Mount Hood

Taking control of your holiday stress

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Or, at least that’s what the holiday tune tells us. In reality, the winter season can be a mixture of some fun, and a lot of stress. While that stress comes in many forms and for many reasons, in order to enjoy your time this break, you’ll have to learn how to cope with it. That way, you can make the most of the holidays.

If you’re a first-year, you probably missed your loved ones while you were away and couldn’t wait to see them again.Then, once you were finally reunited for a couple weeks, there’s a good chance you had the realization that there’s a stark difference between when you’re at home versus when you’re at school. For the first time, you may have understood what every other student had to learn their first time going home for a long break: being on your own is kind of nice. That’s when the holiday stress kicks in.

The first type of stress I tend to deal with this time of year is learning how to get along with my family all over again. When I first get back home, it’s always great. Then, I begin quickly butting heads with my parents and many siblings. Whether it be about curfews- something I didn’t even have to think about while at school, or why my sister is wearing my shirt and pretending like it’s hers, the family arguments can be exhausting and make me wish I was back at Western already.

When I begin feeling this stress, I cope with a few different techniques.

First, I remind myself how lucky I am to have loved ones who support me and care about me at all. Then, I go on to reminding myself that break is only a few weeks. If I was able to survive my first 18 years with these people, then I can surely do four weeks. And then, if all else fails, I just go somewhere else for a while to calm down.

The next type of stress that I come across is holiday financial pressure. Trying to buy presents while remembering that you’re about to start a new term and have to deal with the cost of that can be daunting. My gut tells me to buy everyone I love a gift, while my bank account tells me the exact opposite. When this type of stress arises, I remind myself that nobody I love will actually care about how much their present costs. It’s true what they say- it’s the thought that counts. While we all want to do extravagant things for the people we care for, sometimes it’s just not possible. If you find yourself in this predicament, a good option would be to opt for DIY gifts. For some DIY inspiration, refer to our previous issue.

Another thing I tend to find myself stressing about is travel. Getting to and from campus can be difficult if you don’t have a car. However, I always find myself to be okay if I put some time into planning it extensively weeks prior to leaving. Getting those plans figured out well ahead of time will save you some immediate stress.

While this time of year can cause a high amount of stress, finding ways to cope can make it enjoyable again. Some pressure is unavoidable, but that doesn’t mean it should be distressing. It’s your break; don’t let the stress turn your holiday into a time you dread versus a time to relax.

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

NFL playoffs: bloom or gloom for the ‘legion of boom’

Photo courtesy of thenewstribune.com

Simson Garcia | Sports Editor

With an 8-6 record, the Seattle Seahawks football season is in flux. With only a few weeks left until the playoffs, they lie in the flock of many other teams contending for the Super Bowl. Their season’s still in the air but as the phrase goes: any given Sunday, any team has a chance.

Up until this point for the ‘Hawks, it’s been any given play, any given athlete and any given will towards pushing them through to postseason play. But the season’s been anything but a given.

Quarterback Russell Wilson has been tasked with more to give from his shoulders this year. He has accounted for 82% of Seattle’s offense this season, a first in NFL history, which means he’s been passing and running for most of the teams plays.

Consider the next hypothetical miraculous play as a summation to the Seahawks’s season: After an opposing defensive lineman caught a stitching of Wilson’s jersey in efforts to tackle him down, the elusive Wilson would free from the grips of the 6-foot-4-inch 270-pound lineman, keeping the play alive. Before anyone on the field, in the stands or at home watching knew it, the “scramble drill” was in effect whereby Wilson then ran towards the sidelines evading more defenders, and finally threw a 30-yard dash across his body out towards receiver Doug Baldwin, who then snagged the ball for a first-down in tight coverage.

That pretty much sums up Seattle’s season so far. They’ve found ways to win, and at other unfortunate times, came up short.

For as long they’ve had success, it’s been through the heart of a player like Wilson and through such unbelievable plays. One could say Seattle’s had many other players like the MVP potential through his first six seasons. Many would argue defensive safety Earl Thomas being the heart and soul of the defense, as he has been for as many games he’s played. But he went down with a broken leg last year, which also helped break Seattle’s hopes at a second Super Bowl.

For a long while cornerback Richard Sherman was also the backbone of the defense. Now Sherman’s out for this season with a torn achilles. And many other key defensive ball-hawkers of the famed “legion of boom” defense have gone down with him. For most of the season and because of the injuries, Seattle’s also had play around a depleted running back crew, a few young and inexperienced offensive lineman whose main job is to protect Wilson and block for those ‘backs, and an ailing defense, the latter of which most successful teams have.

Many argue that, without a running game or key impactful players like those aforementioned, it would be insurmountable for the ‘Hawks to reach a plateau as high as the Super Bowl — playoffs even.

I’d argue: the New England Patriots. Out of the five championships won by the ‘Pats in the Tom Brady era, three of those championships are also included as three of the four worst Super Bowl-winning rushing performances ever. Brady’s rarely ever had a lethal rusher playing behind him.

The New Orleans Saints have also had successful seasons, around their lone 2010 championship, primarily provided by a pass heavy offense.

But what New England’s had is what Seattle could potentially have — a system where a passing and running game work in tandem. In other words, quick short throws and yards gained after the catch.

Seattle has shown glimpses of that system this year. With the defense struggling and not bringing the boom like in years past — a top five defense since 2012 — mostly due to injuries, they’ll have to rely a lot on that system. Added to it is an offensive line also struggling. And so it is that very scramble drill mentioned earlier that they’ve become accustomed to. With Wilson’s vital organs still intact, the team has managed and have worked around their weaknesses, and the scramble, from what it looks like, is something they’ll continue to use to their advantage.
Seattle, and in particular Wilson, is fortunate to have something Brady doesn’t have. Brady’s never been a threat on the ground running with the ball, something Wilson clearly has had under his belt. With many disadvantages, Wilson, the scramble, along with his canon of an arm, and the rest of the ‘Hawks are all still viable assets.
Seattle’s also fortunate to have a record that places them just outside of a wildcard position for the playoffs.

The question is, can the ‘Hawks successfully and consistently be pass oriented? How many more magic tricks does the boom have up their sleeve in time for the potential playoffs that’s soon ahead?

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

Suspicious activity alerts community

Paul F. Davis

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Two separate instances of suspicious activity within the same week alerted the Monmouth community in early December. One incident occurred on Nov. 29 when a woman reported that a man tried to enter her parked car near the intersection of Clay and Knox Street. Less than a week later on Dec. 6, another woman reported that a man approached and tried to grab her near her residence. The investigation of this incident is ongoing.

Although these circumstances occurred off campus, Campus Public Safety was quick to offer advice on keeping safe and taking the necessary precautions both on and off campus.

One service that Campus Public Safety provides is the safety escort service where a Public Safety officer will escort individuals around campus if they feel unsafe. If a student doesn’t want to walk with an officer, they also have the option to stay on the phone with an individual from Public Safety as they walk, or an officer could keep an eye on the student via campus cameras.

Although the safety escort program only offers assistance around campus, Wolf Ride is available for off-campus locations. If a student feels nervous or uneasy about walking around Monmouth or Independence, they can call Wolf Ride at 503-428-7238  for a ride from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. daily. Wolf Ride is not operational during winter break.

In addition to safety escorts and Wolf Ride, Director of Campus Public Safety Rebecca Chiles suggests following the most well-lit paths through campus, indicated by the white paw prints on the sidewalks. Emergency phones are available in various locations around campus that directly connect to Campus Public Safety in case of an emergency.

Chiles also offers an additional piece of advice for students: participate in bystander training.

“Any kind of training and information that you can get empowers you to make decisions to be able to interact and intervene when things like that are going on,” Chiles advises. “Knowledge is power. The more you know, the more you can react positively and be able to take care of yourself and keep yourself safe.” Contact Craig Wimmer at wimmerc@wou.edu for more information on Green Dot bystander training on campus.

Chiles advises to stay alert when walking alone. It’s common for students to browse social media while walking down the street or sitting in a car, but putting the phone down and being aware of one’s surroundings can prevent distractions that lead to unsafe situations.

Chiles wants students to know that Campus Public Safety is there to support and keep them safe. “Our department here on campus works hand in hand with Monmouth Police Department. Everything that we do is tied to the university’s mission and strategic plan to make this a safe place to learn, to live, to work, and to visit … We’re going to do everything we can to provide those safe environments.”

Students who are concerned for their safety can contact Campus Public Safety at 503-838-8481.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Survey campaign gives Western students a voice

Paul F. Davis

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

On Oct. 4, members of ASWOU and the Oregon Student Association could be found on campus sidewalks engaging with students about important issues that many college students face. This was part of a statewide survey campaign to get input from college students regarding what issues they want to see addressed on campus and in the state legislature.

The Oregon Student Association, or OSA, is a student-led non-partisan organization that works to advocate for student issues and concerns in Oregon. OSA represents schools ranging from Portland State University to Central Oregon Community College and serves over 110,000 individuals in postsecondary education.

“As we know, there are big differences in issues that impact students from a regional university like Western to a big university,” commented OSA Communications Director Devin Hutchings on the importance of representing a wide variety of institutions. “That’s why having a board is really important and to make sure that students from all different types of public higher education in Oregon are at the table and making decisions together.”

Every two years, OSA goes through a process of choosing which issues they will prioritize and work on in the coming years. OSA leadership students present and debate several proposals, and ultimately all students in OSA represented schools can vote on which topics they’d like to see addressed.

OSA partnered with ASWOU to bring the statewide student survey to Western’s campus and allow students to vote on the 10 proposed issues. At Western, 845 individuals gave their input and 17,081 students statewide participated in the survey.

According to the survey, the top five issues that students want to see addressed are tuition and textbook affordability, affordable and stable housing, increase mental health resources for students, student control over tuition setting and college governance and food assistance for food insecure Oregonians.

Focusing and working on these issues has led to changes in the legislature in the past. In 2015, one of the issues that OSA staff members focused on was sexual violence prevention and reform. Senate Bill 762, which exempts victims of sexual assault from prosecution for offenses related to the possession of alcohol by a person under the age of 21, was brought forward by the Oregon Student Association.

This bill was passed and signed into law this past summer.

“That is a victory that impacts quite a few students and was brought forward by students, was worked on a lobbied for, students went to the capital, and was eventually passed and is now a law,” Hutchings commented. “It was student-led the whole way.”

“We’re thankful for the students that participated in the survey and we really appreciate it,” commented Annie Broussard, ASWOU Director of State and Federal Affairs.

To find out more information on OSA, visit orstudents.org.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Staying fit outside of the gym

Pexels.com

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

Last school year, for the first time in my life, I found myself in a workout routine that worked for me and was incredibly effective. Then, the school year ended, and I was left without the Health and Wellness Center, or access to any gym. I wanted to maintain my level of fitness that I had worked toward, so I began doing at-home workouts.

With the start of winter break, many students are heading home. For students who are staying in Monmouth, the HWC is closed for a good chunk of break, which can throw you off of your game. Coupling this with the fact that this break tends to be associated with endless holiday cookies, candy and gingerbread, you might feel like you’re struggling to find time to worry about fitness.

If you’re in this boat, don’t despair — at-home workouts can be incredibly beneficial, and can adhere to any level of fitness. Using just your bodyweight, any weights you may have or even just using jugs of water as weights, you can still perform challenging exercises that will help you maintain a good level of activity.

 

Cardio:

-Running: It’s simple, and you can alter how long or how fast you run to match your fitness levels and goals.

-Stairs: Running or walking on any stairs you have access to for whatever duration of time you find appropriate will provide good cardio, but also hits your quads, calves, and glutes.

-Zumba/Dancing: To break a sweat while having an incredible time, opt for some type of dance to get you moving.

-Ice Skating: Doing this activity with friends may not seem like a workout, but soon you’ll be sweating, while laughing so hard that it turns into an ab workout, as well.

 

Legs:

-Squats: Doing squats with added weight will provide a challenging workout. Add jump squats or box jumps into your workout and your legs will be on fire.

-Lunges: Walking lunges, side lunges or jump lunges all provide a hard exercise that you can do for whatever amount of time or reps that you desire.

-Kickbacks/Fire hydrants: Doing these will leave your glutes and quads on fire, basically guaranteeing that you will be sore the next morning.

-Calf raises: These can be done with or without weight, on flat ground or on stairs. Do them for high reps and you’ll definitely feel it.

-Pistols/Single Leg Squats: An incredibly challenging movement that will build muscle quickly are easily done at home. If need be, use a chair to help you balance.

 

Upper Body:

–Overhead Press: Using whatever weight you have, doing this will provide a challenging workout for your shoulders.

-Pull-ups: You can do this exercise assisted if you are unable on your own, but they are a foolproof way to hit your entire upper body, and can be done anywhere with a high bar, like a park.

-Crab Walk: This movement will hit your core, shoulders and back. While you might feel silly doing it, it’s a multi-functional workout. Plus, you’ll get to feel like a kid again.

-Curls: If you have some sort of weight, doing regular curls or hammer curls will isolate your bicep.

-Tricep Dips: This simple workout hits your triceps hard, and can be made easier or harder depending on your position.

-Pushups: Close grip will hit your triceps, while regular will work your chest. Altering your reps and sets can make it more or less difficult, matching any goal.

 

Abs:

Ab workouts are incredibly easy to do at home. Some examples that don’t require weight at all are: bicycle crunches, sit ups, crunches, overhead sit ups, sprinters abs, reverse crunches, supermans, etc. You can always look up more ab workouts for more inspiration, as the choices are endless.

 

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Western welcomes annual holiday festivities

Zoë Strickland | Managing Editor

On Friday, Dec. 1, the lights on the giant sequoia will be turned on for the 50th consecutive year.

Despite it being the 50th annual tree lighting, the first time the tree was adorned with lights wasn’t 50 years ago. In 1940, lights were put on the tree as a way of celebrating then-faculty member John Scott. However, the next time the Sequoia saw lights was Nov. 27, 1967.

The effort to bring the holiday spirit to Monmouth was student-run. An article from the Nov. 9, 1967 issue of The Monmouth Herald stated that it was the women of Todd Hall, a residence hall at the time, that kickstarted the process of incorporating holiday festivities; “Girls from Todd hall were present to get council approval for a project to light the sequoia tree on the OCE campus as a community Christmas Tree.”

A follow-up piece from Nov. 23 reported the council’s approval: “What has been billed as ‘The World’s Largest Living Christmas Tree’ will be lighted on the OCE campus on Monday evening. The tree, a 122 foot tall sequoia located in front of Campbell hall on the campus, will be lighted in a 7 p.m. ceremony.”

The sequoia that once stood at 122-feet is now estimated to be between 125 and 130-feet tall. “We may have to lengthen the top piece, the satellite, that the lights are attached to, to accommodate the growth of the tree,” said Kevin Hughes, Landscape Maintenance Coordinator.

Though the sequoia is no longer touted as the world’s largest Christmas tree, the tradition has persevered through tumultuous times. The tree was not available to comment on its dethroned title.

Over the years, the responsibility of planning the events has shifted. When originally proposed by a residence hall, students were in charge of coordinating the ceremonies. However, non-student run entities of the institution eventually took the reigns.

In 1992, the school was unsure if they had the funds to continue the tree lighting ceremony. As a result, the community banded together to continue the event.

“In response to Western’s pleas for help, the community will be picking up a lot of the financial burden of this holiday fixture, but not all of it. The Incidental Fee Committee recently met to discuss the options available to them … this year’s expenses are estimated at $6500 … to lessen the stress of this annual holiday expenditure, the Incidental Fee Committee began fundraising,” reported a 1992 article of the Western Star.

Western’s tree lighting tradition is one that members of the Western community look forward to, “Driving through campus at night when the tree is lit, trying to spot it on highway 99 while coming to work,” Hughes said when asked about his favorite thing about the tradition.

The best thing that students can do to keep this event going is showing their support, “Keep the excitement and process going. Generations are enjoying the celebration. It started out as a community event and it will continue to bring people back to our WOU campus. When we install the lights on the tree, I have a sigh of relief and know that in approx. 1 month, the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year celebrations will begin,” Hughes added.

This year’s events will kick off at 6 p.m. with a holiday parade that will head from Monmouth Library to the main drag of campus. The parade includes floats by different student groups around campus and Monmouth, as well as an appearance by Santa Claus. 7 p.m. is double booked with both a local school choir concert, and a wine and music gathering at Gentle House.

The Werner University Center will be open during the night, and will have indoor programs such as a holiday cookie bake-off, tree decorating contest, live music from KWOU and an area for people to get their photo taken with Santa.

 

Contact the author at journalmanaging@wou.edu

The effects of word choice this season

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

Pop quiz, which of the following would be the least offensive for the majority? A, “merry Christmas,” B, “happy Christmas” or C, “happy holidays.” If you answered A or B, you’re likely not thinking of others and what they might celebrate this winter season. If you answered C, then congratulations, you clearly care about others and their cultures.

While it may seem easy to just say “merry Christmas,” as many of you probably have for years and already have the tendency to do, you need to realize that you’re excluding several different cultures and religions. And while many who experience this may not speak up about it, they may just not feel comfortable enough to say that what you’re doing is wrong or potentially offensive to them.

December is a month of multicultural holiday celebrations. The variety of different holidays celebrated ranges widely between Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, St. Lucia Day, Boxing Day, Yule, Omisoka and the list goes on. So to simply say “merry Christmas” means you’re actually leaving out a plethora of different minorities simply because you were unaware, or you’re simply being ignorant.

Doing this is in no way okay. If it’s something you’ve done in the past because you don’t know any better, then now is the time to start changing your speech. Just switch to “happy holidays,” as it includes everyone who celebrates anything, not just the ones who celebrate this one holiday.

However, if you have been saying “merry Christmas” to everyone simply to make a point or to avoid the so-called “war on Christmas,” then you are undoubtedly in the wrong. Choosing to ignore groups of people and discredit everything they believe in and celebrate is offensive and just plain rude.

How anyone can be so careless and inconsiderate of other cultures honestly blows my mind. When it comes down to it, saying “happy holidays” requires essentially the same amount of effort as saying “merry Christmas” does. And guess what? It still includes Christmas. It’s a win-win. You aren’t offending anyone, and you still get to include the holiday that you choose to celebrate.

If you still want to continue saying “merry Christmas” in 2017, then you also need to accept the fact that you are someone who chooses to be offensive on purpose. Accept the fact that you are someone who disregards other cultures or looks at them as less-than. Accept the fact that if someone chooses to say “happy Hanukkah” to you, then you have zero right to be offended. Are you willing to accept all of these things about yourself?

Rather than looking at saying “happy holidays” as an inconvenience, look at it as an opportunity to be appreciative and respectful of all cultures. It’s honestly amazing to look at other cultures and see everything they believe in and stand for — appreciate the differences that make us who we are. December is a month for us to grow culturally and be accepting of others. Choose to be on the right side of this shift; when the opportunity arises, choose “happy holidays.”

 

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

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