The student news site of Sacramento State University

The State Hornet

Student news without fear or favor
The student news site of Sacramento State University

The State Hornet

The student news site of Sacramento State University

The State Hornet

Student news without fear or favor

Oneika Richardson, Author

All content by Oneika Richardson

‘Parents of the year’ unlikely in this case

Oneika Richardson
May 2, 2008

In a world where the economy is plummeting, race is playing a front role in this year's election, and people are losing their jobs on the daily, it's important to keep your priorities straight. Making...

Kings performer dances her way to fame

Oneika Richardson
April 30, 2008

The crowd, the lights, the screaming; for Ari Waller, it's just another night cheering the Sacramento Kings to victory. As a sophomore biology major at Sacramento State, Waller juggles the task of part-time...

Symbolism lost in barbaric ritual

Oneika Richardson
April 23, 2008

Religious beliefs can consume your life. You can be an avid church-goer and be there every Sunday. You can even score extra points with God by going to Bible study/youth group meeting/choir practice or...

A love letter to future president Barack Obama

Oneika Richardson
April 10, 2008

Dear Mr. Obama, I tried to deny my initial attraction to you. I said to myself: He's not right for me. He isn't my type. But the more I heard you speak, the more I believed. Oh, you have your critics....

Meth and X: lethal new drug

Oneika Richardson
March 20, 2008

In recent months, I have become somewhat obsessed with drug culture. Don't ask me why but weed, heroin and cocaine use comes up at least once a week during the conversations I have with my friends. Now...

Michael Jackson: America’s favorite train wreck

Oneika Richardson
March 19, 2008

With the release of "Thriller 25," Michael Jackson is back in the forefront of everybody's mind but probably not in the way he'd like. Once pop music's golden boy, Jackson is now facing financial trouble...

Sexcapades: Try before you buy

Oneika Richardson
March 13, 2008

Choosing a suitable man should be like shopping for a used car - you wouldn't buy a used vehicle without knowing something about the car's past. At least that's what Carfax likes to tell us. But what about...

Student campaign urges seatbelt safety

Oneika Richardson
March 4, 2008

Deadlines, projects and papers, they all seem to get in the way of what is really important while moving toward a degree. However, five Sacramento State students are not getting tangled in the hustle and...

Relationships 101: Let your inner freak out

Oneika Richardson
February 22, 2008

Getting into a relationship isn't the hard part, it's learning how to maintain one that will wear on your nerves. As women, we will go to great lengths to keep a man: cook, clean and maybe even wash his...

Especially in relationships, honesty is the best policy

Oneika Richardson
February 19, 2008

Call it what you want: on the down low, on the low-low or my personal favorite, bisexuality. Either way it's an occurrence that is heavily prevalent in the African-American community. According to the...

Songz has his day

Oneika Richardson
January 3, 2008

Trey Songz is something of an underdog in the R&B world. The music industry seems to look over Songz because he's a relative newcomer to this R&B thing. With that said, please don't sleep on "Trey Day,"...

OneRepublic shouldn’t apologize for latest hit

Oneika Richardson
December 17, 2007

Timbaland is really spreading his wings this time around and getting out of the comfy Hip-Pop / R&B niche he's carved himself into. OneRepublic is his newest venture and the five scruffily-dressed men...

Parlare Euro Lounge steps up downtown

Oneika Richardson
December 10, 2007

Light, hip and fun, that's just what downtown needs. The entrance is small and unnoticeable but what lies inside is modern mixed with elegance. Parlare Euro lounge is something of a hybrid. It can easily...

‘This Christmas’ is instant family favorite

Oneika Richardson
December 5, 2007

Finally, a black, family film that doesn't have Tyler Perry's name written all over it. "This Christmas" stars Loretta Devine, Idris Elba and everyone's favorite triple-threat, Chris Brown. Let's get this...

Burgers are a favorite among college students.:

Sacramento’s best burgers

Oneika Richardson
December 4, 2007

The idea seems simple enough. Grab some meat, cheese and vegetables and throw it on a bun, but it takes more than that to put together a truly delicious hamburger. Sacramento has so many different types...

The soulful keys of ‘As I Am’ proves to be timeless

Oneika Richardson
November 20, 2007

Alicia Keys delivers, period. As one of the most consistent artists in the music industry, Alicia Keys new album is nothing short of amazing and is a true display of artistry. Soulful and beautiful, Keys...

Faces gets a new facelift

Oneika Richardson
November 3, 2007

The lights, the energy and of course, partially clothed male bodies. If it's a shirtless bartender, chances are you're at Faces Nightclub. Faces has quite the reputation in Sacramento. In my years here,...

Relax, relate, release on campus

Oneika Richardson
October 31, 2007

Midterms are in full effect, your current job is switching your hours from part time to full time and when was the last time you sat down to have a meal? The semester is stressful to say the least and...

Soulja Boy has more growing up to do

Oneika Richardson
October 24, 2007

If you can get past the crunktastical beats and repetition, "Soulja Boy Tell 'Em" isn't a bad album. That's not to say that it's a great one either, but it is a solid effort. I'm not sure why I expected...

God, sisterhood: new campus duo

Oneika Richardson
October 4, 2007

Late afternoon, sunlight illuminated the second-floor patio of the Sacramento State's University Union as four distinguishably different women met to talk about life, school and the principles their organization...

Azukar is Just as Sweet

Oneika Richardson
September 12, 2007

What appears as an abandoned building during the day pulsates as a hot, thriving dance club during the night. Azukar Lounge, located on J Street, nestled between 16th and 17th Streets, opened in January...

Lack of security during two-hour block could have saved lives

Oneika Richardson
May 27, 2007

The shootings at Virginia Tech were nothing short of horrendous. Imagine going about your school day as if nothing were out of the ordinary, and the next thing you hear is gunshots. When I first read about...

Drinking and driving is acting irresponsibly

Oneika Richardson
May 22, 2007

You're coming out of a bar and you decide to get behind the wheel of a car. You say you've only had one drink and you feel fine. I know my limits, you say. Whether it's one drink or seven, drunken driving...

Extended plans due to fee increases

Oneika Richardson
May 19, 2007

I'm holding off on graduating till fall 2008. Not because I love Sacramento State, not because I want to go for a double major but because I can't afford to go to summer school. I'm a poor college kid....

ASI deserves pay increase

Oneika Richardson
May 15, 2007

When I was asked to write an opinion article about the Associated Students Inc. Board of Directors getting a raise, I was immediately skeptical. In my mind, all I could think was: why do they deserve a...

Snitches cause much fustration

Oneika Richardson
May 15, 2007

Snitches get stitches, or so I hear. Better yet, I know. In light of rapper Cam'ron's recent appearance on "60 Minutes," I thought it would be appropriate to shed light on this issue. It's an unspoken...

Summer fashions-what not wear

Oneika Richardson
May 8, 2007

It's that time of year again, folks. The sun is starting to come out, the weather is starting to warm up and people are starting to dress worse and worse as the days go by. Spring dress code violations...

Friends ’til the end – not!

Oneika Richardson
April 26, 2007

You know the feeling. I like to call it the beginning of the end. Things just don't feel the same, and you dread the thought of having to face the other person day in and day out. It's what's known as...

Male burlesque grotesque

Oneika Richardson
April 17, 2007

I wouldn't exactly consider wasting my money, to be one of my pastimes. However, when you find yourself at a strip club that's exactly what happens. Sure, you have the best of intentions beforehand but...

Young love doesn’t mean ‘I do’

Oneika Richardson
March 31, 2007

It has become the topic of conversation for almost every family gathering I've had in the past two years. My uncles, aunts and cousins sound like broken records, "When are you going to settle down and...

It’s not your zodiac sign; it’s you

Oneika Richardson
March 22, 2007

I'm jealous, stubborn and possessive. I have a sexual drive that would put Wilt Chamberlain to shame. Not really, but according to numerous astrology books, Scorpios are notorious for their sex drives....

‘Little Africa,’ an addictive social world all on its own

Oneika Richardson
March 15, 2007

Similar to All-Star weekend, it is over-hyped. To the unsuspecting, it's just the outdoor seating to the Riverfront Center. But if you're of the African-American persuasion, you simply know it as "Little...

WPE: A necessity or a complete waste of time?

Oneika Richardson
February 27, 2007

I'm still not sure about all the schematics. I'm not sure about the grading system. All I know is that I got a six. And in someone's eyes, it meant that I was a failure. Maybe not in so many words, but I did fail the Writing Proficiency Exam.

Words can't begin to describe how I felt. I take that back. I felt wretched and stupid. All my years of English and journalism training had been summed up to one evil little number.

I'm not quite sure if the WPE is an accurate test of intelligence or knowledge of the English subject. Truth be told, some of the stupidest people I know have passed that test. Is that too harsh? Sorry.

I can't help but be bitter. Here I was, walking into that classroom, sure as anything that I was going to pass. I've been a good writer my entire life, and surely this would be no different. Boy, was I wrong.

This is why I feel the WPE should be abolished. As college students, we have made it this far. We have already proved ourselves worthy of a college education. Why, after all the studying, tests and exams do we have to go through this?

Graduate student Garry Douglas said he felt the WPE is beneficial. "It's necessary for most students," Douglas said. "I think (students) should have to take a tutorial."

I understand and respect that, but timed writing situations just aren't pertinent to the work force or everyday life. The fact of the matter is, in the real world, you have time to formulate your thoughts, rewrite and change any writing that isn't cohesive.

Earlier in the semester, I was in English Writing 109, which is the dreaded class you have to take if you don't pass the WPE. The instructor stressed the importance of brainstorming or outlining.

On any given Saturday morning, it's unlikely you want to be in a cold, sterile classroom writing an essay. It's even more unlikely that you would want to extend your time there by having to write and outline before getting to the actual essay.

The WPE is anything but easy. Senior Shewit Tekle said, "It was really difficult for me. I barely passed with an eight."

I struggled with this test because my topic was so broad. I felt I didn't have a chance to narrow my thoughts in the time given.

Along with my extreme disregard for timed writing and the all-out difficulty of it all, they charge us to take it! There is a $25 fee that needs to be paid before taking the test. As cheap as I am, I scoffed at the idea of having to pay $25.

Excuse me? You're going to charge me to take a mandatory test? Where is my money going? It's definitely not going to pay these simple ass students and professors to come up with better prompts.

All I'm saying is that if you're going to make it mandatory to take an exam, it should at least be free! Hell, I think there are a lot of other things on this campus that should be free, such as parking. Maybe that's why I have an unpaid, overdue parking ticket right now.

Oneika Richardson can be reached at [email protected]

Black women stereotypes degrade the woman inside

Oneika Richardson
February 27, 2007

We have nappy hair, we're ghetto, and we're unintelligent. We're stubborn and we collect baby-daddies like stamps, food stamps even. We are Black women and these are the stereotypes that we have to face...

Vultures seeking parking spots

Oneika Richardson
February 27, 2007

Blame it on the alarm clock, blame it on traffic or if you're like me, you blame it on everything else that couldn't have possibly had a hand in it. Either way, I was late to school. Now normally when...

Sex is good without the relationship

Oneika Richardson
February 27, 2007

It's almost like it happened overnight. One day I was in a committed relationship with my boyfriend and the next, we were having a falling out. This falling out introduced the idea of sex without a relationship...

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