Community
The Berkeley Space Project and Government Funding
CommunityWith research projects such as the Berkeley Space Project serving as vital drivers of innovation and discovery, the new Trump administration’s budget cuts threaten to limit these ambitions, potentially imposing serious consequences on our…
Seeing Green: The Matcha Craze Brewing in Berkeley
CommunityDigital fame made ceremonial matcha a massive market item, but before you rush to buy your next fix, remember that this boom isn't built to last.
Progress or Preservation? UC Berkeley’s People’s Park Faces a New Chapter
CommunityAs UC Berkeley redevelops People’s Park into student housing, conflicts arise between addressing Berkeley’s housing crisis while preserving its history of activism and free speech.
Berkeley’s Boba Bubble and the Surplus of Drink Spots
CommunityThe more matcha and boba shops open, the more each one struggles to survive. This oversaturation reflects more than just student demand, but a deeper set of economic, cultural, and aesthetic forces reshaping consumption habits and business…
The Sweetest Strategy: Girl Scouts 101
CommunityThe Girl Scouts, through innovations like the Digital Cookie app, drive-through booths, and diversity initiatives, have weathered pandemic disruptions and social controversies to remain a leading organization that empowers young women…
Reviving the California Dream, Rethinking the Lone Star: How SF Real Estate is Coming Back while Austin Cools
CommunityAs a new mayor takes over and the AI industry booms, many businesses that were relocating their offices out of San Francisco to the South are once again finding the Bay Area a place of opportunity. The result is a slow re-emergence of the…
Gentrification in Berkeley & Oakland: What It Means for Small Businesses and Communities
CommunityIn recent years, gentrification in the Bay Area has surged, leading to the closure of many small, locally owned businesses. As wealthier residents move in, these once-thriving businesses struggle to keep up with rising costs and shifting…
The Online Education Boom: How Shifts Towards Online College Classes Fuel the Isolation Epidemic
CommunityShifts towards online education, despite potentially reducing university costs, have begun to have an adverse effect on academic outcomes, and have led to an increase in the isolation of college students.
LA Wildfires: The Toll on Berkeley
CommunityThe devastating LA wildfires serve as a grim warning for Berkeley and the rest of California. Rising insurance costs, housing instability, and widening economic inequalities are not just problems for LA – they impact communities statewide.
The Price of Austerity: UC Berkeley Threatened by Impending Research Budget Cuts
CommunityProposed NIH budget cuts by the Trump Administration could have devastating effects on not only UC Berkeley’s campus, but on the greater Bay Area economy and the local Berkeley community.
The Heartbeat of Berkeley: Exploring the Social and Economic Impact of Cultural Centers
CommunityExplore the vibrant scene of Berkeley's various cultural centers which have a significant social, cultural, and economic impact on the city! Learn about the various ways these cultural nonprofits are managing financial challenges and how…
Letter From the Editors: Press Freedom is Under Fire
CommunityI write to express my sincere concern for First Amendment rights and press freedom in our turbulent political atmosphere. Last week’s suspension of “The Kimmel Show Live” by ABC News and parent-company Disney is a stark warning for the…
Letter From the Editors: A Reflection on Political Violence
CommunityPolitical violence against anyone is wrong, and we as students must commit to stopping this radicalism going forward. We mourn the loss of Kirk. We mourn the loss of Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband. We…
Samba’s Shades of Green
CommunityAdidas’ recent partnership with Parley has led consumers to question whether their initiatives are truly sustainable or just for marketing purposes.
Success Through Synergy
Sponsored CommunityEmerging startup, Prospinity, is revolutionizing students’ futures at US universities through shared success prospects. Prospinity encourages success by fostering synergy.
The Financial Fabric of College Fashion
CommunityWhether you thrift, purchase name brands, or buy from fast fashion companies, there are significant benefits and drawbacks to different modes of shopping that should be considered in your future fashion endeavors. Through an exploration of…
The Souls of Telegraph Avenue
CommunityLearn about the enduring spirit of Berkeley's art vendors, vital contributors to its culture and economics. Explore their resilience, creativity, and unwavering commitment in our latest article by Caroline Yee, one of our Community…
The Art of Making Millions with Murakami
CommunityIn the crossroads where art and commerce intersect, few figures loom as large as Takashi Murakami, the mastermind behind a multimillion-dollar high art empire. Murakami's indelible impact isn’t just confined to galleries and museums; it…
The Startup’s Guide to Intellectual Property
CommunityAccording to the Harvard Business Review, “five years ago, intellectual property wasn’t even in the vocabularies of many CEOs, let alone a part of their business strategies.” But Richard Thoman of the $20 billion Xerox Corporation believes…
People’s Park Proposal: A Community Crisis
CommunityThe People’s Park project is a sound solution from a purely economic perspective. However, economic issues never exist in a vacuum, especially on a community level.
Scandals, Stress, and the SATs: The College Application Industry
CommunityDespite the sheer stress and anxiety that the college application process induces, society has embraced it as the norm. This does not benefit anyone–or does it? Hundreds of corporations and other organizations have learned to capitalize on…
Is Ketanji Brown Jackson Benefitting From Tokenism?
CommunityHow does tokenism hurt women and people of color in this country? What is the relevance of Kentanji Brown Jackson’s court nomination to this idea?
A Card For Cal, By Cal: Firstcard
Sponsored CommunityFirstcard is the first specialized, fee-less card that offers up to 15% cash-back at stores around Berkeley, from Berkeley Social Club to Cafe Strada to Games at Berkeley and everything in between.
The Impact of Coachella on the Community
CommunityCoachella is one of the world’s largest music concerts. After seeing cancellations in 2019 and 2020, the festival will finally be seeing a return in 2022. Check out this article to learn more about the financial and environmental impact…
Proxii: The Modern Meet-Cute
Sponsored CommunityMeet Proxii, a new dating app designed for you to actually connect with people in person. Learn why Proxii is different from most dating apps and why it is perfect for a Cal Bear.
Why Duffl is Racing to Your Campus
Sponsored CommunityDuffl’s business model of fast and cheap delivery is aligned seamlessly with the preferences of today’s market and is positioned comfortably in an expanding market segment that is expected to multiply in size in the next few years.
America’s Dark Obsession
CommunityTrue crime is not a new phenomenon. In the 19th century, people would buy tickets to view public hangings, and in the 90s, more than 50 percent of the country sat down to watch the infamous trial of O.J. Simpson. Americans have an…
Post-Pandemic Flight Travel: Flying 101
CommunityBeen a while since you last traveled? Continue reading to learn about how the pandemic has affected the airline industry and how you can score cheap tickets for your next dream vacation!
The Misadventures of Airbnb
CommunityAs successful as Airbnb is, the massive rental company has brought numerous problems to cities and travel destinations across the world. Learn why many cities are fighting against Airbnb and how you can be a better Airbnb user.
Resale is the New Retail
CommunityWe all want some extra money in the current pandemic. Learn more about why resale apps such as Depop and Poshmark have skyrocketed in popularity since last year, and how to support these initiatives into the future!
Supporting Black-owned Businesses: Hype Or Long Term Interest?
CommunityThe Black Lives Matter movement inspired an influx of consumers to support Black-owned businesses earlier this summer. Nearly six months later, has that momentum kept up?
The Housing Shuffle During the Pandemic
CommunityIn mega-cities like New York and Los Angeles, housing has reached absurd price levels. Recently, a rotation out of urban sprawls into suburban neighborhoods has taken place. For Cal students, they must decide whether or not to stay in the…
Going back to the roots: a look into the future of the wellness industry
Community“Self-care” has been touted as the cure-all to the anxiety we are feeling during this pandemic, but it is far from being the silver bullet to physical and mental ails.
Fitting Vegan Specialty Foods into a Budget-Friendly Diet
CommunityEver wondered why vegan burgers were so expensive? Learn why vegan specialty foods are so expensive and how you can incorporate them into a budget-friendly vegan diet!
How the Coronavirus Is Infecting College Budgets
CommunityHigher education is a lucrative industry. Millions of students funnel billions of dollars into universities to not only attain an undergraduate degree but to also live the so-called “college experience.” But just like every other industry…
A Discussion of Lecturers
CommunityAs Berkeley students, we’ve had our fair share of instructors. There are those that assign easy write-ups, or notoriously hard papers. Some remember the thought-provoking discussions or the fascinating science demonstrations they saw in…
Coronavirus and the Homework Gap
CommunityUC Berkeley’s policy decisions this past spring around remote learning in response to the coronavirus pandemic elicited a wide range of reactions from my peers. One of my classmates, Dick, was ecstatic as he opted for the Passed/Not Passed…
Hey Macklemore, Can We Go (e-)Thrift Shopping
CommunityBuying clothes secondhand was once heavily stigmatized, as many thought used goods were only bought by those who couldn’t afford anything else. Most people were repulsed by the idea of wearing clothes that someone else had worn. But…
Mandatory Drafts and Entrepreneurship ‒ Startup Culture in Israel
CommunityIsrael, a small nation of less than 10 million people tucked in the western corner of the Middle East, has both the most venture capital per capita and the most startups per capita out of any other country in the world, thus being dubbed…
Credit Card Rewards: A Zero-Sum Game?
CommunityThe credit card business has since been recovering since the Great Recession when banks drastically cut consumer lending as they scrambled to reduce risky loans. The number of people with credit cards has since increased, from 152 million…
Jeff Bezos Earth Fund: What to Expect in the Upcoming Years
CommunityOn February 17th 2020, the richest man alive announced that he will donate about 8% of his fortune to fighting climate change. Jeff Bezos, the founder and one of the current shareholders of Amazon, made this announcement through his…
Rideshare vs. Carshare: GigCar Dives into the Fray
CommunityIf you are someone who even just occasionally uses Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft, then you’ve probably noticed how expensive these services are starting to become, even for short trips and with options like “Lyft shared” or “Uber…
Street Papers: The Importance of Newspaper Vendors in an Age of Digital Journalism
CommunityIf you’re not from a large city, the following sight might be unfamiliar to you: a vendor on a busy street with a stack of newspapers, offering you an issue in exchange for a dollar or two. If you are in Berkeley, the title of that paper…
Fear of the Coronavirus spreads waves of Xenophobia Globally
CommunityChinese officials recently confirmed over 31,161 cases of the new coronavirus, furthering a global wave of panic. This number surpasses that of SARS, a similar respiratory infection that spread across China, which killed nearly 800 people…
Selling Insurance to People Selling Insurance, a Pyramid Scheme Story
CommunityBRB Columnists were invited to a World Financial Group (WFG) branch where they learned about “paying it forward,” the Exchange Principle, company-wide trips to Vegas, and everything it takes to make it rich by selling life insurance—all…
Climate Change and Inequality: A Vicious Cycle
CommunityAs the costs of climate change mount. policy-makers and environmentalists alike are struggling to find solutions. What is often overlooked through this process, however, is the impact of climate policy on inequality.
The Housing Crisis & Its Implications
CommunityIn response to the housing crisis Berkeley experienced seventy-five years ago, former UC President Robert Gordon Sproul stated that “The gravity of the situation cannot be overemphasized.” ...
Playing the System: Financial Aid Fraud
CommunityWith more than $150 billion in aid distributed each year, does the money truly make it into the hands of America’s scholars? ...
Can’t You See We’re All Shortsighted?
CommunityIt is undeniable that we all suffer from myopia. In the span of a single day, we face a multitude of decisions, and yet, more often than not, we end up making the "wrong" choice. ..
Outsourcing: A Culprit Behind the UC-Wide Strike
CommunityAlthough the UC-wide strike garnered a lot of attention around Sproul, not many students seem to be aware of the reasons behind it...
Mentorship Programs at Cal
CommunityThe influence of early childhood education have a much greater impact on individuals than most people realize. The current cuts in elementary school budgets ..
Hidden Costs
CommunityMost things are priced at some dollar figure plus 99 cents for good measure. It’s a common mental trick to seemingly lower the price...
Living in Berkeley? You Might Be Paying Rent to a Former Sex Trafficking Ring
CommunityThe United States Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of California introduced the Lakireddy Bali Reddy case to the public twenty years ago...
The Best Falafel in Town
CommunityLocal Berkeley restaurant, Sunrise Deli, intertwines culture, ethics, and a whole lot of hustle ....
Leveling the Playing Field of College Admissions
CommunityA good SAT score has the power to change the path of not only a student’s education but also their life. Because of the important role that standardized....
Business Owners Speak Up: Minimum Wage and Rise in Housing Prices in Berkeley
CommunityWith minimum wage in California set to hit a high of $15 by 2023, it begs the question whether the benefits offset the negatives..
The Power of Nonprofits
CommunityWhy do Nonprofits exist and what role do they play in society? Although often criticized and under-valued
Mastering the Art of KICK-starter
CommunityUC Berkeley has been praised for the immense start-up culture it fosters and develops...
How Starving Artists Gentrify the Very Places They Now Can’t Afford
CommunityA need for space, hipster tastes, and new money paints the housing crisis in metropolises worldwide..
SHIP & Health Insurance
CommunityTime to make sense of all that health insurance jargon that makes you feel sick in the stomach. Stick with us as we deconstruct health insurance...
Why Study Abroad?
CommunityStudying abroad, having those once-in-a-lifetime, special experiences, doesn’t just have to be a bucket list activity. With enough research, planning, and budgeting, anyone can study abroad on a dime.