The instructors of the American Red Cross had their hands full trying to keep up with the amount of volunteers anxiously waiting to donate blood.

“At around 10:15 a.m., it began getting really busy,” said American Red Cross instructor Francis Velasco. “At noon, everyone had his hands full trying to keep the line of volunteers moving forward.”

Sweaty with fear and twitching with anxiety, Jonathan Jovel awaited his turn to be ripped apart by the American Red Cross bloodsucker named the Alyx machine.

The anthropology major had donated blood before, but it was his first time donating through the Alyx machine.

“My eye twiches when I’m nervous and it hasn’t stopped twitching,” he said. “It’s my first time and I don’t know what to expect.”

The American Red Cross comes to Cerritos College twice a semester for four days to try to collect blood for those hospitals that request it.

Once the blood is collected, it is taken to the main lab in Pomona where it is tested for possible diseases.

Velasco explained, “The blood can last for up to 42 days at the lab after being tested, but most of the time it is only there for three days before it gets sent out to a hospital that needs it.”

On Tuesday alone, by 2 p.m., it had already collected about 50 pints of blood.

The Red Cross tries to recruit volunteers to donate two pints of blood, instead of just one, by using the Alyx machine.

What the Alyx machine does is that it separates the red blood cells from plasma, explained American Red Cross instructor Jose Hinojosa.

Then it shoots up the plasma, along with some saline, back into your body.

“It may take about 25 to 30 minutes longer than the usual donation, but students should feel content knowing they help save more than one life,” he said.

What Jovel was more worried about was the pain the machine would cause him to experience.

Jovel said, “It is supposed to make you feel cold. That’s why (the volunteers) give you a blanket during the process.”

Jorge Gonzalez, English major, tried to provide comfort by telling him doesn’t really hurt much.

“It feels a little different because if you’re not squishing the ball, you could really feel the machine sucking the blood out of you,” he said.

Although it was Gonzalez’ first time on the Alyx machine as well, his reason for donating was quite different.

His father suffered from kidney problems and was forced to undergo treatments of dialysis.

He said, “(Donating) is my way of giving back to those who helped my dad when he was in need.”

Other volunteers, such as theater major Sarah Genio-Graves, came simply for the satisfaction of helping save a life.

“I like to help people and this is definitely a good chance to do so,” she said.

Though she has a low tolerance for pain, she enjoys donating because it is quick and tolerable.

She tells,”If you could stand a quick pinch, it’s a fun experience.”

Both Hinojosa and Velasco were more than happy with the turn out of donors from Cerritos.

Hinojosa said, “I always enjoy coming to Cerritos College. It is a very welcoming environment and the student donors are always cheerful.”