The stereotypical California vibe can be portrayed by a group of teenagers hoping into the bed of a 1975 Ford Bronco, driving along PCH and heading towards the beach for a day of surf. Now, whether or not this stereotype is accurate or not, the beach, surfing, and carefree souls are embedded in the blood of Californians. In order to keep such culture alive, Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill that made surfing California’s official state sport. Californians far and wide are curious to see how this will effect the daily life in the golden state.

Unequivocally, the causes and effects of all governmental changes are crucial; however, those that affect teens allow individuals who are legally too young to participate in voting affairs to become interested in the workings of democracy. Thus, making surfing California’s state sport sparked much curiosity in the younger aged sector of society. What will happen to high schools?

Schools along the coast, such as Los Alamitos High School, already have a surf team and are rather unbothered by the advancements in surf culture as the rest of the state is simply “catching up.” Nonetheless, it is schools further from the coast that wonder if surfing will ever be brought to their very school. The issue with having surf teams is, obviously, location. But how could California’s official state sport be surfing without all of Californians getting equal opportunity to surf? “There has to be a way,” responded Marwah Naveed (10).

With technology increasing, more and more surfers are experimenting with artificial wave machines, as they are more efficient and effective for practicing for competitions. As these wave machines become more and more abundant, they could easily fix the proximity epidemic that is holding thousands of Californians back from surfing. Hayden Macdonald (10), who grew up in Seal Beach, explained that “the love that locals have for surfing is unreal, and to think that that same love could spread to everyone all thanks to technology is even more unreal.”

Now it is simply time to wait.

Without a doubt, technology increases exponentially when society realizes its advantages. Twenty years ago, no one would have thought that nearly everyone would be carrying around a mobile cell phone in their pocket. Thus, in twenty more years, could the unthinkable happen once again? In twenty years, could every high school have an artificial wave machine, allowing Californians to be… Californians?

Now it is simply time to wait and see.