the son of a mad sorcerer, as they embark on a quest to defeat Caliban’s evil father, Prospero.

Jaylen Ferrera speaks on stage as Prospero on Tuesday during a dress rehearsal for LBCC’s production of “Rough Magic” at the Bob and Barbara Ellis Auditorium. (Jacyn King)

When asked about some of what makes this particular production special, Director Eric Lauritzen pointed out that sound-making props on stage will be used as alternative ways to create live sound effects by the cast and crew. 

“We have live foley on stage, I think they’re gonna love it,” Lauritzen said.

Noting that these additional pieces on set may lead to minor errors in execution, Lauritzen added that “the actors are encouraged to go with the flow at times,” and that the cast is encouraged to interact with the crowd.

The audience are almost part of the set, with seats being on each corner of the stage, meaning that the actors have to face the audiences surrounding them.

The previous production “Inherit the Wind” drew parallels with current events, but this production is more whimsical in nature.

Fidelle Martinez acts as Tisiphone and wields a sword during a showdown with Prospero and his twin children during a dress rehearsal for LBCC’s production of “Rough Magic” on Tuesday at the Bob and Barbara Ellis Auditorium. (Jacyn King)

Jaylen Ferrera, left, and Jasmin Jimenez speak as Prospero and his daughter Sasia respectively during a dress rehearsal for LBCC’s production of the play “Rough Magic” on Tuesday at the Bob and Barbara Ellis Auditorium. (Jacyn King)

“Theatre is where the veil is still the thinnest, and sometimes, you just wanna bring people joy,” Lauritzen said.

Nancy Tran, left, fights Marissa Kaspar acting as Melanie Porter and Linda Summers respectively over a magical book during a dress rehearsal for LBCC’s production of the play “Rough Magic” on Tuesday at the Bob and Barbara Ellis Auditorium. (Jacyn King)

Jashon Robertson was a member of the cast from the previous production, who took another approach to tackling this show by taking the role of stage manager and leading the crew.

After hearing so many of his previous stage managers complain about how taxing or difficult the job would be, Jashon decided to undertake the task for himself, saying, “It’s hard? Lemme see if I can do it.”

As the stage manager, all the moving pieces fall under his jurisdiction, and while he says that it wasn’t nearly as hard as all his prior compatriots made it out to be, there were still hurdles he had to overcome.

“You gotta be real professional, because everyone’s counting on you. One mistake, and it’s over,” Robertson said.

Celvin Reyes, who played a minor character in the last production, also upped his responsibilities, as he is now playing Chet of the production’s main trio. 

“I went from stealing pennies with my monkey to being a lifeguard, so life’s been going great,” said Reyes. 

A closeness within the cast could be felt all throughout the production. 

After the dress rehearsal, the cast and crew were all in high spirits, and the director had high praises for his team, excited for the full premiere.

The show runs from Thursday to Sunday, with there being a 7:30 p.m. performance on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Additionally, on Saturday and Sunday there will be a showing at 2:00 p.m.

Each performance will be held at the Bob and Barbara Ellis Auditorium located in the J-Building at LAC, and tickets can be purchased at this link, or before each show in the box office at the auditorium. 

Tickets for students, staff, seniors and children (under 12) are $10, while general admission is $15, but students who show their student ID with an ASB sticker in person can get a ticket for free.

The audience should know that because the seats are on the auditorium stage, the regular auditorium seats won’t be used, so there are only about 85 seats available per night. 

Lauritzen, advised for people to buy their tickets online to reserve their spot, mentioning that opening nights are typically a play’s most packed days, and Friday the least, which he believes is due to their being no campus life on Fridays. 

Flight festival features historical plane and skydiving

Diosa Hippolyta
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Flight festival features historical plane and skydiving

A World War II era plane and champion wingsuiters soared over aerospace and aviation fans at the Festival of Flight at the Long Beach Airport on Oct. 25. 

Historical aircraft fans lined up early in the morning to see and tour the inside of the specialized troop transport plane C-53 N45366, named D-Day Doll, that was built in 1943. 

The CAF Wing Leader, Steve Rose, brought the famous C-53 D-Day Doll to the event as he travels to events to educate the fans about the history and mechanics of this plane.

“Her first combat mission was D-Day during WWII, where she towed gliders carrying supplies, replacement troops, medical equipment, or anything they needed,” said Rose.

Wingsuiting and skydiving were other attractions on the airfield, with divers jumping out of planes and over the fans of all ages watching as they glided in for a smooth landing.

U.S. Wingsuit Performance pilot Amelia Dunaway impressed the crowd by making a smooth landing in her wingsuit, saying that ”flying is the most beautiful thing in the world.” 

Dunaway inspired many, like 2-year-old Charlotte Ruppert who became an instant skydiving and wingsuit fan, begging her dad to meet Amelia after watching her land from the sky.

Two-year-old Charlotte Ruppert high-fives Amelia Dunaway, a 2024 FAI World Champion, after watching Dunaway land while wingsuiting at Long Beach Airport on Oct. 25. Wingsuit Performance is a male-dominated sport, and only two women competed in the 2024 FAI World Champion, with Dunaway wanting to bring exposure to wingsuit flying, and other types of flying like skydiving. (Diosa Hippolyta)

There were only two females who competed in the fifth FAI World Cup of Wingsuit Flying, with Dunaway’s performance earning her a gold in the women’s category and allowing the U.S. team to win silver overall. 

The sport of wingsuit flying remains male-dominated, although there have been efforts to increase female participation.

Pilot Anne Helliwell prepares to land after skydiving at The Festival of Flight 2025 at The Long Beach Airport on Oct. 25.The event provided the opportunity for attendees to experience live jumping by professional divers. (Diosa Hippolyta)

“I am excited to learn today, just how to see my child get inspired about skydiving,” Allison Rupper, Charlotte’s mother, said.

Local aviation job opportunities, live music, activities for kids, and food trucks were also available at this free event for the community. 

Students from all ages visited with ideas for employment opportunities in the aerospace and aviation industry.

“I thought it was really fun seeing all the different types of aircraft, meeting the people working in the industry, and the number of available flight schools,” said Colin Bernaards, a current CSULB Aerospace Engineering student who was exploring employment opportunities with his brother, Tom Bernaards, a USC chemistry student.

The Pilot Shop was a local business in attendance and offered a wide range of aviation supplies and educational materials for developing pilots and enthusiasts.

Dayne Mossel, right, shops with his son Ayden Mossel at The Pilot Shop booth during the Festival of Flight at the Long Beach Airport on Oct. 25. Local Long Beach businesses participated at the annual aviation festival. (Diosa Hippolyta)

“Long Beach Airport’s Festival of Flight is over ten decades old now, and is designed for the airport to connect with the community, getting children inspired about aviation, spending the day on an airfield which is usually not possible,” Long Beach Airport’s Acting Public Relations Officer Lindsey Phillips said. 

Vikings record drop to 1-3 after a 85-69 loss to Riverside

Alex Pina
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Vikings record drop to 1-3 after a 85-69 loss to Riverside

Point guard Lawrence Brown had 32 points, two rebounds and two steals in a 85-69 loss to Riverside City College on Friday. 

The first half of the game was competitive with both teams scoring, however Riverside was shooting the ball more efficiently hitting their three point shots. 

The Vikings were able to draw fouls and score while driving to the basket, but when it came to shooting outside the perimeter of the court they struggled. 

The Vikings hit 25% of their three-pointers while Riverside was at 44%.

Redbounds were also a problem for the Vikings, they weren’t able to execute offensive and defensive rebounds, Riverside out rebounded them 53-39. 

At the half, the Vikings were trailing Riverside 33-24. 

Vikings point guard Lawrence Brown talked about  how his coaches told him to have more intensity and energy and the importance of relying on each other, continuing to help each other develop since they are a young team. 

LBCC Viking Kamron Fontenot, wing, attempts a free throw with 5:10 minutes remaining in the first quarter at Riverside City College in the Wheelock Gymnasium. The Vikings lost to Riverside 85-69 on Friday. (Alex Pina)

“I was in a slump the past three games so just doing my best to get out of it. My team needs me to do everything on every end. The assistant coach, coach Shawn and coach Barry talked to me and said I gotta pick up my intensity and energy. I just tried to do that all throughout the week in practice, paid off for me in this game so gotta keep it up going forward. It’s extremely important with the chemistry and everything, a lot of new players coming in out of high school , its very important to build, the team been doing a great job, everyone listens really well. Everyone has  great chemistry and comradery so it’s great all the young guys they listen and are receptive,” Brown said. 

Wing Kamron Fontenot, who also had an impactful night scoring 10 points, eight rebounds and three steals to be the second leading scorer for the Vikings. 

“I think that I started the game out well, but took myself out of the game by allowing the defense to take three charges on me while trying to score. I started to play more passively. Knowing that we have things like film  and practice to fix things that we did poorly is always a motivation after any loss. It’s early in the season and I would rather go through these tough losses then later,” Fontenot said.

In the second half the Vikings couldn’t contain Riverside, at one point the Vikings were down 77-62 but Riverside continued to extend their lead making multiple three pointers. 

Brown started to take off in the second half by attacking the basket and passing by defenders  but his jump shots were falling. 

The comeback wasn’t successful as Riverside dribbled out the remaining seconds of the clock and the Vikings fell to Riverside 85-69 dropping them to 1-3 on the season.  

Vikings point guard Lawrence Brown attempts a bounce pass while being guarded by Riverside guard Christian Warren at Riverside City College in Wheelock Gymnasium. The Vikings fell to Riverside 85-69 on Friday.(Alex Pina)

“We didn’t shoot the ball well, we didn’t  really come to play, this was a perfect game for us to do something and win, and we laid an egg honestly. This is one of the most disappointing losses,” Barnes said. 

The Vikings will be looking to bounce back as will be playing at home against College of Canyons on Today at  5 p.m.

LBCC students should avoid using AI-operated mental health apps during finals

Ryenne Jolliff
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Long Beach City College students should avoid using AI-operated mobile apps to address their mental health concerns, and seek out more reliable alternatives. 

With finals and the holiday season quickly approaching, students will be searching for fast and inexpensive ways of dealing with stress, anxiety and other mental health obstacles. 

Mental health apps like Woebot, Youper, Replika, and thousands on the market seem tailor-made to fit a busy college student’s schedule.

However, students need to be aware of the potential risks that come with using these programs. 

The biggest concern students need to know is that these apps use AI chat bots to communicate with users, not actual people. 

Seeking help and reassurance from a machine, rather than an actual human, can actually lead to more negative consequences.

A recent study from Stanford University found that AI chat bots meant to address mental health concerns showed increased stigma towards conditions such as schizophrenia and alcohol dependence, which can discourage users from seeking further help. 

The same study also found that the chat bots failed to recognize phrases that could indicate suicidal intent.  

Aside from lacking crucial deescalation skills, multiple studies have shown that AI-based mental health apps are not viable substitutes for trained mental health professionals. 

According to Stephanie Collier, a psychiatry instructor at Harvard Medical School, speaking with a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist ensures correct diagnoses, personal relationships, and individualized treatment plans, which a mobile app simply cannot guarantee.

While there is an abundance of evidence showing the downsides of mental health apps, students should not be discouraged from looking for other services. 

LBCC offers in-person mental health counseling on both campuses that do not require insurance. 

Appointments are available Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Fridays from 8 a.m. to noon. 

Students also have free 24/7 access to TimelyCare, a website dedicated to providing mental health services for college students. 

TimelyCare offers on-demand support for anxiety, depression, stress, and other mental health issues that impact students.

Students also have the option to schedule up to six free counseling appointments through the site. 

Apps like Calm and BetterHelp are backed by licensed therapists, and offer credible techniques for dealing with anxiety and depression. 

Talking to a trusted friend, family member, professor, or loved one can also help students navigate stress and other mental health challenges.

With plenty of options available for students to discuss their feelings during the busiest time of the year, it is important to recognize that AI-based mental health apps are doing more harm than good. 

Women’s water polo team clinches 15-14 win against Concordia University

Jose Calix
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Women’s water polo team clinches 15-14 win against Concordia University

LBCC’s Jennifer Connelley scored a goal in the last minute to win 15-14 against Concordia University in a friendly tournament on Nov. 1.

The team played against Concordia University, a division two school to prepare for the SCC play-offs on Nov. 7.

The Vikings started the game at full force gaining an advantage of 8-2 by the end of the second quarter. 

Concordia University reacted promptly to LBCC’s offense and were able to turn the momentum around in the third quarter scoring seven goals.

“I think anytime you are in a game where you’re up eight goals and the other team comes back and ties it,that the momentum is in other team hands and for us to be able to get the momentum back and get the stops when we needed to at the end was a big sign of maturity,” Head Coach Chris Oeding said.

LBCC’s attacker Jennifer Connelly had the biggest goal tally of the game with four goals added to her stats sheet.

“We all trust each other and we do a really good job of setting each other up for shots, and that’s how I got all my goals thanks to my teammates,” LBCC’s Jennifer Connelly said.

LBCC’s attackers Amy Fritz and Irene Pueyo Caballero had notable performances with both players scoring two goals and four assists.

“This game gave us a real gut check, and it showed that we have to work hard as a team and work very hard in order to win games,” Fritz said.

The Vikings qualified with a perfect record to the SCC play-off, only losing one non-conference game throughout the season.

“Over half of our team it’s in their first years for them to be able to come here and have this success they have had so far is great,” Oeding said.

The Vikings will play their next match on Thursday at Merced College for the first round of the 3C2A State Championship Tournament at 3:30 p.m. against Diablo Valley College.

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