Mount Hood

New food truck adds variety to Monmouth

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

Once the summer heat began to subside and students made their way back to Western, they were given a warm welcome with a sweet treat. Just down the road from campus, off the side of Main St., sits a soon-to-be student favorite: Bobablastic. Serving everything from boba tea to spaghetti and meatballs, the small truck could satisfy any craving.

With locations in Portland and Aloha, Oregon, as well as Vancouver, Washington, the restaurant wisely decided to open up shop just a block away from Western; students undeniably appreciated the proximity.

“I think it’s a good location,” commented junior exercise science major Joely Yaptangco. “There’s not a lot of good options in Monmouth (for) people who don’t have cars and it’s walking distance.”

With this newly added eatery, students now have another option to add to their list of ways to satisfy hunger. Offering numerous flavors, a wide menu, competitive prices and fairly quick service, there’s no reason not to give it a try. So, once you find time for a study break, make a quick trip to Bobablastic and indulge yourself in Monmouth’s newest tasteful addition.

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Searching for love at Western

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

It’s that time of year again; the sound of leaves crunching is all around, the smell of pumpkin spice brewing is strong and the breeze of crisp Monmouth air is making it just cool enough to throw on our beanies and scarves. That’s right: cuffing season is officially in full swing.

For those who are unaware, cuffing season is when, as Urban Dictionary defines it, “people who would normally rather be single or promiscuous find themselves, along with the rest of the world, desiring to be ‘cuffed,’ or tied down by a serious relationship. The cold weather and prolonged indoor activity causes singles to become lonely and desperate to be cuffed.”

So, essentially, it’s the time of year when everyone begins keeping their eye out for their next one true love.

Students at Western are no exception to this season; like all others, we have that desire to find someone to spend the holiday season with.

For your benefit I am using my platform to provide advice from one student to another on how to find the right one just in time for sweater weather and snuggle season.

What better way to make that great first romantic impression than to take the leap and ask them to go on a date with you?  Courage goes a long way; oftentimes, the other person will be impressed with the forwardness that it takes to do such a thing. Be careful and make sure to do this in a polite way.

Junior Bailey Thompson, language arts education major, noted that you should “not yell at the person while you’re driving past them in your car,” as nobody appreciates being cat-called. Additionally, Thompson mentioned that, “if someone has avoided you on multiple occasions, take the hint.” Be respectful of their answer, and simply find someone else.

However, you can’t plan that perfect date until you find the perfect person to ask out. In order to do that, you have to know where to look.  

In response to where she recommends looking for dates, sophomore criminal justice major Emily McKnight commented, “I feel like nowadays, it’s all social media.” Meanwhile, McKnight notes that if she were to approach someone in person, she “wouldn’t even know what to say.” So, if you want to avoid that awkwardness, simply head to Tinder, Instagram, Twitter or any other form of social media to find your ideal cuffing season date.

If all else fails, there’s no need to be discouraged. Because when in doubt, everyone falls for a good pick up line, right? Here are some suggestions:

“I wanna live in your socks so I can be with you every step of the way.”

“Are you a fruit? Because Honeydew you know how fine you look right now?”

And last, but not least, a personal favorite: “Are you a beaver? ‘Cause dam.”

With that, I say goodbye and best of luck to you on your cuffing season search.

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Getting festive for fall

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

With the start of the new term, the leaves are taking on various shades of reds, oranges and browns as they slowly flutter from the limbs by which they once hung and make their way to the ground. Fall has finally begun and it is time to celebrate.

What better way to do so than to make the place you reside reflect the environment surrounding you? Decorating for autumn is a must this season. Whether you’re living off campus or in a dorm, there’s no reason why you can’t partake in all that the season has to offer. All you have to do is put in a little work to rejoice in the beauty that fall provides.

To get started, you’ll have to purchase or make some decorations. For the best deals, head down to Dallas and take a stroll through Dollar Tree — believe it or not, their options are abundant. Everything from banners, to signs, knick-knacks and garlands are available. While you’re there, you might as well check out Goodwill and Walmart as well, as both provide a large selection of decor to choose from.

If you’re on a tight budget, that’s no reason why you can’t be involved in the fall fun; grab some construction paper, some markers and get crafty. If you happen to have extra jars or cans, cut out some Autumn-colored leaves, and paste them around the outside to create a fall-themed container.

If you aren’t a creative person, that’s okay, too. Just head to Pinterest to develop some lively ideas for creations.

Once you’ve finished making the indoors look as perfect as outdoors, you can finally throw on a sweater and some fuzzy socks, kick back with a cup of coffee or hot cocoa and make the most of the season from wherever you are.

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

 

Searching for self-confidence

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

I can remember the day when I first realized that my self-confidence was next to nonexistent. I was in seventh grade; I saw my school picture and immediately felt a wave of discouragement wash over me. I was suddenly uncomfortable with myself and my appearance. My confidence plummeted and continued to worsen with time.

In the grand scheme of things, this may seem to be a miniscule problem. However, people don’t realize just how detrimental it can be. My lack of confidence would keep me from doing anything slightly past my comfort zone; it would negatively affect my relationships, as not believing in myself led me to distrust anyone who said they did. It forced me to be extremely cautious about what I chose to wear.

The plague of self-doubt seeped into the foundation of my life, and I felt like at any moment I would crack.

It wasn’t until my first year at Western that things began to turn around. I was thrown into this new environment surrounded by a sea of unfamiliar faces, not knowing a single person. I knew then that I had to find a way to build my confidence.

I began developing new habits; I set aside time in my days to pick outfits that I love, do my makeup in ways that I prefer wearing it and I created a daily workout schedule that I knew I could stick to. I did things that I knew would help me feel confident. Slowly, but surely, it started working.

Today I wouldn’t say that my confidence is impeccable. I have days where it’s an intense struggle, other days, I walk with my head high and bear a proud smile on my face that I truly mean. I can’t deny that it still finds ways to have negative effects on aspects of my life, but thankfully I have an incredibly supportive group of people surrounding me who are patient, kind and understanding.

My advice to anyone struggling with the same thing is to find things that you love doing, and do them unapologetically. Find people who will support you through it all. And remind yourself everyday about how amazing you are, and why you deserve to be confident.

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

New guidance may change how universities handle sexual misconduct investigations

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced that there will be changes to the guidance on how schools handle investigations regarding sexual misconduct on college campuses.

On Sept. 22, DeVos declared a withdrawal of the 2014 Questions and Answers on Campus Sexual Misconduct document, which described a school’s responsibility to address issues of sexual misconduct. An interim Q&A document was released that takes the place of the 2014 document, as well as the 2011 Dear Colleague Letter that was used as a guideline under the Title IX law. The interim Q&A allows schools the option to have a higher standard of evidence in an investigation of sexual misconduct.

The 2011 Dear Colleague letter required schools to find a preponderance of the evidence in sexual misconduct investigations to determine guilt.

According to the Association for Student Conduct Administration, a preponderance of evidence is found when “the proof need only show that the facts are more likely to be than not so.” In other words, more than 50 percent of the evidence must point to guilt.

As of Sept. 22, schools now have the option to hold a clear and convincing standard of evidence in cases of sexual misconduct. This is defined by the ASCA as, “that proof which results in reasonable certainty of the truth.”

“To implement sustainable solutions, institutions must be mindful of the rights of every student,” DeVos stated in a speech on Sept. 7. “No one benefits from a system that does not have the public’s trust — not survivors, not accused students, not institutions and not the public.”

Western Oregon University’s staff and personnel have not yet released information regarding this policy and if it will change the way campus sexual misconduct cases are handled.

Abby’s House, Center for Equity & Gender Justice, is a resource and referral center at Western. According to the university’s website, Abby’s House strives to promote equity and non-violence through educational programming, referral services and information.

Dr. Addington, Director of Abby’s House, encourages, “if students have a particular issue or concern they want to talk about or figure out what to do next, they can come in and talk to us.”

When asked if the potential policy change will affect the resources and support given by Abby’s House, she replied, “No. Abby’s House is a survivor center in our approach to advocacy. If someone comes in and is a survivor of gender-based violence of some kind, we will do our very best to be helpful and supportive all the same. So that part won’t change.”

“When things like this come out, when public officials make statements regarding assault in any way, that affects people,” Addington said. “So it could change our day to day in Abby’s House in terms of who is coming in and who is seeking that support, but regardless of what the policies are, we will provide that support. These things do affect folks that need help and that’s what we’re here for.”

 

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

The deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

A gunman opened fire from the 32nd floor of a Las Vegas hotel Oct. 1, killing 59 and injuring hundreds more. The gunfire was directed at a crowd of nearly 22,000 people attending an outdoor country music festival concert on the Las Vegas Strip. According to the New York Times, this incident is considered one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern U.S. history.

The shooter rained bullets from his room at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, just down the road from the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival, during a performance by Jason Aldean. The music stopped soon after the gunfire began and concertgoers began to duck for cover or run for their lives. According to nytimes.com, the bullets didn’t cease for approximately 10 minutes.

According to CNN, the hotel was placed on lockdown and a SWAT team searched every floor; they found the gunman dead, inside his room on the 32nd floor. Also found in the room were at least 23 firearms, including several rifles that had scopes on them. Law enforcement officials searched the gunman’s home in Mesquite, Nevada, discovering several more firearms, explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

Jake Owen, a singer who was onstage with Jason Aldean, described the shooting to NBC News saying, “It got faster and faster, almost like it sounded like it was an automatic rifle. You could hear it ringing off the tops of the rafters of the stage. That’s when you saw people fleeing. At that point, everyone on stage just started running everywhere possible. It was pretty chaotic for sure.”

According to CNN, hundreds of individuals in the Las Vegas community rushed to blood banks Oct. 2. People waited in lines for six to eight hours to donate blood for the victims.

In his Oct. 2 speech, President Trump stated, “We call upon the bonds of citizenship, the ties of community, and the comfort of our common humanity. Our unity cannot be shattered by evil, our bonds cannot be broken by violence, and though we feel such great anger, at the senseless murder of our fellow citizens, it is our love that defines us today.”

 

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

 

Western’s campus is home to a variety of different sports

Zoë Strickland | Managing Editor

It’s difficult to go to college without being aware of the myriad of different NCAA sports teams on campus. For students who aren’t inclined to go the NCAA route, Western is also home to intramural programs and club sports, both of which are open to students across campus.

Both IM and club sports are a way for members of the Western community to participate in recreational sports at varying levels of intensity.

Club Sports are run by students and go through the university’s campus recreation department. Some of the clubs offered include rugby, wrestling and rock climbing. Club Sports are a way for students to participate in structured games and practices, as well as travel and compete with other college students throughout the Pacific Northwest.

“Playing club sports here has opened so many doors that I never even thought it would,” said Lake Larsen, senior Lacrosse player and Club Sports Supervisor. “On the field I’ve been able to travel all over the west coast ranging from Las Vegas and San Francisco to Seattle and Boise.”

In addition to being part of a team, participating in club sports can also come with various responsibilities. Larsen, who was elected president of the Lacrosse team, can attest to this; “The biggest impact of club sports has come from my time off the field and behind the scenes … with this title I learned how to manage an annual budget of approximately $50K, hired a new coaching staff and have developed great relationships with people around the school.”

IM programs are less structured; they’re less likely to have a coach, and take on a more freeform nature. Unlike club sports, they are also open to Western faculty and staff.

IM teams are usually a group of friends comprised of WOU students competing to have fun and try to win an Intramural championship T-Shirt,” said Andy Main, the Assistant Director of Campus Recreation Intramural and Club Sports.

Some of the intramural sports programs, such as Flag Football and Basketball, cost students a registration fee of $50. The money paid by students goes back into the program to help pay for court and field maintenance, as well as to pay student workers.

“The largest portion of the Intramural budget goes to pay for Intramural student-employees,” said Main. “The intramural program requires about 30 student-employees to ensure that all competitions are officiated by referees and/or monitored by Intramural supervisors.”

What isn’t covered by the intramural fee is provided to the program by the Incidental Fee Committee.

Those interested in finding out more about IM programs or club sports, can do so by heading to wou.edu/campusrec or by looking up @wou_imsports and @wouclubsports on Instagram.

Students who are more interested in watching the sports than playing them, can view the schedules for both Intramural and club sports at IMLeagues.com/wou.

 

Contact the author at journalmanaging@wou.edu