The Daily Delegate

Noe Ortega

Commentary Desk Ediotor

The new Y&G season is coming to an end, the 77th Annual Sacramento MLC wrapping up, and our new Governor, Chief Justice and Secretary of State have been chosen. All is well, but was it always? Over the past few days I’ve been interviewing and researching different delegates around the convention center, and the new changes of Sac have been an adjustment, to say the least. 

“Not much to do, and the things we are doing aren’t very interesting,” said Yousif Halloum, a sophomore who just joined Y&G, when asked to explain his personal grievances with the program area. Yousif is one of many, as there are many members of other delegations, including CIB and International Assembly, who feel similarly. These brand new program areas have very little organization, and leave delegates without engagement for hours at a time. 

Program areas are certainly not the only unorganized part of the new Y&G. After the gun threat last year, the organizers of the program added a larger amount of security, having guards screen delegates as they stream into the convention center. “[The security] is kinda a bigger factor than I was expecting because you had to wait in a line to get in for like, half an hour.” said Luka Thornliey, a Berkley delegate. Addison Davis, a fellow Berkley delegate, added on, “It made half the people of my program area late. We got nothing done.” 

A theory that’s been shared is that last year, the sense of excitement was due to delegates, stuck behind Zoom screen and lockdowns, finally being able to experience Sacramento again. That, and the newcomers of the program being subjected to this failure of time management Y&G is experiencing, adding new things to the list of disappointing factors of Y&G.

Multiple different members of the Governor’s Cabinet had something to say on this topic, especially when told about the supposed lack of engagement within the program areas. “This program has battled boring nature ever since its first year…There’s not a lot to do on the aspect of time…Any program area is amazing, and any program area you can have a blast in if you get into it.” Said Matty Guliani, the Secretary of State. 

Lola Stark, the Chief of Staff, agrees, saying, “ Y&G is so much what you make of it. If you sit there in session on your phone, or sit there scrolling on Jodel, you’re not gonna feel satisfied. And it doesn’t matter if you’re in the Department of Finance, Board of Education, Constitutional Convention. It doesn’t matter where you are, if you’re not actively engaging with your program area, you’re not gonna be ever engaged.”

Matty Guliani also had something to say when asked about the long lines of the security screenings. “I know it sucks to wait in line, but it’s what needs to be done, considering what happened at Bob, with the threat, and continuing in here, with keeping the mindset that there’s a threat, even though there’s not, but there’s always a threat and we have to treat it as such.” A few other delegates had something to say as well, and most were positive. “Almost everybody I’ve met here wants to be here, and as someone else who wants to be here that is just super awesome, like, it’s been an incredibly welcoming environment. In my experience I feel wanted here.” Commented Jesse Lowe, a freshman who just joined Y&G. 

It seems Jesse is not alone, as many, many members of Y&G are also thoroughly enjoying their time in the program. While there is an amount of people who aren’t enjoying their time, it seems to be a very small minority compared to those who love what they’re doing.

As for the security system, a lot of delegates are quite understanding. “I would change it to make it quicker, but at the same time I don’t want what happened at Bob to happen again,” said Ella-Rose Bendornz, an SPPY-WY delegate who just joined Y&G. In fact, at the time of this article, these grievances that many had with the security system have been put to rest, as the process got streamlined recently and long lines aren’t nearly as big of a problem. 

As a delegate of two years now, I can say with confidence this program is NOT boring. If you really put some love and effort into it, it can mean so much to you. These new program areas are unpolished, but to future delegates they can be as good as gold. And the security systems are only to keep us safe, and for us as delegates. So I implore you, dear reader, don’t be swayed by naysayers. Enjoy your time here, keep your memories close, and I hope to see you next year.