by Alexis Arredondo, B​Ψ

As candidates looked forward to becoming active members of Psi, they were asked to perform in the annual, honored tradition of Candidate/Active Night. During C/A Night, candidates were tasked with solving the names of five stations that featured Literature, Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, and Music. Each station included unique tasks which allowed candidates to determine each of the five arts while also incorporating the values our Chapter strives to uphold. Tasks varied from creative writing to creating art that encapsulated our pillars. This would also feature interpreting and appreciating music while providing the opportunity for candidates to individually express what they understood AEA to mean.
Once all the candidates had successfully completed their tasks and identified each station, as a group, they would talk about and explain their projects to Chapter. The groups read their haikus, presented their paintings, sculptures, Royce Hall models, and elaborated on what AEA meant to them. Receiving appreciation and gratitude from the actives, both candidates and actives would now travel to their next destination, McDonald’s.
Following the presentations, candidates and actives participated in the nuggie challenge, a battle to determine who was the fastest and most skilled at eating chicken nuggets in the shortest amount of time. Everyone reached for glory and bragging rights, but only one person achieved them. With the need for speed and some ranch, Skyler Coleman was able to consume his 10-piece in the shortest amount of time, outdoing every other opponent and affirming spicy nugget superiority. Skyler has since then felt “empowered” over establishing his dominance at eating nuggies the fastest over the entirety of Chapter, waiting for a worthy opponent.
Other participants challenged themselves to be the slowest at the nuggie challenge, with Anthony Huynh and Jose Muñoz being a near equal match. However, in the true fashion of their lineage, both demonstrated to be just as slow as the next, not able to finish two chicken nuggets before the winner was announced. Their dipping technique remains unmatched and borderline undetectable.
Closing off C/A Night with mini-golf, candidates and actives would now compete with other members of their line in a series of courses that tested their technique. Monica Quevedo and Thong Dinh demonstrated to be adept at mini-golf, quickly hitting the golf ball into the hole with the fewest amount of strokes. Eventually, their skills prompted a battle between both of them, with Monica Quevedo prevailing and finishing an entire course right as Sherman Oaks Castle Park announced that it would be closing for the night. The golf ball that Jose Muñoz hit into the moat remains within its waters, hoping to one day be found.
Overall, C/A provided candidates and actives a chance to further strengthen the mutual appreciation and value for Chapter and its values. Honoring the traditions of Chapter for C/A night, it had been two years since we had been able to participate in person. However, being able to do so proved to be extremely joyful and exciting, especially in personal regard! Thank you to our Sergeant-at-Arms, Natalie Wang, for her tireless work in coordinating C/A Night and all the Brothers who helped out!

by Alannah Linden, B​Ψ

Hello Encore Readers!
My name is Alannah Linden, a member of the beta omega class and the Wu-Tang family. It is my great pleasure to introduce all of you to my line, the owo/baby line!
First is the youngest: Maia Holmes-Kueny. Maia is a first-year from Alameda, California. Maia’s major is anthropology, and she is a part of the tenor sax section in the band! Some of Maria's favorite foods include chocolate and tea, and her favorite movie and show is Forrest Gump and Monty Python’s Flying Circus, respectively. Maia’s favorite thing to do is hang out with friends, and a fun fact about her is that Christmas is her favorite holiday! Her favorite memory in psi is mini-golfing with Wu-Tanj during candidate/active night, just a few weeks ago. Maia is a very kind, funny person to be around and I'm proud to call her my little! Which brings me to...
Me (Alannah Linden), a second year from San Bruno, California. My major is atmospheric and oceanic sciences / mathematics, and I am a part of the alto sax section! My favorite foods are smoothies and chocolate, and my favorite movie is Shrek 2. For fun, I go for walks, read (please don’t ask me my favorite book), and spend time with friends! A fun fact about me is that I can do a cartwheel, and my favorite memory in psi was going to IHOP after third degree and getting to meet some of our alumni.
My wonderful big is Gina Talcott. Gina is a third year from Sacramento, California. She is a physics major and a part of the tenor sax section, like Maia! Gina’s favorite drinks are boba, coffee, and tea, and her favorite movies/shows are Kingsman/Brooklyn 99. Some of her favorite things to do include stare at walls, hang out with her friends, get coffee, boba, and tea, do puzzles, and stare at the ceiling. A fun fact about her is that she owns socks (and probably wears them), and her favorite memory in psi is during beta psi’s candidate event, when they played Tetris and Just Dance, then ran all the way from Schoenberg to Diddy Riese and took a group photo with a single bird. Gina is a very funny, enthusiastic person who puts her heart and soul into everything she does. Wu-Tanj and Psi are very lucky to have her as our amazing president!
Last but certainly not least is Gabe Ramirez (Gina’s big): a fourth year from Downey, California. Gabe’s major is mathematics for teaching with a specialization in computing (wow!) and he is a part of BOOT. Gabe’s favorite foods are burritos and Dr. Pepper, and his favorite movie and show is Zootopia/Abbott Elementary. Gabe likes to play video games and adventure with friends, and a fun fact about him is that he’s excited to start teaching high school math in the fall! His favorite memory in psi is beach house his freshman year. Gabe is a very kind, hard-working person who is making us all proud by balancing his fourth year as an undergrad, marching band, and his first year in a master’s program at UCLA!
And that is the owo/baby line!