My Top Three September Artists

     Music has been a part of my life ever since I was a kid. Growing up with classics in regional music like Los Tucanes and Vicente Fernandez, and rap and hip-hop like 2Pac and the West Coast Movement, it’s always been a part of me. I personally use Apple Music, and they have a Replay section for your top music and artists of the month. The following are my top three artists of September 2024, and I will also be giving a description of the artists, along with some of their best hits and albums. Hope you enjoy.

The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and record producer born on February 16, 1990, in Toronto, Ontario. His music style, which blends contemporary and alternative R&B with pop and electronic elements, is just beautiful. Gaining recognition from his mixtape “House of Balloons,” he quickly built a fan base with his mysterious persona and the quality of his music. If you know the incredible story of The Weeknd and his rise to fame, you understand what this and his trilogy meant to him. My favorite album is “After Hours.” I just love the dark and eerie tone it gives, from “Faith” to “Until I Bleed Out”—they are great. All his albums are one of a kind, from horror elements to more sad and depressing states; he has something for everyone. If you can, go and listen to his albums—they are a work of art I cant leave all of em out. 

    

    Future, born Nayvadius DeMun Wilburn on November 20, 1983, in Atlanta, Georgia, is a highly influential American rapper, singer, and pioneer of the new trap sound and wave. His early career started with the musical collective Dungeon Family, where he was nicknamed “The Future.” If it wasn’t for Rico Wade, we would have never had Future. From his story of trapping to club bangers and now being a top artist, Future has done it all. Yet, the pivotal point for Future and the one we know now started with “Monster.” Here, we hear a totally different Future. From first gaining attention with “Tony Montana,” this Future in the album “Monster” was a new artist, and you can tell with the song “Codeine Crazy.” Future is considered a pioneer of the modern trap sound, particularly for his use of Auto-Tune and melodic rap. Personal favorite albums include “Monster,” “DS2 (Deluxe),” “Hndrxx,” “Mixtape Pluto,” and all of the collaborative projects with Metro. This is a hard one for me since I can’t pick just a few songs that I love, as there are a lot of them, but those albums mentioned are the best from Future.

    

    Travis Scott, born Jacques Bermon Webster II on April 30, 1991, in Houston, Texas, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. When thinking of Travis, we already know his high-energy performances and genre-blending music. My favorite work from Travis has to be “Days Before Rodeo,” which is now on streaming platforms. Here, we hear a raw Travis with trap-like instrumentals from Metro and features like Young Thug and the Migos back when they were coming up. For me, “Days Before Rodeo” is the best album from Travis, but we also have other cult classics like “Rodeo” with a great lineup. Yet, I would encourage you to listen to his whole discography of songs. Like Future, I can’t pick just a few songs that I love, but instead, the albums are perfect with trap instrumentals and high intensity.

   

    Honorable mention: If interested, check out Metro Boomin and his albums, maybe except for “Perfect Timing” and “Double or Nothing,” but the rest are a work of art. Also, all of 21 Savage’s discography is worth exploring.

Update: I can’t believe I forgot to include Dot in my honorable mentions. His entire body of work is beautiful, and his storytelling is incredibly powerful—he's one of the best rappers to ever do it, alongside 2Pac. If you haven't heard his work, I highly suggest you do, even over the previously mentioned artists and albums. It’s that good, and I’m sure you’ll love it. If I had to choose two albums, they would be good kid, m.A.A.d city (Deluxe Version) and To Pimp a Butterfly. For good kid, m.A.A.d city, my top songs are "Backseat Freestyle," "Money Trees," "Good Kid," "m.A.A.d city," "Swimming Pools," "Sing About Me," "Now or Never," and "Collect Calls." As for To Pimp a Butterfly, all the tracks are works of art—I can't even pick a favorite. Listen for yourself, trust me, it’s a top album, even over the others I’ve mentioned. But that’s just my opinion. Just listen to his whole discography.

Pumpkin Fest Fun

One of my favorite things to do in October is visit a pumpkin patch. This year, I attended the 31st Annual Pumpkin Fest at Cal Poly Pomona with my boyfriend. Their website suggests buying tickets beforehand to ensure the best price, and tickets at the entrance are limited. We purchased the Adult Bundle for $26.75 each, as it includes the activity wristband. The wristband gave us unlimited access to corn mazes, a petting farm, a sunflower maze, a cow train, a hay wagon ride, and Pumpkin Land.

Since the event ends at 7 p.m., we decided to get there around four in the afternoon. It was the perfect time, giving us enough time to do many activities. The pumpkin festivities began after we scanned our tickets and received our wristbands. 

The first section featured booths for small businesses. They sold potted plants, handmade crafts, and customized mugs. The next section of the festival had food vendors who offered a variety of delicious foods. The options ranged from barbeque to tacos, pizza, wings, funnel cakes, kettle corn, and snow cones. I enjoyed a plate of loaded carne asada fries and cold lemonade. 

Of all the activities, the petting farm was my favorite. We got to pet calves, sheep, and goats. The animals were friendly and looked happy to be fed by so many people. After the petting farm, we completed one of the corn mazes and received a pin at the exit. 

With about an hour left at night, we decided to head to Pumpkin Land. This area included a large field with all of the pumpkins. There was plenty to choose from, and we spent nearly an hour looking. I’m indecisive, and I would pick a pumpkin before setting it down after finding a better one. We eventually found three pumpkins we liked and headed towards the exit to pay. The price depends on the size of the pumpkin, and we were charged for three jumbo-sized pumpkins. 

If you’re looking for a pumpkin patch to attend this fall, I highly recommend the Pumpkin Fest at Cal Poly Pomona. There are many things to do and cute seasonal photo opportunities. It was a fun date night idea that would be equally as fun with family or a group of friends. The Pumpkin Fest is open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays until October 27.

Old Traditions Being Celebrated

Every summer growing up, my family would take an annual trip to Mexico to visit family. I remember never wanting to leave the company of my cousins and enjoy the sense of community Mexico projected. As we grew older, less of the family reunited. My siblings grew older and started creating their own families. Schedules wouldn’t align and we could never all meet in the middle to continue our tradition. However, this month, things changed but everything felt all the same. 

I say this because my closest cousin’s wedding took place in Mexico. This special event is what brought us all together and continued that tradition with new members of our family! Seeing all my siblings gathered in Mexico felt euphoric as we reminisced on fond memories we had created in such a beautiful country. 

The wedding itself was beautiful and was the perfect event to create even more memories with my entire family. It’s something about seeing everyone in the same place and enjoying each other’s company. As a very nostalgic individual, hearing everyone’s laughter and seeing them all dance definitely brought tears to my eyes. It had been years since the entire family was able to reunite and the cherry on top was that it happened in Mexico. Overall this was a very fun weekend and I feel very blessed to have been able to finally continue our tradition.

How to create meals on a budget

As a college student it can be hard to stay on a budget with so many convenient options all around us that tempt us daily. Besides being a student, we also have other roles to fulfil, which means time can simply run out because we are constantly busy. We all know that cooking and all that it requires is time-consuming and time flies before our eyes if we don't plan. Even though we may have fast paced lifestyles, there is a way to save money, especially in this economy. Here are some tips on how to produce meals while saving money that have helped me. I now look forward to the weekend, knowing that I can go out with a friend or family to a nice restaurant that is well deserved. This also is a great way to save money, eat healthier food, and reduce food waste. You'll also learn what you do and don't love eating or cooking with. One last tip is to not grocery shop while hungry. This will tempt you to buy everything causing unnecessary costs and a waste of food.

Meal prep: Make meals over the weekend for your upcoming busy week.  
Cook in bulk: Cook a batch of your favorite food and store it in the freezer for future use.  

Use what you have on hand: Instead of trying to make new recipes, use what you have already and be creative. 

Be vigilant of sales: Look for items that have great deals. 

Make simple traditional recipes: Sandwiches, pastas, canned food are all a few examples of pantry staples. 

CSUF Football: Is It Possible?

For many colleges across the U.S., football is a staple program that draws students in and helps the school profit. With football being the most popular sport in America, it's no surprise that various programs can bring in hundreds of millions of dollars. California State University, Fullerton, the largest school in the Cal State system with more than 43,000 students, might seem poised for a thriving student section and packed stands, right?

The harsh reality is that social life and school spirit are low. CSUF is predominantly a commuter campus, with many students driving to class and heading straight home afterward. Even with a historic baseball program, a growing basketball program, and a successful soccer program, something is missing that could unite the student body: a football team.

CSUF had a football team from 1970 to 1992, but the program was shut down due to financial issues. It’s no secret that running a football program isn’t cheap. Schools in the Southeastern Conference, for example, spend an average of $34 million per year on their teams. So, how could CSUF afford a football program?

If CSUF were to revive its football program, it would likely join the Mountain West Conference, where teams spend an average of $11 million annually. While the university wouldn’t be making $11 million from football in the first year, it’s possible to build the program.

Many powerhouse schools, such as Alabama, Georgia, and Texas, often pay smaller programs to play them early in the season. It’s a fair trade—the smaller schools make about three times what they would from a normal home game, and the larger schools get an easy win. For example, Ohio State paid $4.05 million to play Akron, Western Michigan, and Marshall to play them at their home stadium. While Ohio State easily defeated them, the smaller school benefited financially, helping to fund their program.

This is exactly what CSUF could do. Starting the season by playing high-profile schools would bring in cash and give CSUF national exposure. If anything could boost school spirit, it’s playing a team like Alabama.

As we move forward from COVID-19, it's important for CSUF to leverage its athletics before school spirit fades entirely. If things continue as they are, social life and school pride could dwindle, but there’s still a chance to revive them.

Balancing Work, Friendships, and Self-Care as a College Student

 As a college student, it can take time to prioritize your personal life and interests while keeping your academics at the top of your to-do list. Being a full-time student with two jobs has taught me how to balance excelling academically and having fun outside of a school setting. This importance of a healthy balance is something I often neglected as I devoted most of my time to school. However, after making changes in my life to incorporate things I enjoyed, I enhanced my way of living. Here are three tips to find balance in your life to adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

The first tip would be to establish your priorities, whether that be school, work, or personal relationships, identifying what is important to you will allow you to navigate your time properly. Trying to balance everything going on in your life isn’t easy, therefore taking a moment to sit back and reflect on the elements in your life that are of most importance is necessary. 

Once you identify your priorities, it is important to create a plan with a time management angle to help you distribute your time accordingly. Before creating a plan of my own, I would often dedicate my time solely to school-affiliated responsibilities, leaving little time for personal hobbies and relationships. Becoming exhausted with my routine, I set up a “rule” for myself to only spend a certain amount of time at school. With the exception of deadlines and study time, I set boundaries to leave spare time for my other priorities. Making sure I was still on top of my academics, I ensured to give myself the opportunity to tap into new hobbies and strengthen relationships.

My last tip is to give yourself grace. Being a college student isn’t easy. Learning to navigate the world as young adults is a job of its own. Therefore, take time aside for yourself to relax and recharge!  

A Fun Bonding Experience With My Sister

 Growing up, I was always a huge fan of WWE. As a kid, I could never attend any shows because there just wasn’t enough money for my brother and me to go. Last year, we finally attended two shows for the first time and had an amazing time. Last week, I took my younger sister, Sophia, who has recently gained interest in WWE, to her first show.

I heard that WWE Monday Night Raw was going to be in Ontario, California—about an hour from where we live—and thought this would be the perfect birthday gift for her. Sophia tends to pick up interests from my brother and me, whether it’s basketball, soccer or football. She began watching WWE with me in April while I was watching WrestleMania and has been hooked ever since. When I let her know I would be taking her to a show, she screamed in excitement.

Seeing her eyes light up throughout the entire show was special for me, as it was something I never experienced at her age. I made sure to enhance the experience by purchasing her a T-shirt and a hat of her favorite wrestler, Jey Uso, along with a kids' toy championship.

A week prior, it was announced that the main event would feature Jey Uso challenging for the Intercontinental Championship. Sophia and I were thrilled, hoping she would get to see him win his first singles championship. When it was time for the match, she jumped for joy as he entered the arena, cheering him on the entire time. After nearly 30 minutes, Jey Uso pulled off the win, achieving his dream while Sophia completed one of hers.

During the ride home, she kept saying, “I told you he was going to win!” This experience was amazing for me as well because, growing up, I didn’t have many friends who enjoyed watching WWE, and my brother lost interest as he got older. Being able to share one of my longest hobbies with Sophia meant the world to me. I look forward to sharing more fun experiences with her in the future.